Summary

King County’s Solid Waste Division is seeking diverse community members with a passion for environmental justice and waste reduction to serve on a new community panel to help reshape how King County manages trash and recycling. Community members are invited to apply through Jan. 21.

Story

If you’re a community member with a passion for environmental justice and a desire to build healthy, climate-resilient neighborhoods through regional waste-reduction efforts, King County’s Solid Waste Division welcomes you to apply for a position on its new Re+ Community Panel. Applications are being accepted through Jan. 21.

Re+ is dedicated to fighting the regional impacts of climate change by preventing and reducing waste and keeping the 70% of materials that could be recycled out of the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill. The panel is being formed to advise County planners in shaping equitable, inclusive strategies in support of the Re+ Program goals, which represent a major reset in how waste is managed at a regional level.

King County believes there is a tremendous opportunity to reduce the amount of garbage going to the landfill by putting recyclable materials back into productive use. Re+ goals also include pushing companies take a larger responsibility in preventing waste, finding ways for consumer products to stay in use longer, and finding opportunities to create local family-wage jobs in “green” manufacturing and materials processing.

The Re+ community panel is a way for the communities most impacted by the devastating impacts of climate change such as flooding, heat waves, and air pollution to have a prominent voice in how program priorities and actions are developed.

• The panel will meet up to 16 times through 2022-23 and engage on topics and issues that include:
• Making sure the transition to a waste-free community economically empowers local communities most impacted by climate change.
• Defining what a “safe, healthy, thriving, and waste-free community” looks like.
• What it means for the community to benefit from a circular economy where waste from single-use products is reduced and local jobs are created.
• Making environmental services more accessible, including collection of yard waste and food waste.

The Re+ panel is open to King County community members outside of Seattle who are at least 18 years old and have lived experience as members of frontline communities most likely to be impacted by climate change and environmental issues. The Re+ panel work will be focused on communities within King County’s 37-city and unincorporated solid waste service area, which does not include the cities of Seattle or Milton. Those jurisdictions operate their own garbage and recycling services.

Panel members will be compensated on a per-meeting basis, and occasionally asked to work on panel-related meeting preparation activities such as reviewing materials or responding to questionnaires. The first two virtual meetings will take place online at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 2 and Wednesday, March 16. Later meetings will be scheduled with input from panel members. More information about the Re+ Panel is available on the program website. 

How to Apply

Prepare a brief written or recorded statement explaining why you would like to join the community panel, including what perspectives or insights you could bring. Send it to Patty Liu, King County Solid Waste Division Project/Program Manager, at pliu@kingcounty.gov with the email subject line “Re+ Community Panel Application.” Links to projects, websites, or other information that further detail your interest in the project, or your perspective, are welcome. Complete this form confirming you are eligible to participate in the panel.

To request accommodations or assistance in applying, including in-language assistance, call Patty Liu at (206) 477-7678 or 911 TTY Relay.

King County’s Solid Waste Division operates eight transfer stations, two rural drop boxes, and the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, the only operational landfill in the county.

Relevant links

• Re+ Program: Learn about our plan to keep valuable materials out of the landfill
• Garbage and Recycling Services in King County
• Cedar Hills Regional Landfill
• King County's Solid Waste Division

For more information, contact:

Annie Kolb-Nelson, Solid Waste Division, 206-477-5373