Summary of Siting Advisory Group Meeting, Threadcycle and more

Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station project


Sept. 29, 2021


Stay Informed, Stay Engaged in the Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station Project

 

The Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station Project team is sending occasional newsletters to keep you informed and engaged in the project, including ways to help shape project decisions. Some information will also be related to recycling and environmental services we provide to the people we serve in King County. Please visit www.kingcounty.gov/northeast to learn more about the project. 

 

To request this newsletter in alternate formats, please contact the Solid Waste Division Customer Service Desk at 206-477-4466 or TTY 711.

 


Summary of Siting Advisory Group on August 9

 

Seventy-four people attended the seventh Siting Advisory Group (SAG) meeting that took place on August 9, 2021.

 

During the meeting, a number of questions about the siting process were raised, both from SAG members and members in the community. Since then, the County has been meeting with representatives of the Core Cities (Sammamish, Woodinville, Kirkland, and Redmond) who had similar questions and concerns about the technical rigor and validity of the siting process. These concerns mainly related to the process of identifying the sites, and why and how some were advanced over others. The community’s and cities’ concern resonated deeply with us, and we realized that we need to provide better transparency into the site selection process before moving forward with the environmental review. We are working hard to respond to the questions raised in several ways.

 

Our project team is pulling together data on the more than 75,000 properties evaluated during the siting process. We will be reviewing these data with the Core Cities in the coming weeks and then with the SAG later this fall. We are committed to providing a clear explanation and data set that accounts for each step of the evaluation process and that demonstrates how incremental decisions were made to validate the process and the thoroughness of the evaluation.

 

King County is siting and building the Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station to replace the aging Houghton Transfer Station in Kirkland, which has been in continuous service since the 1960s and can no longer keep up with growth. Fully enclosed and equipped with odor control features and compaction to reduce truck traffic, the new facility will strongly connect with the county’s climate readiness and environmental protection work. It will also be designed to fit into the community and be a good neighbor wherever it is ultimately located.

 

Working together, we will enhance services for communities across the service area while reducing the impacts associated with these essential services.

 

To view the meeting notes from August 9, click here.

 


Compost more, waste less

Too Good To Waste

 

Did you know almost 35 percent of what ends up in the landfill is food scraps and food-soiled paper that can be recycled in your curbside yard waste cart? Don’t waste this resource. Put it to a better use!

 

Inedible food scraps and food soiled paper can be recycled to make compost, a soil amendment that enriches soil and improves plant health.

 

Whether it’s stale bread, limp carrots, or more bananas than you know what to do with, chances are you’ve wasted food. With all of us spending more time at home this year, everyone is trying to figure out how to manage shopping for, cooking, and eating more meals at home.

 

But don’t worry! Making some small changes can help you waste less food while saving you both time and money. Get more out of your food (and grocery budget) with these helpful tips and resources to better plan, prep and store your food.

 

Follow these simple steps to help you waste less! And remember that edible food can be donated to hunger relief agencies to feed hungry families.

 


Threadcycle program

Threadcycle

 

Damaged clothes and linens aren’t garbage anymore - they can have a second life as new products. Up to 95 percent of the clothes, shoes, and linens thrown in the garbage could have been reused or recycled. Many local organizations want all your clothes, shoes, and linens for reuse or recycling – even damaged items – in any condition except wet, mildewed or contaminated with hazardous materials.

 

Many items are made from recycled clothes, linens, and other textiles, including wiping rags; home insulation; sound-proofing and insulation for automobiles and appliances, athletic equipment and pet bedding.

 

If you’d like to learn more about recycling clothes, shoes, and linens, check out these resources:

 

 

Head over to our website or check out this short video to learn more about the Threadcycle campaign.

 


Relevant Links


About the King County Solid Waste Division

 

The Solid Waste Division is guided by its vision to achieve Zero Waste of Resources by 2030, and to enhance the environment through collaboration and innovation. The division operates eight transfer stations, two rural drop boxes, and the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill – the only operational landfill in the county. Our stakeholders include residents and business owners in unincorporated King County and 37 cities throughout the county. Our mission is to deliver value our customers and stakeholders, and to continuously improve waste prevention, resource recovery, and waste disposal.

 


For more information about the Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station Project, visit www.kingcounty.gov/northeast or call King County’s Solid Waste Division at 206-477-4466 or 711 TTY.