FAQ

This charge reflects the variable cost of fuel required to operate our fleet of collection vehicles across all service routes. Because fuel prices fluctuate regularly based on market conditions, this surcharge allows SBC Waste Solutions to maintain consistent, reliable service without adjusting base service rates each billing cycle. Fuel surcharges are a standard practice throughout the waste collection and transportation industries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why does my fuel surcharge change?
A: The fuel surcharge is tied to a publicly reported national diesel price index that fluctuates weekly. As fuel costs rise or fall, the surcharge adjusts accordingly to reflect current market conditions.

Q: How can I find the fuel price index used to calculate this charge?
A: SBC Waste Solutions references the Weekly Retail On-Highway Diesel Prices Index published by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA/DOE). This index is updated each Monday and is publicly available at eia.gov.

Q: Why is there a fuel surcharge when fuel costs are lower than when I signed my contract?
A: The fuel surcharge is calculated using a standard baseline that applies uniformly across all customer accounts, regardless of when a contract was signed or renewed. This approach ensures the surcharge is consistent and straightforward to understand.

The Environmental Charge supports the company-wide costs of operating waste collection, transfer, landfill, and recycling services in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Waste disposal is subject to extensive federal, state, and local environmental oversight, and the costs of maintaining compliant, responsible operations continue to rise across the industry. This charge is not calculated based on the environmental costs specific to any individual customer account.

What This Charge Covers

• Landfill cover material, engineering, testing, and ongoing maintenance
• Environmental monitoring and compliance at disposal and transfer facilities
• Responsible disposal of regulated materials, including batteries, tires, oils, and vehicle fluids
• Management and monitoring of vehicle emissions across the collection fleet
• Costs associated with EPA-compliant vehicles and emission control systems
• Recycling facility operations and material processing in an environmentally responsible manner
• Third-party landfill environmental fees passed through to SBC Waste Solutions

Why It Is Structured Separately

Environmental compliance costs are ongoing, enterprise-wide, and increasingly subject to regulatory change. Separating this charge from the base service rate allows SBC Waste Solutions to reflect these costs transparently and adjust them as mandated environmental standards evolve, rather than embedding unpredictable cost fluctuations into fixed service pricing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does the Environmental Charge cover?
A: This charge supports company-wide costs associated with operating waste collection, transfer, landfill, and recycling services in an environmentally responsible manner. These costs include landfill engineering and maintenance, emissions monitoring, regulated material disposal, and EPA-related vehicle compliance costs. It is applied on an enterprise-wide basis and is not tied to the specific environmental costs of any individual customer account.

Q: Is this the same as a government environmental tax?
A: No. The Environmental Charge is an SBC Waste Solutions operational charge, not a government-mandated tax or fee. It is not remitted to any governmental agency. Any government-assessed environmental taxes or fees that apply to your account will appear as separate line items on your invoice.

Q: Will this charge change each month?
A: The Environmental Charge is not adjusted monthly. It may be revised periodically based on changes in enterprise-wide environmental operating costs or evolving regulatory requirements.

The Business Compliance Fee helps recover the ongoing administrative and regulatory costs required to legally operate a waste hauling and disposal business. Operating in this industry requires continuous compliance with federal, state, and local regulations governing licensing, insurance, safety, and operational standards. This fee is a company-assessed charge and is not a tax or fee mandated by or remitted to any governmental agency.

What This Fee Supports

• State and municipal hauling licenses and operating permits
• Regulatory documentation, recordkeeping, and audit preparation
• Mandatory commercial insurance coverage specific to waste hauling operations
• Worker health and safety programs and required certifications
• Commercial fleet compliance, including DOT requirements
• OSHA compliance programs and ongoing employee training
• Government-mandated operational standards and reporting requirements

Why It Is Structured Separately

Regulatory and compliance costs in the waste industry fluctuate due to changes in insurance premiums, new state and municipal licensing requirements, expanded safety mandates, and evolving DOT and OSHA standards. Rather than embedding these variable costs into base service rates, the Business Compliance Fee allows for transparent and proper allocation of these mandated operating expenses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the Business Compliance Fee a government tax?
A: No. The Business Compliance Fee is a company-assessed charge, not a government-mandated tax or fee. It is not remitted to any governmental agency. Any government-assessed taxes or fees applicable to your account will appear as separate line items on your invoice.

