OC cities approve trash rate hikes of up to $8 a month

Six Orange County cities have approved residential trash rate increases of $4 to $8 per month, with higher bills set to take effect in July 2026, according to Voice of OC.

The increases, driven by rising county landfill fees and future infrastructure costs, will fall unevenly on OC residents — with Huntington Beach facing the steepest hike and Cypress residents drawing scrutiny over one of the county's most restrictive bulky item pickup policies.

Cypress, Buena Park, Fountain Valley, La Palma, Garden Grove and Huntington Beach each voted to raise residential trash rates, Voice of OC reported. Huntington Beach residents face the largest jump, with monthly bills climbing from roughly $29 to $37 — a gain of nearly $8. Cypress follows at approximately $6 more per month, while Buena Park residents will pay about $4 more.

Of Cypress's total increase, $5.33 per month traces directly to higher county landfill disposal costs — a disproportionate share that officials tie to a 2021 contract amendment. That revision raised the disposal cost component of the city's agreement with Valley Vista Services from 20% to 37% of the overall contract price, leaving Cypress more exposed than many neighbors when the county lifts its landfill fees. "The $5.33 increase that we're facing here is more than it is in a number of other cities in Orange County that are subject to the same agreement," Cypress Councilman David Burke said at Tuesday's city council meeting, according to Voice of OC.

Burke noted the variation is structural. "Different cities are affected by this differently because of the individual contract that each city has with their own waste provider," he said.

Cypress Public Works Director Nick Mangkalakiri told the council that the city had weighed alternatives but found them more costly. "Cypress, along with many other cities, have explored other options, but those alternatives were significantly higher than what the county is providing," he said. He added that "this agreement ensures long term access to the landfill, county landfill system, which is critical."

The rate hikes are tied to a steep trajectory in county disposal fees. Orange County currently charges $44 per ton to dump waste at its landfills; that figure is projected to reach $81 per ton by 2029, driven in part by the closure of the Brea Olinda landfill and planned infrastructure expansion.

The Cypress vote also renewed debate over the city's bulky item pickup policy. Residents there are entitled to just two free pickups per year — among the least generous in the county, where most cities offer 16 or more. David Perez, president of Valley Vista Services, suggested a middle ground: "I think something along the lines of — four calls per year, and every call is up to 10 or 12 items. I think that way everybody gets something," he told the council, Voice of OC reported.

The approved increases mark the start of a longer adjustment cycle; the county plans to index landfill fees to consumer price and waste industry measures annually after 2029, meaning residential trash bills across OC could continue climbing for years, Voice of OC reported.