Operators are handling the 2026 disposal fee increases by either passing the cost directly to customers or renegotiating service terms to absorb some of the impact. With 200 units on weekly service, your main lever is the service contract structure. Many companies are adding a separate line item for waste disposal fees on invoices, which makes the cost transparent and adjustable without renegotiating the entire base rate. For long-term construction site rentals, we're seeing more operators lock in multi-year contracts with a disposal fee escalator clause tied to the treatment plant's published rates.
Renegotiating with disposal facilities is tough because they face their own cost pressures, but some operators with high volume are securing slight discounts by committing to a minimum annual gallonage. Changing service frequency is another option, but for standard units on active construction sites, reducing service below weekly visits risks complaints and violates OSHA 1926.51 if units become unsanitary. The cost to service a unit is driven by the holding tank size, travel distance for the vacuum truck, and how often you visit. Deluxe units with flushing mechanisms and sinks cost more to service due to their complexity and larger waste volume, so their rates often see a bigger adjustment. The key is to communicate the change early and frame it as an industry-wide adjustment beyond your control.
