When the legitimate and necessary costs of hauling your waste have been accounted for, what is left are the hidden fees and additional charges that many waste management companies use to increase their profits and run up your monthly invoice. Some of these to watch for include:
- Overfill charges. When the lid of your container will not close, some waste collectors charge you an overage fee.
- Gate service charges. If waste haulers must open a closed or locked gate to access your containers, they may charge this fee.
- Enclosure or dismount and push charge. If the garbage pickup driver must remove containers from an enclosure and then replace them, there is often an additional charge.
- Key charges. If your containers are locked and the pickup crew must use a provided key to open them, this can be charged on a per container basis.
- Long walk charge. Containers that the truck cannot drive right up to, might be subject to an additional charge.
- Regulatory fees and environmental surcharges. Although waste haulers are required to comply with environmental protection laws, many prefer to pass these charges along to the customer as additional fees.
- Fuel surcharges. Some time ago these were added to pass fluctuating fuel prices on to commercial waste management customers, and some companies continue to add these fees even when fuel prices are steady.