Refresh Your Recycling Knowledge
Do you follow the most recent recommendations on recycling in Skagit County? It can be difficult to stay updated on what to recycle.
Take this opportunity to test your recycling knowledge!
Since most Skagit County residents are Waste Management customer, we have posted the curbside recycling guidelines that they provide. However, if you do not use Waste Management be sure to check out the recycling guide for your collection provider. Most companies should have a recycling guide posted on their website, or call them for questions.
The most important thing to remember is to recycle plastics by shape, not number.
We discussed this in our September newsletter in the Disposal Tip of the Month section, but plastics are no longer recycled by the number on them. Now, it is recommended to recycle them by shape (jugs, tubs, and bottles).
As a reminder, do not put any food or food-soiled paper in the recycling bin. This includes paper takeout containers and pizza boxes. Unfortunately, these items are too contaminated with food to be recycled in the blue bin. However, if you have a green bin (which is for organic/yard waste), you can put food-soiled paper in there!
These green bins can take more than just yard waste, they can take your food too! We highly recommend reducing your household's food waste, and compost or dispose of your organic waste in a green bin if possible.
The Spooky Truth About Pumpkins in Landfills
Image from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance
What's spookier than a midnight ghoul or a creepy crawler? Tossing the wilting face of your jack-o-lantern in the trash. It might not sound that spooky at first, but in a landfill pumpkins and other organic materials are buried and rot without oxygen, which creates the potent greenhouse gas called methane. Instead, give those gourds a second life by checking out one of these climate friendly options:
- Have a home compost pile? Add your pumpkin to the mix. If your pumpkin is still relatively firm, chop it up to speed up the composting process.
-
Many city municipalities have green waste facilities where residents can drop off pumpkins and other organics materials. Check out our local options here:
- City of Mount Vernon Yard Waste Facility
1010 Shop Lane
Mount Vernon, WA 98272
For residents living within the city limits that are signed up for city garbage service.
(360) 336-6218
-
Skagit Soils
13260 Ball Rd.
Mount Vernon, WA 98221
(360) 424-0199
-
Don't compost at home? Sign up for a green bin subscription! Though it is not offered everywhere, green bins are a great option because you can put both your food waste and other organic waste into them for pickup. Other organic waste includes yard trimmings and food-soiled paper/cardboard. When the green bins get picked up, they take the organic waste to a commercial composter where the organics get turned into compost. Call your city Solid Waste Division for more information.
Don't dump old pumpkins on private property or nature preserves. Leaving pumpkins on private property or a nature preserve without permission is littering and illegal. Come fall, it is common for natural areas to become a dumping spot for yard waste, pumpkins, straw, and other organic decorations, which is costly. The thought is that these items will compost, but they often create greater problems. Straw and pumpkins smother native plants and create microhabitats that are not healthy and full of molds. Pumpkins are sometimes even found growing in preserves, probably from last year’s pumpkin drop off.”
To learn more about composting, visit our composting webpage, or join us for a home composting clinic this fall. You can also contact Callie Martin at 360-416-1575 or calliem@co.skagit.wa.us with questions.
 Image from Tare Market
Solid Waste Highlighted Employee
Get to know Margo Gillaspy
 Margo Gillaspy is the Solid Waste Division Manager for Skagit County Public Works. Margo began with Skagit County in 2007 as a Hydrogeologist conducting environmental monitoring at our closed landfills. In 2016, she took on the role of Solid Waste Division Manager.
Her favorite thing about working as Solid Waste Division Manager is the variety topics the Solid Waste Division covers. It’s not just about garbage, though that is a very large and important component of the work. The Solid Waste Division also handles hazardous waste, environmental monitoring, education and outreach, and administration of all all fiscal and policy-based tasks. The Solid Waste world is always changing, with new regulations coming online to deal with changing waste streams and the impacts of climate change.
In her spare time, Margo enjoys spending time with her family, visiting parks or sitting outside at their awesome home fire pit. Her favorite hobbies include knitting, baking, reading, and yoga.
