Tell us what you think about the Draft Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan.

On average, each King County resident throws away about 15 pounds of garbage every week. In 2016, all of that waste added up to nearly one million tons of garbage! King County is working with the cities to develop a plan for how to manage our garbage for the next 20 years.  

King County and 37 of the 39 cities in our county (all except Seattle and Milton) have developed a Draft Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan (draft plan) that provides direction for how we will provide the services customers expect while keeping fees as low and stable as possible. 

This draft plan, and a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that looks at potential environmental impacts of options in the draft plan, are now ready for public review and comment.

The draft plan addresses many topics, however, there are three big issues ahead that will affect everyone in King County. During this public comment period, King County needs to hear your opinions and ideas about these issues. Your comments will inform policy makers whose decisions will guide how garbage and recycling are managed in our county in the future. 

The three big issues are: 

1. King County has a goal to recycle 70 percent of our waste stream. Currently we recycle 52 percent of our waste stream. What actions should we take to reach our 70 percent goal? 
2. What are the most important services that should be provided at King County’s recycling and garbage transfer facilities, including facilities in northeast King County? 
3. How should King County dispose of its garbage over the long term?

Learn more and provide your comments
The public comment period for the draft plan and draft EIS will end on March 8, 2018. For more information about the draft plan and draft EIS, including upcoming open houses, the approval process and schedule, and to review the documents, please visit the King County Solid Waste Division’s website:  www.kingcounty.gov/solid-waste-comp-plan.