Jump to: Curbside trash collector limitations
SNOHOMISH COUNTY — People are processing what to do with their unwanted items as some outlets, such as thrift stores, are closed, and others are limited.
The county closed its Dubuque, Sultan and Granite Falls dumps — smaller facilities with tighter quarters — and has kept its transfer stations near Paine Field, in Arlington and in Mountlake Terrace open.
The Sultan dump reopens this week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Workers will only take credit and debit cards for payment; they won't touch cash for the time being.
The three transfer stations are open to hand-unload, self-haul customers each Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., which is far fewer days than before.
There's been a slight increase in people visiting the dump compared to last year, from county figures. The figures were up even before the new coronavirus restrictions, according to county Solid Waste Superintendent Jon Greninger.
The changes implemented in late March are to help halt the spread of the new coronavirus and to maintain social distancing.
"We request that residents only visit our facilities if this is their sole means of getting rid of perishable household garbage, otherwise please stay home and stay safe," county director of solid waste Matt Zybas said by email.
Recycling is paused at dump sites. The hazardous waste drop-off station in Everett is closed, too.
Curbside trash collector limitations
Trash collectors are narrowing down what they're collecting at the curb.
Both Republic Services and Waste Management aren't taking bulky items curbside right not.
Waste Management's reason is for expediency. "Bulky waste collection often requires multiple employees and additional resources. We are temporarily suspending this program to focus resources on essential services – regular curbside collection," Waste Management regional spokesman Gary Chittim said.
Waste Management will take extra trash either in cans or in outside bags. Normal fees apply. Extra recycling is free.
Republic Services, which serves Snohomish and Monroe, won't take loose material outside of a can or bag, the company said. If you don't have a can, the hauler will take trash bags each weighing up to 50 pounds.
The county is recommending people sign up for a curbside trash service to keep in line with the governor's stay home orders.
"We urge people to sign up for solid waste curbside service, even if they want to cancel it when the pandemic has eased," Zybas said.
The county also prefers that you hold on before coming to the dump.
“Now with Saturdays being limited to self-haul, hand unloading transactions, it takes longer to unload the material which is why we request that if you absolutely have to visit the transfer station, please have your material in cans or bags for quicker unloading time,” Greninger wrote. “Many of our customers do have spring cleaning material. Much of this garbage is non-putrescible and we are recommending that you hang onto that material until the Governor lifts the ‘Stay Home Stay Healthy’ decree.”
The coronavirus canceled spring public clean up events in Snohomish and Monroe.
Thrift stores are not open to donations or shopping. Many people seem to be abiding, although somebody dumped a TV outside the locked gate to Monroe's St. Vincent de Paul store. Goodwill is asking for money donations to keep up its mission.
Moderators in some online Buy Nothing groups, where people gift away goods, are asking people to restrain from offering non-essential items to avoid having gift-receivers make trips that violate the stay home order. This includes asking not to allow porch pick ups with zero human interaction.
The county is not seeing more illegal dumping, Zybas said by email.
Resources
· The county could change service hours after press time. The website to check is www.snohomishcountywa.gov/solidwaste
· Report illegal dumping: the county has a hot line at 425-388-7500.
· To get updates on local Waste Management service: servicealerts.wmnorthwest.com/NSnohomishcounty/
