Mariposa County trash fees stand among region’s highest

By Dan Tucker

Mariposa County residents hauling their own trash to the county landfill saw the latest step in a multi-year fee increase take effect on July 1. The county’s adopted schedule lists general refuse at $6 for a 33-gallon container, $9 for a 55-gallon container, $33.50 per cubic yard, and $226.50 per ton. The increase is part of a plan approved after county officials identified financial pressure in the solid waste system, including a large landfill closure and post-closure funding gap.

That per-ton charge makes Mariposa notably more expensive than two nearby counties where public rate sheets list general municipal solid waste by the ton. Merced County’s regional landfill system lists general trash at $43.05 per ton, with a $19 minimum. Madera County’s Fairmead Landfill lists municipal solid waste over 500 pounds at $125.74 per ton, while the North Fork Transfer Station lists the same category at $227.05 per ton.

On a per-ton basis, Mariposa is far above Merced and Fairmead, and essentially in line with Madera’s North Fork transfer rate. The curbside pickup picture is more complicated because each county uses franchised or contract haulers, and not every provider publishes a simple countywide residential rate online.

Calls and emails to the Interim Solid Waste and Recycling Manager for Mariposa County, Demetrice Crump, were not answered, so the question as to why Mariposa County’s rates are comparatively greater goes unanswered.

For franchised collection, Mariposa County identifies Recology Mariposa as the provider of weekly and biweekly residential and commercial trash collection. Recology’s public materials say residential customers provide their own containers, generally no larger than 32 gallons, and that rates are based on capacity rather than schedule.

Tuolumne County lists three franchise haulers—Cal Sierra Disposal/WM, Moore Bros. Scavenger, and Burns Refuse Service—and directs residents to the hauler serving their area for service details and rates. WM’s Tuolumne County page says weekly trash service is available with 96-, 64-, or 35-gallon carts and that rates vary by cart size, while Burns Refuse notes a 4.9 percent CPI increase effective January 1, 2026. Moore Bros. rates were not found in a public rate sheet.

Many Mariposa County residents take their garbage bags to the Mariposa County Landfill on Highway 49 North because local garbage collection is somewhat prohibitive in cost. Particularly in a county with a high percentage of elderly adults.

In the town area of Mariposa, Recology, the franchised service provider, residents can put out from one to four 33-gallon refuse cans that are emptied once per week at a cost of $118.46 per month, according to Cristal Shipman, the operations manager of Recology locally. Residents must provide their own containers.

All of Recology’s rate are approved by Mariposa County officials.

Outside of Mariposa proper, the rates adjust upward dramatically. Weekly collection for areas like Ponderosa Basin, Midpines, Cathey’s Valley, Darrah Road, Lushmeadows, etc. the rate for one to four 33-gallon containers jumps to $168.73 per month. Residents can select bi-weekly service at a cost of $116.56 per month.

By contrast, Emadco, one of two franchised companies in Madera County, will pick up am 64-gallon trash cart once per week in the general Oakhurst area for $56.33 per month, and Emadco provides the containers. Every other week pick up of a 96-gallon recycling cart is also available at the same cost. Emadco provides these carts for their customers.

Madera County’s unincorporated areas are served by Red Rock Environmental Group in the valley and Emadco Disposal in the mountain area. Red Rock’s specific rates for collection are not available online.

In the outer reaches of Mariposa County, areas like Coulterville, La Grange, and Greeley Hill, rates vary from $67.24 per month up to $131.08 per month, depending on the quantity of refuse collected. Bi-weekly rates range from $34.77 per month for a single 33-gallon container to $81.40 per month for a 96-gallon container.

Merced County’s published franchise materials are more specific. The county says exclusive franchise haulers provide curbside residential service in assigned areas, including Waste Management, Gilton Solid Waste, and Mid Valley Disposal.

A WM Merced County residential rate sheet effective July 1, 2025 lists default monthly service at $48.03 for one 64-gallon trash cart, recycling, and green waste, and $55.13 for one 96-gallon trash cart, recycling, and green waste in Areas 1 and 4.