South Shore garbage rates expected to climb

Plan to pay more for garbage on the South Shore starting Jan. 1.

South Tahoe Refuse is asking South Lake Tahoe and Douglas County to approve a 1.96 percent increase. The percentage is expected to be a little less in El Dorado County.

The garbage company did not raise rates this year. In 2015, South Lake Tahoe and Douglas County’s rates increase by 2.88 percent and El Dorado County rates went up 2.66 percent.

Jeff Tillman, president of STR, told Lake Tahoe News the increase is needed to expand programs so the company can meet the California mandate of having 75 percent of waste diverted from landfills by 2020.

STR is looking to expand food and green waste programs to accomplish this goal. About 65 percent of STR’s waste does not go to a landfill today.

Tillman said it is going to be difficult, though, to reach the new state regulation.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report