How Do I Stop My Waste Hauler From Overcharging Me?

If you have grown tired of playing the waste and recycling hauling game, you are not alone. Many commercial waste disposal companies take advantage of local business owners with bill padding and other practices that are designed to raise your waste management bills while keeping you locked into a contract.

How Do Commercial Trash Services Overcharge Your Business?

Your staff may have done their best to negotiate a reasonable monthly charge for waste disposal and recycling, only to see the charges rise over time. Perhaps you have changed companies or you may be required to use a designated service in your area by zoning or state regulations. In either case, you may see practices like these used to artificially increase your bill:

• Haulers who tack on additional fees for normal operating expenses like fuel, maintenance, or miles traveled.
• Inappropriate fees for questionable examples of overflow on containers, sometimes for just an inch or two of lift on lids where containers are otherwise properly packed.
• Annual increases which are built into the fine print of the contract.
• Threats of ETFs, or Early Termination Fees, in an attempt to prevent you from seeking the least expensive and most effective options available.
• Franchise fees, which show up as a flat fee added to your bill, and go on to line the pockets of local governments and agencies in return for requiring citizens to use a specific commercial waste management company.

What Can You Do to Stop These Unfair Practices?

Thousands of companies have gained control of their hauling costs by outsourcing commercial waste collection and recycling contract negotiation to companies whose sole responsibility is to oversee these aspects of their business. These waste and recycling experts are referred to as “consultants” and sometimes “brokers” – depending on whether they subcontract waste services to haulers, or simply act as an impartial third-party advocate for their clients. Waste consultants and waste brokers act as resources for business owners to turn to for help in reducing their waste hauling and recycling expenses.

However, some urban centers have a refined, organized RFP process that they use to select a garbage vendor for residents or businesses within their city limits. Other cities may decide to enter into an agreement with a hauler after they are approached and proposed a deal that entails incentives for the city such as “franchise fees” or special garbage taxes that bring the city revenue. These charges show up as an additional flat fee on the trash bills, or are calculated as a percentage of the total base price for garbage. They range anywhere from 5% to 30%, depending on how much the local municipality receives.

GTS Represents the Interests of Local Businesses

At Global Trash Solutions (GTS) we are fundamentally opposed to franchise agreements, as we feel that they limit citizens’ rights to choose the vendor they would like for waste services and reduce competition. GTS is unique in that we welcome the challenge of helping clients who have locations in franchised markets. GTS successfully holds haulers accountable for service in areas where they have contracted with the city, and develops creative solutions that save our clients hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

We center our service around each clients’ specific need. As a result, we provide waste consulting services, waste brokering services, equipment services (including rental, lease-to-own, and sales for both trash compaction and recyclable processing equipment), and protection from unfair pricing practices on the part of waste haulers.

We are so confident in our ability to save businesses money that we guarantee new consulting clients a minimum of 10% savings – which is nominal compared to our 37% national average. If you want to take control of your waste expenses and guarantee you are paying fair market value for service, please contact us today at (866) 760-8194.