2023 Fall Tire Round-Up
|
Our Annual Fall Tire Round Up, hosted Thursday and Friday, October 5th and 6th, was a sunny success! Hosted over two gorgeous fall days, the well-organized recycling event boasted efficient drop-off of tires for Skagit County residents, easy traffic flow, and an excellent storage site for our tire contractor to access for recycling pick-up. With room to grow, we hope to expand the registration schedule to accommodate more disposal appointments for residents. More residents found it easier to attend on Friday, so next year we plan to host the round-up over two Fridays to attract those who may have busy work weeks.
We contract with Liberty Tire for all tire recycling needs. Liberty's detailed website is full of information to learn more about what happens to tires when they are collected for recycling, and uses for repurposed raw tire materials after they go through the recycling process.
The Solid Waste Division sends a huge thank you to the Skagit County Fairgrounds year-round staff who helped us set-up and manage our recycling event. The Skagit County Fairgrounds was a perfect place to host the tire round up. We are grateful for the strong interdepartmental relationships we have with our friends at Parks and Recreation.
Fall Tire Round Up in Numbers
- Residents could bring a maximum of 12 tires per household in for free recycling disposal
- 66% of residents scheduled on Thursday came to drop off their tires
- 77% of residents scheduled on Friday came to drop off their tires
- An estimated 750+ tires collected
|
|
 |
 Skagit County Parks and Recreation Fairgrounds Maintenance Technician, John Mackowiack moves a build up of tires into a storage bunker on Friday, October 6th during the Skagit County Solid Waste Division's Annual Fall Tire Round-Up event. Thanks for all your help, John!
Fall Composting
What to do with all of your FALL-en leaves
 |
|
October is here, and you know what that means...beautiful colorful leaves on plants and flying through the air! But what happens when those gorgeous leaves fall on your lawn? Raking leaves can be a tedious chore, and is it even necessary?
Letting your trees mulch themselves with their fallen leaves helps to recycle nutrients. You can also compost leaves in their own bin to create a wonderful mulch you can use in your yard. If you have a green bin subscription, you can also put the leaves in there where they will be taken to be composted.
|
Pumpkin Spice Compost
After your carved pumpkin's face starts to become...unrecognizable, don't just toss it in the garbage! This fall, try something new and choose to compost your expired pumpkin. If you have a green bin subscription, you can simply put your pumpkin in your bin. From there, it will be driven first class to a commercial composter who will turn it into compost. After that, it's nutrients can grow new life. Who knows, maybe it will even grow more pumpkins! If you don't have a green bin, you could always compost it at home too. Compost has tons of benefits, check out this guide to learn more about how to compost.
|
Natural Fall Lawn Care
 |
|
Lawn care looks differently throughout the seasons. Using year-round natural lawn care tips, you can save time and money. Not to mention the benefits natural lawn care provides both your family and the environment's health. In the fall, you can use compost from either a commercial composter or your own bins to top-dress patchy parts of your lawn. This will improve the thin areas in your yard. You can also use compost or fallen leaves as a mulch in your garden beds. This feeds the soil and reduces the weeds you get in winter! Tree and shrub beds can also be mulched with leaves. For the full booklet on sustainable lawn maintenance, check out the Washington State Department of Ecology's Natural Lawn Care Booklet. |
Each month we will answer a recycling or disposal question recently asked by a member of the Skagit County community. These questions are sent to us by email and phone call. Do you have a recycling or disposal question you'd like answered? Email us at calliem@co.skagit.wa.us or ask us through a post or comment on one of our social media pages. Your questions could be chosen for an upcoming newsletter!
Dear Skagit County Solid Waste Division,
I would like to recycle plastic, glass bottles and jars, paper, cardboard, and aluminum cans and other metals. How do these need to be separated for the transfer station near the airport?
Many thanks,
Skagit Recycler
 Dear Skagit Recycler,
What a lovely question! You'll want to separate your recycling by material before heading to the transfer station. We have different bins for each type of material in our free household recycling area. This method is called source separating! Group your items by the following categories:
- Scrap metal
- Aluminum
- Tin cans
- Corrugated cardboard
- Mixed paper
- Glass bottles and jars
- Plastics (only jugs, dairy tubs, and bottles)
For plastics, make sure you are only recycling the shapes listed above. In Skagit County, we recycle plastics by the shape, not by the number on the bottom of the item.