Q: I already see a government tax on my invoice. Why is there also a Business Compliance Fee?
A: The Business Compliance Fee is entirely separate from any government-mandated taxes or locally assessed fees that may appear on your invoice. It reflects SBC Waste Solutions’ own internal compliance and regulatory operating costs and is distinct from any amounts collected on behalf of a governmental agency.

Q: Will this fee change over time?
A: The Business Compliance Fee does not fluctuate monthly. It may be adjusted periodically to reflect changes in enterprise-wide regulatory, licensing, insurance, or safety-related costs across SBC Waste Solutions’ service areas.

This fee supports the operational and administrative functions required to manage customer accounts and coordinate waste collection services. These functions include account setup and maintenance, service scheduling and route coordination, customer support operations, and compliance documentation associated with service delivery. Administrative fees are commonly applied across the waste collection industry to support these ongoing service management functions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does the Administrative Fee cover?
A: This fee supports the day-to-day functions associated with managing your service account, including account setup and maintenance, service scheduling, route coordination, customer
support, and compliance documentation. It does not cover invoice generation or billing system costs, which are addressed separately.

This fee reflects the transaction costs associated with processing credit card payments, which are assessed by payment networks on each transaction. It is applied only to accounts that choose to pay by credit card, ensuring that customers using other payment methods are not assessed these costs. SBC Waste Solutions accepts several no-fee payment options, including ACH transfer, check, and autopay enrollment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can I avoid this fee?
A: Customers can avoid this fee by paying via ACH transfer, check, or autopay enrollment. Please contact our customer service team for assistance setting up an alternative payment method.

Q: Why is this fee charged separately?
A: Credit card processing costs are charged to SBC Waste Solutions by payment networks on each transaction. Passing this cost only to customers who choose this payment method allows us to keep base service rates lower for all customers.

This fee covers the costs associated with generating, issuing, and maintaining customer invoices, including statement production, billing system maintenance, and fraud prevention measures. It is applied on a per-invoice basis and is not associated with any specific payment method.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does the Processing Fee cover?
A: This fee covers the costs of producing and delivering your invoice each billing cycle, maintaining the billing platforms used to generate accurate statements, and fraud prevention measures that protect your account. It is not related to how you choose to pay your bill.

Q: Is this the same as the Credit Card Processing Fee?
A: No. The Processing Fee applies to all accounts and covers invoice generation and billing system costs. The Credit Card Processing Fee is a separate charge applied only to accounts that choose to pay by credit card, and reflects the transaction costs assessed by payment networks.

This fee covers the ongoing costs associated with maintaining and servicing the waste containers placed at your location during active service. SBC Waste Solutions owns and manages its container fleet and is responsible for the upkeep of all equipment throughout the duration of your service agreement. This fee is separate from any one-time charges associated with the initial delivery or final removal of containers.

What This Fee Supports

• Routine maintenance, repair, and inspection of containers in the field
• Cleaning and refurbishment of containers as needed during active service
• Asset management and depreciation across SBC Waste Solutions’ container fleet
• Replacement of containers that are no longer fit for service

Why It Is Structured Separately

Container maintenance costs vary based on equipment type, size, usage, and condition. Structuring this as a separate recurring line item allows SBC Waste Solutions to allocate these ongoing asset costs transparently, distinct from both base service rates and the one-time fees associated with container delivery and removal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does this fee mean I own the container?
A: No. All containers provided by SBC Waste Solutions remain the property of SBC Waste Solutions. This fee covers the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of that equipment while it is on your premises.

Q: Is this the same as the delivery or removal fee?
A: No. The Container Fee covers ongoing maintenance and asset costs during active service. Separate one-time fees apply for the initial delivery of containers at the start of service and their retrieval at the conclusion of service.

Q: Will this fee change?
A: The Container Fee is not adjusted monthly. It may be revised periodically to reflect changes in equipment and maintenance costs.