Jeannette extends garbage rate hikes through 2027

Businesses in Jeannette will see their garbage rates increase starting next year.

And an ongoing plan to increase residential rates through 2026 has been extended.

The increases, which will be incremental through 2027, were necessary because of rising costs associated with disposing trash at a landfill, said city manager Ethan Keedy.

Jeannette is being charged 10% more per ton for waste, he said.

Additionally, the recent purchase of a $331,000 garbage truck will likely be repeated in a few years as the city updates its aging fleet.

“Even though we need two (trucks), we don’t want to leave the next administration … having to purchase two garbage trucks in the same year again,” Keedy said.

Commercial accounts that use trash bags will see a $5 per month increase in 2025, no increase in 2026 and a $3 increase in 2027. The current price ranges from $26.40 to $81.60 per month, depending on how many bags are disposed of by a business.

Businesses that use large trash bins will see the same price increase for each time the receptacle is emptied for the next three years, Keedy said.

The current price ranges from $28 to $62 per time it is emptied, depending on the size of receptacle.

The city also is changing the way it charges for cardboard disposed of by businesses — it’ll be either $5 per week when cardboard is disposed of by businesses that use trash bags and $12 per pull for those that use large trash receptacles. That will go into effect April 1.

Residential rates have been on the rise since 2022 after council implemented annual increases. In 2025, residents will pay $24 per month for trash collection and $26 and $27 the following two years through 2027, Keedy said.

The current residential price is $22 per month. Senior citizens get a discount of a few dollars monthly.

Also increasing are fees for renting large trash receptacles or permits to rent such a receptacle from an outside company. Renting a city-owned receptacle will increase by $10 to $185 per week and the permit cost will rise by $5 to $60 per week. That goes into effect Jan. 1.

Keedy encouraged better use of the city’s recycling program for newspaper, metal, clear glass and aluminum cans. Recycling bins are available at city hall in the treasurer’s office.