Dec. 22, 2025 — King County’s Solid Waste Division is offering free disposal of storm-related garbage, recycling, and yard waste at several transfer stations and temporary sites through Jan. 11, 2026, to help residents recover from the December atmospheric river flooding that began on Dec. 9.
County officials said the program is intended to assist residents in flood-impacted areas, including parts of Redmond and the Eastside, by allowing free drop-off of storm debris on designated dates, primarily on weekends.
Free disposal is available at several locations, including the Bow Lake Recycling and Transfer Station in Tukwila and the Algona Recycling and Transfer Station, with hours generally running from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on scheduled days. Additional participating sites include the Shoreline Recycling and Transfer Station, Enumclaw Recycling and Transfer Station, and temporary drop-off locations in Ravensdale, Issaquah-Fall City, and Skykomish.
Residents are required to properly sort materials, keeping yard waste separate from garbage and recycling. Household hazardous waste is not accepted as part of the free program and must be taken to designated hazardous waste facilities for disposal at no cost.
Officials emphasized that the free disposal program applies only to storm-related debris. Regular disposal outside the approved dates and materials, as well as contaminated sandbags and certain other items, may require standard disposal fees. Sand and debris should not be dumped in streets, storm drains, or waterways.
King County officials said the program remains active as of early January, with additional flood recovery resources and assistance centers available to residents affected by the storm.
Residents can find site-specific hours, rules, and additional guidance through King County Solid Waste’s official flood recovery resources.
