2027 Solid Waste Assessment Increase: Frequently Asked Questions

The increase for the 2027 Solid Waste Assessment is to ensure Hillsborough County can continue providing reliable, safe, and compliant solid waste collection and disposal services.

• Contractual-based cost increases: the collection and disposal contracts include required annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustments, which measures how much prices go up over time such as the costs for fuel, labor, equipment, and other operating expenses. These contractual increases make an assessment adjustment necessary to maintain contract compliance and services.
• Maintaining service reliability and system upkeep: solid waste operations rely on trucks, heavy equipment, facilities, and infrastructure that require ongoing maintenance. Equipment naturally wears out, breaks down, or needs replacement. The increase helps fund the routine maintenance needed to ensure uninterrupted service.

The assessment ensures continued service, contract and regulatory compliance, capital for landfill expansion, and system sustainability.

Hillsborough County acknowledges cost increases affect households. Please review the discounts and assistance programs available below (see What discounts and assistance are available for solid waste services?).

• The Solid Waste Management Department’s vision is to establish a path to long-term, sustainable, and financially responsible integrated materials management and remains focused on cost efficiency, innovation, and responsible use of public funds. The Department is continually seeking ways to offset costs of doing business.
• Solid Waste Management reduced the originally proposed 2027 solid waste assessment increase from 6.5% to 4.3% by reducing operating expenses and eliminating the construction of a new mixed waste processing facility.

The annual solid waste assessments pay for more than just garbage collection and disposal.

• Two garbage collections per week (County provided gray roll-cart)
• One recycling collection per week (County provided blue roll-cart)
• One yard waste collection per week. Customers must provide their own bag, box, or container.
• Disposal of up to 10 cubic yards of self-hauled bulky waste (such as furniture and appliances) at five Hillsborough County Community Collection Centers
• Disposal of up to two tons of self-hauled yard waste at the County’s two yard-waste processing facilities, Northwest and South County
• Disposal of limited quantities of household electronics and paint at five Community Collection Centers
• Disposal of certain batteries at five Community Collection Centers and Household Hazardous Waste collection events
• Disposal of limited quantities of Household Hazardous Waste at collections held the first three Saturdays each month at rotating locations
• Three donation sites for usable household items open six days per week
• Free education & outreach programs, such as:
  • Where Does It Go? Search Tool, a mobile-friendly online tool that provides convenient options and directions to discard specific items
  • Online Recycling Guide that highlights what (and what not) to place in your recycling cart
  • Request a presentation for your next neighborhood association meeting or community event to learn about recycling, solid waste services, and what happens to waste after it leaves the curb
• Report a broken roll-cart for repair or replacement
• Report a missed pickup for your curbside location

No. Residential collection services are mandatory for all single-family residential units in the Hillsborough County Service Area.

State law requires us to inform you that failure to pay the solid waste assessments will cause a tax certificate to be issued against the property which may result in loss of title. 

Hillsborough County offers the following programs for qualified residents. Click the links for deadlines, eligibility, and applications.

Discounts and assistance

Hardship/Affordability Credit Program

• Qualifying low-income homeowners can receive financial assistance to help cover a portion of their annual assessments.

Senior Citizen Solid Waste Discount and Exemption

• Senior citizen discounts for trash service and accessory dwelling exemptions are available for qualified individuals.

Accessory dwelling exemption for those with a disability

• If your property is billed for an accessory dwelling, Hillsborough County offers an exemption for additional collection/disposal charges for people over 18 with a disability.

Disability Back Door Trash Collection

• Customers who are physically unable to place their roll carts curbside for collection may qualify to receive the backdoor service at no charge. 

The County’s waste-to-energy facility converts household and commercial waste into electricity, generating approximately $12 million in annual revenue. This revenue helps to offset approximately 40% of the facility’s roughly $30 million annual operating costs.

The revenue generated by the facility helps offset operating expenses, which reduces the cost of solid waste disposal services and helps keep residential assessments and commercial tipping fees lower than they otherwise would be. The County also includes the costs of maintaining, upgrading, and reinvesting in the facility as part of its long-term financial planning and current rate structure to ensure the facility remains reliable and sustainable.

The FY 2027 assessment increase of $22.00 for single-family residential customers consists of:

• Collection: $12.09 net increase. The collection contract includes an annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment, which accounts for the increased costs.
• Disposal: $9.91 increase. Of this amount, $5.02 is attributable to contract and operating cost increases, and $4.89 is for facility maintenance and capital.

The County has pursued multiple strategies to manage costs:

• Competitive procurement of contracted services: Nearly 80% of the County's solid waste operating costs are for services that are competitively bid on the open market, helping to ensure that pricing reflects competitive market conditions.
• Outsourcing additional services: The County has outsourced functions such as cart management to achieve operational savings.
• Revenue generation: As noted above, the County generates revenue from electricity sales and scrap metal recovery to offset disposal costs.
• The County has also evaluated lowering the level of service (for example, reducing collection frequency), but this option has not been supported by the community in past discussions.