The Pine Belt Regional Solid Waste Authority has lost its legal battle for exclusive rights to bury garbage collected in the Pine Belt. The loss could seriously affect the operation of the publicly owned landfill and may cause taxes to increase in Hattiesburg, Petal, Laurel, Jones, Covington and Perry counties. The authority issued $7 million in bonds to develop the Runnelstown facility in 1997. Authority members voted last fall to require all companies hauling garbage in the region to use the Runnelstown site. Browning-Ferris Industries and Waste Management sued the district because they transport garbage they collect to their own landfills in Meridian and the Gulf Coast. Last year, the landfill handled 94,000 tons of garbage. Studies show the district needs to dispose of between 130,000 and 150,000 tons annually to meet financial obligations.