SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane residents could see their trash collection bills increase by 20% due to a state law requiring the city to purchase $8 million in carbon tax credits.
The Carbon Commitment Act would require Spokane to buy carbon credits to offset emissions from its waste-to-energy facility. City leaders traveled to Olympia this week seeking a delay in the requirements.
The facility converts trash into electricity, which city officials argue is more environmentally friendly than landfill disposal. However, the facility must purchase carbon credits while regular landfills are exempt.
“We believe that there’s a way for us to move forward and be responsible stewards of our environment. But what we need is time to make those changes,” said Marlene Feist, public works director for the city of Spokane.
“We want to be able to be treated fairly with other communities. And we also recognize that waste energy is actually a better environmental outcome for our world,” Feist said.
If unsuccessful in securing a delay, the 20% increase would affect all garbage collection customers.
“It’s absolutely critical that we try to maintain rates that make sense. They can’t do without garbage service, they can’t do without clean drinking water, so maintaining affordability rates is really important to us,” Feist said.
