December 16, 2025
Economic Development
DATE: December 16, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Nannette Beacham, Economic Development Director
Samantha Carr, Environmental Manager
SUBJECT:
Presentation from the West Contra Costa Integrated
Waste Management Authority (RecycleMore) on the new
Solid Waste Post-Collection Agreement and rates
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact for receiving this item.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement, founding
RecycleMore, establishes a responsibility for
RecycleMore to manage the flow or post-collection
management of solid waste, recycling, and organic
materials generated by the Member Agencies and
collected by their respective franchised collection service providers. The most recent Post-Collection Agreement
with Republic Services expired on June 30, 2025, and
was subsequently extended for six-months through
December 31, 2025, pursuant to the cost increase
delineated in the contract extension provisions. Since
March 2025, RecycleMore and Republic Services have
been negotiating the terms and conditions of a new
contract, which has recently concluded. The result of the negotiations is a new long-term PCA commencing on
January 1, 2026.
AGENDA
REPORT
December 16, 2025
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECEIVE a presentation from West Contra Costa
Integrated Waste Management Authority (RecycleMore)
on the new solid waste Post-Collection Agreement (PCA)
and rates starting January 1, 2026 and ADOPT a
resolution acknowledging receipt of the presentation–
Economic Development (Samantha Carr 510-620-
5407/Nannette Beacham 510-620-1306).
DISCUSSION:
Three separate agreements provide the City of Richmond’s solid waste and recycling services:
1. An exclusive Solid Waste Collection Franchise Agreement (Collection Agreement) with Richmond Sanitary Services (RSS), managed by the City of Richmond, and authorized by City Council on June 24, 2025 for a term through June 30, 2040;
2. An exclusive Post-Collection Solid Waste Franchise Agreement (Post-Collection Agreement) with Republic Services, managed by the West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority (RecycleMore) and authorized by RecycleMore on November 13, 2025 for a term through June 30, 2040; and
3. An exclusive Franchise Agreement for solid waste transfer and processing between the City and Golden Bear Transfer Services, Inc. (“GBTS”) dated June 28, 2004 (“GBTS Franchise Agreement”) for a term through December 31, 2025 (“Initial Term”).
The City of Richmond entered into the Collection Agreement with Richmond Sanitary Service (operated by Republic Services) in 1985 and, on July 1, 2025, entered into a new Collection Agreement with the contractor after completing a competitive procurement process.
The West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority (RecycleMore) was formed through a Joint Exercise Power Agreement (JEPA) to provide for regional solid waste management services, including the management of post-collection services and programs to ensure compliance with the California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939) and subsequent legislation, including the more recent SB 1383. The City of Richmond, as a member agency of RecycleMore, was included in the prior Post- Collection Agreement with Republic Services and its subsidiaries. This agreement expired on June 30, 2025, but was subsequently extended for six months through December 31, 2025.
On May 2, 2023, the Richmond City Council recommended that RecycleMore proceed with an RFP process for the Post-Collection Solid Waste Franchise Agreement (PCA).
December 16, 2025
In anticipation of the expiration of the existing PCA, the Authority issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in October 2024 to solicit competitive bids for post-collection services.
These services include the transfer and disposal of solid waste, recycling and organics processing, operation of household hazardous waste (HHW) programs, and related diversion activities. One proposal was received in response to the RFP, which was submitted by the incumbent provider, Republic Services.
Beginning in March 2025, the Authority and Republic Services entered into negotiations to finalize the terms of a new long-term PCA and these negotiations have recently concluded. The result of the negotiations is a new long-term Post-Collection Agreement (PCA) commencing on January 1, 2026, with a term in alignment with the City of Richmond’s Collection Agreement. On November 13, 2025, the RecycleMore Board approved the proposed Post-Collection Agreement with a term commencing January 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2040, with two possible five-year term extensions (Attachment 1). The proposed agreement will establish the framework for post-collection services over the next 15 years and beyond, and reflects input from Authority staff, technical consultants, and legal counsel.
Term
January 1, 2026, through June 30, 2040 (ending date intentionally aligned with Member Agencies' new 15-year Collection Services Franchise Agreements); two possible five-year term extensions (in alignment with Richmond Collection Services Franchise Agreements).
Scope of Services
Under the new PCA, Republic Services will continue to provide a comprehensive suite of post-collection services, including:
Solid Waste Transfer and Disposal - Continued management and transportation of municipal solid waste to appropriate disposal sites. Recycling Processing - Sorting, processing, and marketing of recyclable materials to divert them from landfill disposal.
Organics Processing - Collection and composting of green waste and food scraps in compliance with SB 1383 requirements.
Construction and Demolition (C&D) Recycling - Processing of C&D materials for recovery and diversion.
