A month after the Brooks garbage incinerator stopped accepting trash from Marion County, the Salem City Council will consider higher medical waste collection rates that would nearly triple what Salem Hospital pays to dispose of sharps, bandages and other potentially infectious waste. The request comes from the Mid-Valley Garbage and Recycling Association, a group of six haulers that serve Salem. Councilors will vote on the new rates Monday, Jan. 27. “With the closing of Reworld, and the significantly higher cost of medical waste disposal, the rate previously approved are no longer sufficient to cover the cost of medical waste disposal,” said Ryan Zink, the city’s franchise manager in a report to council.If approved, hospital disposal rates would increase by 168% on Feb. 1. Salem Hospital would pay $28.55 for 35 gallons of medical waste, compared to $10.65 in 2024.Salem Health generates about 20 tons of medical waste per month, said spokeswoman Lisa Wood in an email to Salem Reporter. She didn’t have an estimate for the amount disposal would cost under the new rates. “We constantly look for ways to reduce waste and become more efficient,” Wood said.Wood said it’s yet to be determined whether they’ll testify or submit comment during Monday’s council meeting.  Businesses that produce low-volumes of medical waste would see a 52% rate increase on March 1, from $34.65 to $52.65 per 35-gallon box. Those with high-volumes would increase by 72%, from $26.45 per box to $45.50. The rates were reviewed and recommended by the city council’s solid waste committee in 2024, to be moved to the city council for final approval. The committee includes Councilors Linda Nishioka, Deanna Gwyn, Micki Varney and Mayor Julie Hoy.The incinerator, located at 4850 Brooklake Road N.E., stopped accepting waste on Dec. 31, declining to say why or whether it related to stricter emission monitoring laws. The incinerator burned garbage to generate electricity. Marion County’s medical waste will now go to Bio Clean, a local company offering the lowest-cost alternative option, Zink said in the report. Bio Clean charges $16 per box of waste, which weighs an average of 28 pounds. “This equates to an estimated $1,143 per ton disposal fee, or a 662% increase over the 2024 disposal fee,” Zink said. Medical waste rates have also increased for Marion County providers outside Salem city limits. Marion County Commissioners increased medical waste collection rates by 70% in December, which applies to providers outside city limits like Santiam Hospital. The change means Santiam Hospital’s waste will now be trucked to Idaho, spokeswoman Lauren Benjamin said. She didn’t have an estimate for how much the new disposal system would cost the hospital. Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE. The post Salem to consider charging Salem Hospital more for medical waste disposal appeared first on Salem Reporter.