Hazardous Waste - Recology King County: Tukwila
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Hazardous Waste

Household hazardous wastes (HHW) are products that contain toxic materials that can be harmful to humans and the environment if disposed of improperly.  Hazardous waste is not accepted in curbside garbage, recycling, or food & yard waste carts. Look for a label that may say CAUTION-WARNING-DANGER-POISON to determine if a product is hazardous. Empty containers may go in the garbage, with the exception of propane tanks.

Household hazardous waste items include, but are not limited to: toxic household cleaners, paint thinners, pesticides, mercury-containing fluorescent bulbs and tubes, electronic waste, and car batteries.

Recology Store

Tukwila residential and multifamily customers can bring a number of hard-to-recycle items to the Recology Store including

  • Fluorescent tubes & bulbs
  • Household batteries
  • Small propane tanks
  • Used cooking oil

Learn more about Special Item Recycling.

DROP OFF

Unwanted household hazardous waste can be dropped off at King County Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Centers. For more information regarding disposal call the King County Haz Waste Help Line at 206.296.4692 or visit HazWasteHelp.org.

King County’s Hazardous Waste Management Program has disposal options for businesses. They help eligible King County businesses access resources to safely dispose of hazardous waste. For more information visit King County Hazardous Waste’s website or call the King County Haz Waste Help Line at 206.296.4692

For comprehensive hazardous waste disposal information, call King County’s Local Hazardous Waste Management Program at 206.296.4692 or visit HazWasteHelp.org.

 

 

Batteries
Batteries are extremely hazardous and can cause fires.

Please DO NOT place batteries in your Garbage, Recycling, or Food & Yard Waste Bins

Batteries Can Be Taken To The Recology Store At No Cost To Tukwila Residential Customers

Please follow the instructions below when bringing batteries to the stores –

  • Please be sure to tape the ends of all button and alkaline batteries with clear packing tape before placing in a clear plastic bag.
  • Bag rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries separately.
  • No loose batteries and no vehicle/marine batteries are accepted.
  • Limit 1/4 gallon per drop-off.

Cooking OilRecology CleanScapes offers free curbside collection of used cooking oil and motor oil for single-family and multi-family customers in Tukwila.

Schedule a Special Item Recycling Collection

  •  Seal in clear, clean screw-top plastic jugs.
  •  Place your oil containers next to your recycling cart on collection day; label them with your name and address.
  •  Oil/grease must be free of contaminants (no large solids).
  •  Limit: 3 gallons per collection, 10 gallons per year.

Apartment and condominium owners: Collections must be requested by the bill payer on record. Please DO NOT set cooking oil/grease next to carts or containers.

Drop-off: Tukwila residential customers may also drop off used cooking oil at The Recology Store in Highline.

Medications

Unused medicines are accepted in the garbage, however, there are better ways to dispose of them.

Medicines flushed down the toilet add unwanted contaminants to surface water bodies and marine habitats. Medicines put in your garbage could be found and accidentally consumed by children or pets, or resold illegally.

Drop off
Controlled substances can be taken drop-off centers, visit the Take Back Your Meds website or call 425.388.3199.

  • PaintTo recycle paint, visit Paintcare Website and search drop-off locations.
  • Please follow these instructions when disposing of latex paint cans in the garbage –
      • Metal cans or plastic buckets containing latex paint must be dried out and then put in the garbage. Cans or buckets containing wet paint are NOT allowed in the garbage.
      • To dry out small amounts of latex paint (less than 1 inch), leave the lid off for several days until the contents are dry.
      • To dry out larger amounts of latex paint or to dry it quickly, mix 50/50 with kitty litter or a commercial paint hardener such as “Waste Away.” Allow the mixture to dry in the can.
      • Put dried out paint cans in your garbage with the lid off so drivers can see that the can contains only dried paint.

Please follow these instructions when disposing of oil-based paint cans:

Fluorescent Tubes & Bulbs
Fluorescent lights contain small amounts of hazardous substances and must be recycled separately from all other recyclables. Please DO NOT put them inside your recycling cart.

Fluorescent Tubes and Bulbs Can Be Taken To The Recology Store At No Cost To Tukwila Residential Customers
Please follow the instructions below:

  • Tubes must be no more than 4ft long and completely wrapped in newspaper and taped shut in order to be collected.
  • No broken tubes or bulbs.
  • Limit 10 per drop-off.

LightCycle
Additionally, LightRecycle Washington is a program that allows individuals and businesses in Washington to recycle up to 10 mercury-containing lights per day for FREE. You can recycle straight and curved fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and High Intensity Discharge Lights (HIDs) at authorized LightRecycle collection sites. Visit LightRecycle.org to find a collection site near you.

SharpsPutting loose sharps into the garbage is a health risk for solid waste workers. The best ways to dispose of sharps generated in the home is through a local pharmacy, a mail-in program, at your doctor’s office, or at a designated drop-off location.

If the options above are not available, syringes may be disposed of in the garbage if placed in puncture resistant container such as a number 1 (1) PET pop bottle, with a tight-fitting or taped lid labeled “SHARPS, DO NOT RECYCLE.”King County information is available at King County Hazardous Waste Management Program website or by calling the King County Household Hazards line at 206-296-4692; or by emailing haz.waste@kingcounty.gov.

Contact your local pharmacy and ask about their sharps collection services. Many Bartell Drugs stores offer sharps disposal containers and will dispose of sharps/needles for a fee. Contact your local Bartell Drugs store for more information.

Purchase a postage paid, mail-in container. For more information on where to purchase, search for “sharps mail-in programs” on your computer, ask your doctor, or contact the following companies:

BioMedical Waste Solutions 
BioMedicalWasteSolutions.com
1.877.974.1300

GRP & Associates, Inc
SharpsDisposal.com
1.800.207.0976

Medasend 
Medasend.com
1.800.200.3581

Source: King County Hazardous Waste Management Program

Motor Oil

Propane Canisters Can Be Taken To The Recology Store At No Cost To Tukwila Residential Customers

Please follow the instructions below when bringing propane canisters to the stores –

  • Canisters must be empty, small, disposable, camping-style propane cylinders.
  • Propane tanks not accepted.
  • Limit 3 per drop-off.

We do not accept large propane tanks. If you have refillable propane tanks for your barbeque, make sure to reuse them or drop them off at a certified take-back facility. You can find local facilities by searching online.


Unwanted household hazardous waste can be dropped off at King County Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Centers.  For more information download the King County Hazardous Waste Disposal Flyer or call the King County Hazardous Waste Hotline at 206.296.4692. Please visit the King County Hazardous Waste Management Program.