Residents in Douglas County will soon be able to dispose of household hazardous waste at a new moderate risk waste facility slated to open in 2025.
Residents in Douglas County will soon be able to dispose of household hazardous waste at a new moderate risk waste facility slated to open in 2025.
The facility is the first of its kind in Douglas County and will be located outside of East Wenatchee near the existing Zacher Facility site where recycling is processed. Funding for the project comes from a grant and Douglas County Solid Waste Department reserves.
“With our growing population comes an increase in the need for household hazardous waste disposal,” said Douglas County Solid Waste Director Becci Piepel. “Douglas County has hosted numerous annual one-day household hazardous waste events in the past decade, each with hundreds of households participating and we’re eager to be able to offer this as a year-round service to residents.”
Household hazardous waste materials include things like household cleaners, pesticides, antifreeze, motor oil, and paints. “These materials are typically labeled with words like ‘flammable, danger, toxic, or caution’ and should not be thrown in the garbage,” said Piepel.
Diverting these materials from local landfills reduces risks of potential contamination and presents an opportunity for some of the materials to be recycled.
Photo: A preliminary rendering concept courtesy of HDR.
Preliminary plans for the site include a modest 800-square-foot building with a covered area where vehicles will pull up and be greeted by staff to drop off any materials. The collected waste material is then packed for safe transport and hauled away by a contractor for proper disposal or recycling.
Photo: Douglas County crews clear the site where the Moderate Risk Waste Facility will be built.
*This article was updated to indicate the opening date will now be in 2025 instead of fall 2024.