Recycling
GLASS NO LONGER ACCEPTED FOR RECYCLING IN JEFFERSON COUNTY BEGINNING DECEMBER 1ST
Please plan to dispose of glass in your trash after December 1st.
Jefferson County continued to collect and stockpile glass up to their capacity limit at the recycling center. However, the transfer station reached holding capacity by October 1st and has been shipping the collected glass to the landfill since then, at a loss of approximately $10,000 a month.
There is no new market for glass on the horizon. So Jefferson County will follow what many other Puget Sound counties have already done and will stop collecting glass as part of our recycling program. This includes on-site drop off and curbside pickup services.
Resources:
- The Jefferson County Beacon: Jefferson County’s Glass Recycling Woes Raise Call for a Bottle Bill written by Nhatt Nichols (Nov 18, 2024)
- A comprehensive article by a worker-directed news non-profit which addresses questions in response to the glass recycling change.
- Solid Waste Manager Glass Recycling presentation to the Board of County Commissioners November 12, 2024. The presentation begins at 3:33:32 of the meeting video.
- Meeting Documents
- (username and password is: public)
- King5 article and news video : Lack of demand for recycled glass leads to change in rules (Sept 25, 2024)
- “We just don’t have any other options for recycling right now,” said Margo Gillaspy, solid waste division manager for Skagit County Public Works.
- An article explaining how the recycled glass market has effected others: Ardagh permanently closing Seattle wine bottle facility, citing unfavorable ITC decision
September 2024
Regional Recycled Glass Markets Closed
Regional outlets for recycled glass have suddenly stopped accepting incoming material. Cheaper imports and a market demand decline is the cause. This has left Puget Sound counties big and small scrambling to find alternative markets for recycling or reuse glass. The few alternative regional markets have quickly reached capacity from the unexpected diversion of material. Counties are now storing materials onsite until an outlet can be found.
Residents should continue to include glass as part of the County’s recycling program as they normally would. We will continue to search for market outlets and will stockpile glass until we reach holding capacity. See Dec 1 update above.
Please stay tuned for updates.
View the Recycling Flyer to find out what we accept and where to take it. Click the image to open the flyer as a PDF document. Recycling locations and other info are listed on the backside of the flyer. Call 360-385-9160 if you have questions about recycling.
Residential Curbside Recycling
Inside Port Townsend city limits: City of PT Trash Collection/Recycling page. In Jefferson County, outside Port Townsend city limits, contact Olympic Disposal at 360-452-7278 or 800-422-7854.
Workplace Recycling
Olympic Disposal’s commercial garbage customers within the City of Port Townsend receive recycling services at no extra charge. Contact Olympic Disposal at 360-385-6612 or 1-800-422-7854.
Batteries
Rechargeable (Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, Ni-Zn), lithium (Li-Ion Primary), and button/coin cell batteries are accepted for recycling at the Transfer Station Environmental Center, Public Works Office, 623 Sheridan St., Port Townsend, Mon. – Fri., 8 am – 5 pm and Quilcene Drop Box (no charge).
Automotive, ‘wet cell’ lead-acid, or Advanced Glass Mat (AGM) batteries are accepted at the Transfer Station (tipping floor) during normal operating hours. Standard tipping fees apply.
Alkaline batteries are not accepted for recycling and may be disposed of in the trash after covering the terminal ends with tape or wrapping each battery in plastic.
Paint Recycling
The Department of Ecology has contracted with PaintCare to establish collection points for unused oil-based and latex paints where those products are sold. The PaintCare program launched April 1, 2021 with a single collection point at Peninsula Paint Center located at 315 Decatur St., Port Townsend. Residents or businesses with large amounts of oil-based or latex paints may be eligible for pick-up service from Paint Care. For questions about the PaintCare program or to find other retail collection points, please visit: www.paintcare.org/states/washington/ or phone (360) 450-1639. PaintCare Washington Launch Press Release.
The PaintCare program is independent of Jefferson County’s Household Hazardous Waste Program. Residents may also dispose of oil-based and latex paints at our household hazardous waste collection events.
Other Recycling RESOURCES
- Recycle Plastic Bags and Wraps at local grocers.
- “Styrofoam” (expanded polystyrene – EPS) and Polyethylene (LDPE) Foam recycling is offered by PTStyroCyclers. Find out more about them on Facebook – no account needed to to view their page. www.facebook.com/PortTownsendStyrofoam/ or email them at PTStyroCyclers@gmail.com.
- Moving-It-On 2024 Local resources for donating and recycling useable stuff.
- Where does our recycling go?
Recycling videos
Get answers to common recycling questions and learn about contaminants.
Blue is Recycling, Red is Garbage
by Commissioner Greg Brotherton and Tracy & David Grisman
Is Recycling Worth It Anymore? The Truth Is Complicated. – NPR
Watch this eye-opening video about recycling.
How Big Business Broke Recycling (And Blamed You) – PBS Terra
This video reflects Jefferson County Solid Waste’s experience with recycling.
Houston plastic recycle program struggles
Houston partnered with ExxonMobil and other companies to perform “advanced recycling,” which they say can handle the recycling of any type of plastic. But critics say “advanced recycling” may not be a viable solution and is a talking point used by the petro-chemical industry to keep consumers buying and using plastic guilt-free.