The Solid Waste Department offers a variety of services for Bonner County residential and commercial customers. In accordance with Idaho Code and County policies, our goal is to provide professional service with regard to public safety, essential service and the responsible management of public assets for the common well-being of our citizens. We will continue to take steps to achieve an innovative, cost effective department the County can be proud of, committed to a high quality and excellence in public service. We must maintain customer focus, be accountable, be part of the County team, communicate and be professional at all times.
 These principles have worked well in the past. We continue to be faced with new challenges brought about by a 4.95% per year growth rate, a diversified work place and rapid improvements in technology. We will continue to focus on improving our solid waste infrastructure to meet projected future requirements. To meet this challenge, we have spent many months developing a strategy to guide us for the next five years.
 Under the Bonner County Board of Commissioners authority, the Solid Waste Department is directed by a Public Works Director. The Solid Waste administrative portion of Public Works is concluded with an account clerk and receptionist. Our department is responsible for the waste disposal sites spread across the entire County. An Operations Foreman manages all site attendants, technical and maintenance personnel.
What's in our trash?
- 38% Paper
- 18% Yard Trimmings
- 8% Metals
- 8% Plastic
- 7% Glass
- 7% Food Waste
- 14% Other
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Surprise Re-Uses:
- Glass in road building
- Plastic in carpet fibers
- Tires in sneaker soles
- Plastic in pillows
- Tires as fuel in mills
- Glass stepping stones
- Tires in fishing
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As a resident, is there a cost when I go to the disposal sites?
 Often, there is a misconception you will be charged for large items, not considered typical household waste. This is the reason you sometimes will see an appliance along the roadside. Residential fees are billed on your tax bill. Refrigerators, air conditioners and other freon containing appliances may be dropped off at the five transfer stations (Colburn, Clark Fork, Dufort, Idaho Hill, and Dickensheet). For residential users there is no charge for removing the freon or compressors. We do, however, charge for tires at $3 per passenger tire; $12 for large truck tires and $37.50 for heavy equipment tires. Additionally, $1 will be added to a tire (regardless of tire size) if it is still mounted on a rim.
The Bonner County Solid Waste Department is sending to all residents who pay the solid waste fee two stickers to use at the facilities. These stickers will be included with your annual tax statement sent to residents the end of October or beginning of November. It is important to check your tax statement for your two stickers.
The purpose of the sticker program is to make sure that you the homeowner are not paying for the people within our county who do not pay the fee.
As homeowners in Bonner County we pay $110.00 per year for the disposal of all of the waste in the county. These fees generate the funds to operate 11 solid waste collection sites which include 4 sites that are unattended, three attended sites for kitchen trash only and five attended full service transfer stations. All of the waste within our county is taken to the transfer station at Colburn Culver then trucked out of our county to Oregon, approximately 286 miles away.
We contract with waste management for the operation of the transfer station and for our long haul to Oregon. Our employees include one shared administrator, one secretary, one operations foreman, one hazmat technician and 15 attendants. Our hours are seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We are closed on New Years day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. On Christmas Eve and New Years eve the sites close by 3:00 PM.
Commercial waste is charged per cubic yard - the following is our Fee Schedule for 209-2010
Type Amount Unit
Fees Applicable to Commercial Waste Only
Collected by contract hauler ........... $13.00 .............................. Cubic yard
Loose Commercial .. ...................... $13.00 .............................. Cubic yard
Minimum Commercial fee ...... . . ..... $5.00 ............................. ¼ yd or less
Refrigeration Decommission ......... $30.00 .............................. Each unit, plus yardage
* In excess of any one appliance of the same kind in one day the load will be charged at the commercial waste rate.
Separated:
Metal ................................................. $6.00 .............................. Cubic yard
Inert ................................................... $6.00 .............................. Cubic yard
Clean Asphalt .................................. $6.00 .............................. Cubic yard
Clean Wood ..................................... $6.50 .............................. Cubic yard
Treated Wood ................................. $6.50 .............................. Cubic yard
** We reserve the right to have Commercial loads weighed and charged by the pound when waste is out of the ordinary or unusually heavy. i.e. Drywall, railroad ties, dirty dirt.
Fees Applicable to Commercial and Residential
Tires, rimless (limit 8 tires per day)
Passenger auto or pickup .................... $3.00 .............................. Each
Large truck ........................................... $12.00 .............................. Each
Oversize (skidder type) ...................... $37.50 .............................. Each
TiresIf rimmed ........... ......................... $1.00 additional .... Regardless of Size
TV Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12.00. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . Each
Out-of-County
Minimum fee .......................................... $5.00 .............................. Under ¼ yard
Over ¼ yard ......................................... $13.00 .............................. Cubic yard
Dead Animals
Under 100 lbs. ................................................................................ No fee
Over 100 lb. ......................................... $25.00 .............................. Each
*** Limit on residential yardage to six (6) yards per day or charged at
commercial rate.
**** Any liquids (i.e. paint, oil, etc) are limited to five (5) gallons per day.
***** No commercial loads of construction debris larger than a duplex will be accepted at the Colburn Transfer Station or any of the sites.
******The Solid Waste Department reserves the right to determine if a commercial load is acceptable and apply the cost to process this deris if there is a question as to content, weight and amount. Certain types and size of debris may be referred to another facility.
*******Any and all hazmat recycle business Wednesday through Saturday
National Information
- U.S. Bureau of the Census.
- The average person in the U.S. uses 40.6 pounds of household cleaners each year.
- Approximately 2.5 tons of waste is generated when a new house is built.
- The average American produces more than 1,000 pounds of trash per year!
 Garbage Truck Safety
- Garbage trucks weigh 25 tons, about the weight of five elephants.
- Garbage truck tires are as tall as the average five-year-old.
- If you can't see the driver -- the driver can't see you!
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