Waste Prevention

Reduce

Decorated by Kittitas kindergarteners.

Waste reduction, or "pre-cycling", is an effort to prevent waste before it is created. We can help reduce waste by making careful choices about what we buy, use, and throw away. The following are some pre-cycling tips:

• Look for items with less packaging or items packaged in recycled materials.
• Choose durable rather than disposable products.
• Look for opportunities to reuse items instead of disposing of them.
• Ask for recycled products to help create a demand for recycled materials.
• Buy recycled content materials.
• Use reusable shopping bags.

Recycling in Kittitas County

Each person in Kittitas County discards the equivalent of 5.45 pounds of waste daily. More than 50% of that waste is reusable or recyclable. The loss of natural resources, energy and increasing costs of disposal make home source separating and recycling an important alternative.

In an effort to reduce the large amount of recyclable items (non-liquid, non-hazardous recyclables) that are presently disposed of at the transfer stations, Kittitas County offers a wide array of recycling opportunities at public and private drop-off recycling sites. The following recyclable items are accepted at each of the Kittitas County Transfer Stations in Cle Elum and Ellensburg:

Newspaper

Cardboard

Magazines

Tin Cans

Aluminum Cans

Plastic Pop Bottles

Plastic Milk Jugs

Household (Dry Cell) Batteries

Plastic Bags and Film

Any plastic that is not a bottle or milk jug

Styrofoam

Shredded Paper

Garbage

TVs and Electronics

Light Bulbs

Household Hazardous Waste

Garden Hoses, Christmas Lights, or Wires

Food-Soiled Pizza Boxes and Paper

This project was partially funded by a Washington Department of Ecology Grant.

Free document shredding

Solid Waste provides residents free confidential shredding of documents. Residents may deposit confidential material in the locked container located at the Solid Waste Office. The material is shredded once a month and taken to Spokane where it is recycled into toilet paper and tissue paper. This service is for household residents of Kittitas County, no business waste. Confidential documents only, no envelopes, magazines, junk mail, or greeting cards. Limit one bag per visit. For business or large amounts of document shredding, call:

Northwest Vital Records: 509-326-9128
Secure Records Solutions: 850-656-6900

How to stop junk mail

Curbside Recycling

Curbside recycling is available in a number of different areas throughout Kittitas County. For more information, contact:

Waste Management, Inc.
607 Railroad Avenue
Ellensburg
(509) 925-9688

Other Recycling Opportunities

• For a directory of other recycling opportunities within Kittitas County, contact the Solid Waste Programs office.
• Recycling in Kittitas County flyer
• Mixed paper recycling through Central Washington Recycling (Michelsen Packaging Co.) in Yakima and Wenatchee.