Transfer Station Fee Rises For Third Straight Year
EASTFORD — You may notice a bit of déjà vu (again) at the Transfer Station this month, as the cost of a Transfer Station permit has risen once more — from $120 to $140 — starting July 1.
This is now the third straight year that Transfer Station fees have increased. It was raised from $60 to $100 in 2024, then from $100 to $120 in 2025. This year’s fee increase was approved by the Board of Selectmen at their meeting on April 6.
According to First Selectman Deb Richards, increased costs for services remain as the culprit for the permit fee increase.
“The rates increased due to multiple reasons,” Richards told the Communicator last month. “[It’s] the cost of fuel, increased frequency of having to haul the bulky waste, and an increase in other costs such as salaries and equipment maintenance. [These] all contribute to having to raise rates.”
While another increase may not be ideal, Richards maintained that the cost of a permit in Eastford is still favorable compared with other towns.
“It’s still a great deal compared to pick-up and other towns’ fees,” she said.
Taking a look at fees in surrounding towns, Eastford is still generally on the lower end, objectively, in Windham County. In nearby Woodstock, for example, according to information provided on the town’s website, the Woodstock Transfer Station charges $275 for a single-family household, which includes only one permit (Eastford issues two). A second permit in Woodstock is $50, bringing a two-vehicle permit to $325 annually.
In Pomfret, their Transfer Station closed years ago, but offers residents permits in Woodstock and Brooklyn. The Woodstock permits are only available to 50 residents at $270 per permit, with three planned bulky waste disposal events throughout the year. The Town of Brooklyn also opens their transfer station to outside residents on a “pay as you go” basis. Bags are purchased for household trash disposal, and a large number of bulky items are accepted at varying fees per item. Comparatively, trash pickup services by Casella Waste Systems in Willimantic can cost more than $100 quarterly, not including bulky waste or other services provided by a transfer station.
However, not every town charges extra for use of the transfer station. In Ashford, for example, residential or household refuse disposal at the Transfer Station is generally free for Ashford residents, as it is covered by town taxes. However, there are separate fees for other items, such as tires and hazardous waste. Transfer station permits are provided at no additional cost in Union.
For the number of services offered at Eastford’s Transfer Station, Richards said that even at $140, people get a good bang for their buck.
“Eastford is a good deal for the amount of trash and bulky waste being handled,” she said.