The Boston Mountain Solid Waste District is planning to raise the assessment fee charged on all solid waste collected in Washington and Madison counties from $1.50 to $2 per ton to finance the implementation of waste diversion programs. According to Robyn Reed, the director of the district, the increase will generate an additional $150,000 to $200,000 annually towards financing the new programs. The money will go into a special fund designated for this purpose. In terms of individuals' costs, the increase is less than 1% of the overall cost of waste disposal. The board must approve the proposed changes after a public comment period, and the changes will be sent to the Secretary of State's Office in Little Rock and then to the state Legislature for approval. Reed believes that it will take at least six months to complete the process. In addition to funding household hazardous waste disposal, recycling, and environmental enforcement and education programs, the new waste-diversion programs will comprise immediate, short-term, and long-term options, including a waste characterization study to identify the volume and types of solid waste being created in the region.