Editorial: Republic’s trash talk

Thursday, May 17, 2007 | 7:07 a.m.

I magine how many businesses would love to have a legalized monopoly in Clark County. Republic Services does. Its exclusive garbage collection contract with the county extends through 2035. That's so far into the future that children born this year will be having their 10-year high school reunions by the time Republic's sweetheart deal expires.

One would think that Republic Services would be more than satisfied with that arrangement and conduct itself responsibly. But the company too often tries to throw its considerable weight around, as when it attempted last year to reduce garbage pickup services. Republic's act has become tiresome.

The latest chapter, reported by the Sun's Tony Cook, has been the company's pathetic attempt to persuade the Clark County Commission to approve a rate increase to help pay for closure of the Sunrise Landfill. This request, which the commission referred to its staff on Wednesday for study, should be tossed into the trash heap.

The landfill had been closed when it was breached in 1998 by a rainstorm that sent trash into the Las Vegas Wash. The following year Republic signed a contract with the county to take full responsibility for meeting an Environmental Protection Agency order to properly close the landfill in exchange for a 15-year extension on its garbage collection monopoly.

Here we are eight years later, and Republic still hasn't fulfilled its obligation to close the landfill. The company has spent much of that time haggling with the EPA and now claims that the costs of finishing the job are higher than expected. Republic wants to pass the buck by having the commission approve a rate increase that would add 26 cents to the current $11.82 monthly trash collection fee.

Here's our two cents ' worth: The commission should take Republic's request and bury it in the landfill. The company got the monopoly it craved. Republic should reach into its own deep pockets to fulfill its end of the bargain and close the landfill.