EREF released their 2024 Analysis of MSW Landfill Tipping Fees and it shows a 10% increase in U.S. landfill tipping fees — the largest increase since 2022. The new national average is $62.28 per ton, with large landfills charging over $70. And that public vs. private divide? Still holding strong — private landfills charge about 34% more.
The 2024 Analysis of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfill Tipping Fees provides comprehensive, data-driven insights into tipping fee trends across the U.S. waste industry. Based on data collected from 351 landfills, this report details average tipping fees by region, landfill size, and ownership type, offering a clear picture of how disposal costs are evolving in response to operational expenses, market forces, and broader economic trends.
It also confirms the continued influence of factors such as landfill scale, ownership (public vs. private), and the presence of waste-to-energy infrastructure. In addition to MSW fees, the report covers tipping fees for Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste and emerging waste streams like solar panels and wind turbine blades.
A few things that stood out include:
- The Pacific and Midwest saw the steepest fee increases
- States with WTE facilities are charging 28% more than non-WTE states
- C&D tipping fees are now neck-and-neck with MSW in many places
- Fees are closely tracking with broader economic indicators — especially labor and maintenance