Social distancing measures in place at King County transfer stations; self-haul customers may experience service delays

March 25, 2020

Summary

To protect public health and safety during the COVID-19 outbreak, King County’s Solid Waste Division is imposing a staggered entry system for self-haul customers at its transfer stations, beginning Thursday, March 26.

Story

In response to Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order on March 23, King County’s Solid Waste Division is imposing a staggered entry system for self-haul customers visiting its recycling and transfer stations beginning Thursday, March 26, until further notice.

Depending on the number of vehicles entering a facility, customers may be asked to wait until there is enough room on the tipping floor for vehicles to be appropriately spaced out. This will encourage social distancing and keep the public and employees safe. Self-haul customers can “Check the Line” before heading to a transfer station to see how busy a facility is by visiting kingcounty.gov/check-the-line.  

The governor’s order requires everyone statewide to stay home unless pursuing an essential activity, and to remain at least six feet away from others to help slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). 

Because sanitation is a vital service, the Solid Waste Division is implementing enhanced safety protocols to protect both the transfer station employees and the public. This includes imposing a staggered entry system for self-haul customers to limit the number of people at the station at one time, and to enable workers and the public to maintain a safe social distance. 

Though all King County solid waste facilities are currently open and accepting garbage, with some also accepting yard waste and recycling, the Solid Waste Division is asking self-haul customers to postpone trips to the transfer station.

Self-haul customers who cannot delay a visit are being asked to take the following actions:

- Practice social/physical distancing by staying at least six feet from others.
- Stay in their vehicle while waiting at the scales.
- Pay with a card rather than cash.

Customers exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, or sharing a household with someone who does, should not visit King County Solid Waste facilities.

For questions about COVID-19, we encourage people to visit the Public Health – Seattle & King County website: kingcounty.gov/covid and subscribe to the Public Health Insider blog: publichealthinsider.com

RELEVANT LINKS
• King County Solid Waste Division: kingcounty.gov/solid-waste
• King County Solid Waste Division Facilities: kingcounty.gov/recycling-transfer
• Check the Line: kingcounty.gov/check-the-line 


FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Doug Williams, 206-257-8617

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.