Salt Lake City has proposed new waste and recycling rates for fiscal year 2027 to manage rising operational costs and capital requirements. According to a notice on the city's website, the proposal includes a 9% increase for garbage collection across all container sizes and a 2.4% increase for curbside glass recycling service.
The proposed garbage rate increase is intended to help the city maintain a minimum operating reserve, which supports emergency trash pickup or large-scale clean-up events. The city noted that these increases help address costs that rise annually due to inflation. This proposal follows a period between 2014 and 2021 when the city did not raise garbage fees.
If the City Council adopts the proposal, the garbage rate increase would take effect on July 1, 2026. The proposed increase for glass recycling would take effect on Sept. 1. The city is currently implementing cost-cutting measures, such as the 2025 pickup day realignment, to improve operational efficiency.
The proposed monthly fee changes for garbage containers include:
96-gallon garbage: $39.80 (a $3.29 increase)
64-gallon garbage: $33.52 (a $2.77 increase)
48-gallon garbage: $26.26 (a $2.17 increase)
For subscription glass containers, the proposed monthly fee is $8.69, representing a $0.20 increase. Additionally, a 1.10 increase is proposed for multi-family recycling and green waste customers, bringing that fee to $13.37. The city does not charge residential customers for recycling and green waste carts.
Salt Lake City provides weekly collection for approximately 42,000 locations, including single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, small businesses, and some multi-family properties. In 2025, crews collected 66,075 tons of total material, with 36.5% of the residential waste stream diverted from the landfill through recycling and composting.
