Bainbridge Disposal wants to raise garbage and recycling fees for its residential and commercial customers.

The company filed a request to change its rates on Nov. 23 with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.

If approved by the commission, the monthly residential rate for a home that uses a 32-gallon garbage container would rise by $1.92, from the current rate of $11.85 to $13.77.

The residential rate for a 96-gallon yard waste container would rise by $1.40, from $8.64 to $10.04; the rate for a 64-gallon recycling container would increase by 91 cents, from $5.65 to $6.56.

Rate increases are also proposed for commercial, multi-family and drop box services.

If approved, the new rates would increase revenues to Bainbridge Disposal by approximately $411,000, or 14.5 percent.

Bainbridge Disposal sent a letter to its customers this week with a notice of the proposed rate increase.

In the notice, the company said the new rates would become effective Jan. 9, if approved by the state.

Bainbridge Disposal said it has held rates at the same level for the past eight years, but rising costs have made the request for higher fees necessary.

“Our last general rate increase took effect on April 1, 2008,” the company said in its letter to customers.

“Since then, costs have continued to increase as expected over these last eight years. Fuel, labor, medical insurance and new equipment costs reflect the largest increases to date.”

The utilities commission is expected to review the rate increase request during its meeting in Olympia at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 22.

Bainbridge Disposal said a memo that has the commission’s staff recommendation on the rate request will be available on the commission’s website (utc.wa.gov) three days before the meeting.

Comments can be submitted via email at comments@utc.wa.gov.