Town Council unanimously approved an amendment to the Waste Industries contract Wednesday that will raise solid waste fees 92 cents to $9.95 per month. Recycling fees will increase $1.21 to $3.54 per month.

Solid waste fees are up due to a change in the contract that does not expire until June 2010.

Yet towns or the contractor may petition for increases during the contractual period due to unusual changes in Waste Industries’ cost of operations due to revised laws, ordinances or regulations; changes in location of disposal sites or changes in disposal charges and for other reasons approved by the Town.

The reason for the increase is due to the cost to operate the New Hope Road Transfer Station and the South Wake Landfill as well as a cost of living increase, said Assistant Town Manager Seth Lawless.

Lawless said because the Durant Road Landfill is full in Raleigh, eastern Wake County residents’ trash will be disposed of in the South Wake Landfill in Holly Springs. Before waste is taken to the landfill, it will be held at the New Hope Road Transfer Station operated by Wake County.

Lawless said the contract allowed changes to the fee schedule because of the anticipated costs associated with disposing of waste at the new landfill. The new fees will be in effect July 1.

He said under the new agreement, the only change affecting fees until June 2011 will be due to a cost of living adjustment.

The increase in recycling fees reflects the replacement of 18-gallon bins with 48-gallon roll-out recycling carts. The council voted for the recycling fee increase to pay for a new recylcling program the town is implementing.

The town tested to see if recycling increased with the larger containers in a pilot project. Lawless told the council more residents recycled and more waste was recycled at homes with the roll-out carts.