For the second year in a row, West Marin residents will see their trash and recycling bills go up by more than 10 percent. On April 1, Recology Sonoma Marin will hike the monthly charge for a 32-gallon cart to $68.87 a month, up $6.86 over last year’s rate, an increase it said is largely driven by rising fuel costs. The hike does not apply to Stinson Beach and Bolinas, which have individual contracts. Garth Shultz, a consultant who analyzed the increase for the county, said the price of diesel has increased 77 percent, and cities and towns across the state have raised rates as a result. Annual increases are determined by a detailed review process based on a federal price index of waste hauling fees. This year’s rate increased by 10.44 percent. Last year, it rose by 4.34 percent, but a new state law imposing requirements for collecting and disposing organic waste brought the total increase on customer’s bills to 11.34 percent. Supervisors voted to approve the latest hike, though Dennis Rodoni said he did so reluctantly. “I’m going to support this today, but I am wearing very thin with these increases,” he said. Customers saw an unusually large increase in 2020, when supervisors approved a 30 percent increase to cover deferred costs to upgrade and replace equipment Recology inherited from the Ratto Group. After taking over the contract in 2018, Recology began replacing $21 million worth of trucks to meet emission requirements set by the California Air Resources Board. “The equipment, services and systems that Recology inherited from the Ratto Group had to undergo a major update and overhaul to be able to properly serve the community,” said Julian Kaelon, a spokesman for the public works department. “Recology has been successful in bringing their equipment and services up to date.” Hauling rates are generally higher in rural communities than in urban areas, said Fred Stemmler, Recology’s general manager. “These are heavy vehicles with low fuel economy, and they travel a long distance with limited road access to get out to service these rural coastal communities,” he said. “The prices typically reflect that.” Customers can reduce their rates by using a smaller cart for their trash and diverting recycling and compost to other bins, Mr. Stemmler said. Those who are enrolled in PG&E’s discount rate program can also qualify for a 20 percent discount on Recology fees.