King County to shorten hours at area transfer stations

Published 12:29 pm Wednesday, December 23, 2009

King County plans to change operating hours at its Factoria and Houghton waste transfer stations early next year in response to a continued decline in garbage volumes. In all, five transfer stations will be affected.

“Since 2007, the Solid Waste Division has seen a decrease of approximately 15 percent in the amount of waste brought to its transfer facilities, along with a corresponding decrease in revenue to operate our solid waste transfer and disposal system,” said Solid Waste Division Director Kevin Kiernan.

The proposed changes represent a slightly less than 10 percent decrease in urban transfer system hours. The cost savings will be approximately $600,000 annually.

“Considering the tonnage and revenue decline, the division cannot afford to maintain the current operating hours, and we will evaluate the need to adjust hours again in the future, should tonnage continue to fall or should it rise,” Kiernan said.

Kiernan said the division looked at customer activity levels at each station and assessed what hours would meet most customers’ needs yet still provide savings.

The King County Solid Waste Division operates eight transfer stations, two rural drop boxes and the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, and provides solid waste services to more than 1.3 million residents in King County, excluding Seattle and Milton.

Beginning Jan. 2, transfer station hours will be:

Factoria – 13800 SE 32nd St., Bellevue, Mon-Fri: 6:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Sat & Sun: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Factoria Household Hazardous Waste Drop Off – 13800 SE 32nd St., Bellevue, Tues-Fri: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Sat & Sun: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Houghton – 11724 NE 60th St., Kirkland, Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.; Sat & Sun: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Other transfer stations affected are Renton, Algona and Bow Lake.