Source separation is a great way to recycle for us because it lessens the chance for contamination of the recyclables. We appreciate your dedication to and interest in recycling properly!
Sincerely,
The Skagit County Solid Waste Division
Tire Disposal
 With the announcement of our Fall Tire Roundup in last month's newsletter, we saw a HUGE interest for the event. A huge thank you to Skagit County residents for being so invested in proper tire disposal. If you are a business owner, live outside of Skagit County, or weren't able to sign up for the event before it filled up, this section is for you.
Tires are accepted at the Skagit County Transfer & Recycling center for a fee:
Other businesses in Skagit County that accept tires include to following:
-
Clutter Cops
www.thecluttercops.com
(360) 632-6169
13213 Farm to Market Rd, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
-
Skagit County Recycling & Transfer Station
https://www.skagitcounty.net /Recycle
(360) 416-1570
14104 Ovenell Rd, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
-
JDog Junk Removal & Hauling
https://www.jdogjunkremoval.com/
1-844-GET-JDOG (1-844-438-5364)
Call for details or schedule online.
-
Craigslist Skagit
https://skagit.craigslist.org
Online buy, sell, trade.
-
Les Schwab
Anacortes: (360) 293-5121
2311 Commercial Ave, Anacortes, WA 98221
Burlington: (360) 757-0038
903 S Burlington Blvd, Burlington, WA 98233
Mount Vernon: (360) 424-8332
1003 W Division St, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Sedro-Woolley: (360) 855-1033
204 W Moore St, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
**Due to the potential of frequent changes, we recommend calling ahead to confirm companies will take tires for recycling.**
 |
|
Waste in Washington Story Map
Ecology’s new Waste in Washington report features data and information about Washington’s waste and recycling systems, solid waste programs, and new laws. From organic waste reduction to litter prevention to the innovative work of the Recycling Development Center, we’re making progress. The report highlights Ecology’s current work and illustrates the triumphs and challenges that lie ahead.
The report’s story map platform and interactive charts and maps allow you to explore the state’s waste and recovery data, filter it for specific locations and waste categories, get a more detailed look at the composition of Washington’s waste, and more.
We hope you find this new report helpful and informative. This is a living, dynamic report and Ecology will be continually updating it into the future. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions. Staff contact information is available throughout the publication.
|
What We're Reading
1. How to keep fruit and vegetables fresh for longer
Want to learn how to hold onto that perfect produce for longer than two days? Check out these great tips on keeping fruit and vegetables fresher (and nutrient dense) longer in your fridge and kitchen storage areas. Remember, the better the storage, the less waste you'll likely generate from unused produce--and the money you'll save!
2. Pro tips for mulching your perfect Pacific Northwest garden
Mulch the soil like nature does and you'll have the happiest garden on the block.
3. Join the salsa dance in your backyard
Who knew compost could do the cha-cha? After reading this fun, throwback column from the Skagit Valley Herald (written by Solid Waste Division Outreach and Education Specialist, Callie Martin) you just might want to start dancing to the rhythms of the soil this season.
 Upcoming Events
Get your recycling and waste reduction questions answered, and take home materials to help you succeed by visiting us at one of our education & outreach booths.
Home Composting Workshops
All workshops will be held at the WSU Discovery Garden located at 16650 WA-536, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 (off Memorial Hwy). Workshops are first come, first service and will be hosted rain or shine. Be sure to check our social media pages for more information and workshop updates.
Saturday, October 28th
Home Composting 101 Workshop
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Learn the basics of setting up a home compost bin, and techniques for creating "hot" compost.
Saturday, November 4th
Vermicomposting 101 Workshop
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Learn how to get started using red wriggler worms to compost food waste, compost set up, care and maintenance included.
Saturday, November 18th
Home Composting 101
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Learn the basics of setting up a home compost bin, and techniques for creating "hot" compost.
|