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program - Operation of both permanent and satellite HHW facilities, consistent with the current program scope. Mattress Recycling - Ongoing participation in the regional mattress recycling program, including resident drop-off services.
Additional Value-Added Provisions
The new PCA includes several key value-added services and programs to assist Member Agencies with SB 1383 compliance and public engagement:
SB 1383 Compost Procurement Compliance
o Continuation of monthly residential compost giveaway program
December 16, 2025
o New direct compost distribution allocation to Member Agencies o New direct compost procurement opportunities for Member Agencies SB 1383 Reporting Compliance
o Continuation of access to key reporting metrics with increased reporting requirements
o Authority access to commercial sector real-time compliance data Continuation of Authority-led facility tours for students and community groups Extended producer responsibility cost assurance
Compensation Methodology
The new PCA maintains the blended per-ton rate compensation model used under the previous agreement. This model consolidates several cost components into a single rate paid by the franchised collection companies when delivering materials to Republic Services facilities. The blended rate includes:
Material-specific costs for transfer and disposal of solid waste, and processing recycling, composting and C&D materials
Household Hazardous Waste program budget
Government-mandated fees
The Authority’s (RecycleMore) operational and administrative budget
Two key components included in the prior PCA (recycling rebate and the SB 1383 compliance fund) have been eliminated in the new agreement. These changes simplify the compensation structure and are intended to reduce direct costs in the material- specific component of the blended rate. Funding for future SB 1383-related compliance activities will instead be managed through the Authority’s annual budgeting process, rather than via a separate fund held by Republic Services.
Table 1 below provides the cost component details and blended cost per ton for the first year of the new PCA compared to the July 1, 2025 six-month extension.
Table 1
December 16, 2025
Cost Escalation Framework (Material Specific Component) In an effort to keep initial costs down and prevent a major increase in rates, the Authority and Republic agreed to the cost escalation framework outlined in Table 2. The structure is designed to provide predictability and limit year-over-year increases while allowing for market-based adjustments:
Rate Impact
The primary rate impact associated with the new PCA is the material-specific component of the blended per-ton rate. The material-specific component (i.e., the cost per ton for all solid waste, recycling, and organics/compost materials) will increase by ten percent (10.0%) beginning January 1, 2026, from the current rate $144.01 per ton to $158.41 per ton. This adjustment reflects cost changes associated with processing, disposal, and regulatory compliance.
The second most significant rate impact arises from the increase in the Household Hazardous Waste program, which will increase from $9.25 per ton to $13.62 per ton.
This increase is primarily the result of:
a significant increase in the third-party HHW disposal costs a projected cost of two special one-day collection events the reconciliation of the HHW budget balancing account costs dating back to expenses incurred in 2024
The overall impact of the post-collection rates on Richmond 32-gallon residential customers equate to a 3.01 percent increase and a 1.42 percent increase per cubic yard for commercial customers starting January 1, 2026.
December 16, 2025
Table 3 and Table 4 below show the new total rate charged to rate payers.
The PCA component will be the only adjustment to Richmond customers’ combined solid waste rate this coming January as the next collection rate adjustment will not occur until January 1, 2027, providing some rate stability during the first year of the new PCA term.
Table 3 - Residential Rates
Service
Levels
Collection
Rate
(7/1/25)
Current
PCA
Rate
(7/1/25)
Total Rate
Charged
To
Ratepayers
(7/1/25)
PCA
Rates
(1/1/26)
New
PCA
Rates
Increase
(1/1/26)
New Total
Rate
Charged
To
Ratepayers
(1/1/26)
Rate
Impact
Percent
Change
20-
gallon
$33.89 $10.82 $44.71 $11.80 $0.97 $45.68 2.17%
32-
gallon
$37.74 $19.00 $56.74 $20.71 $1.71 $58.45 3.01%
64-
gallon
$75.63 $35.31 $110.94 $38.49 $3.18 $114.12 2.87%
96-
gallon
$133.94 $53.01 $186.95 $57.78 $4.77 $191.72 2.55%
Table 4 - Commercial Rates
2 Cubic
Yard Bin
Collected
2x/Week
(7/1/25)
PCA Cubic
Yard Rate
= $16.99
(7/1/25)
Total Rate
Charged To
Ratepayers
(7/1/25)
New PCA
Cubic Yard
Rate = $18.72
(1/1/26)
New Total Rate
Charged To
Ratepayers
(1/1/26)
Rate Impact
Percent
Change
$901.06 $147.13 $1048.19 $162.03 $1,063.09 1.42%
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1- Approved New Post Collection Agreement
Attachment 2- RecycleMore Presentation
Attachment 3- Resolution