Riley County officials warn Amur honeysuckle designation and rising HHW costs will strain local resources

Riley County’s weed control and household hazardous waste (HHW) staff updated commissioners Dec. 4 on a growing local infestation of Amur honeysuckle and on mounting costs for HHW disposal.

Mike Bowler, speaking for the county weed and HHW program, said he expects the Kansas Department of Agriculture to designate Amur honeysuckle a noxious weed in spring 2026 and that he successfully advocated to have it listed as Class C. Bowler explained the distinction: Class C requires counties to contain populations rather than to carry out aggressive eradication, and he warned that full treatment — which would require cutting and removing dense, tree‑like bushes and then treating regrowth — could cost the county hundreds of thousands of dollars if done on parks and urban draws.

Bowler also described pressures on HHW programs: demand for services has increased while disposal costs (particularly for lithium‑ion batteries) are rising; some counties have introduced point‑of‑sale deposit programs for latex paint that subsidize collection and processing (Colorado and Missouri examples were cited) and private companies such as Green Sheen collect and recycle latex paint in states with deposit models. The county’s current vendor has kept costs lower so far, Bowler said, but he projected a 5–10% increase in disposal costs could be forthcoming.

Commissioners asked about resources and responsibilities; Bowler said state law will require local responses and that county staff will return with recommendations on how aggressively to treat infestations and what resources would be needed. He also noted coordination is needed with city partners where the honeysuckle is present in ditches and right‑of‑way.