Reducing waste, litter, and toxic chemicals this spring





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Kitsap County Solid Waste Recycling and Garbage News




Waste reduction is blooming

Welcome to the spring edition of Recycling and Garbage News! In this edition, we highlight upcoming events, safer swaps for spring cleaning, recycling right, and more!

Cherry blossom and caterpillar divider




What do I do with...

*Batteries. *You can drop off batteries at a Recycling and Garbage Facility [ [link removed] ] or the Household Hazardous Waste Facility [ [link removed] ]. Don't put batteries in your trash or recycling carts. Improperly placed batteries in curbside recycling and garbage carts can cause fires, damage garbage trucks and facilities, and harm staff. 

*Yard waste. *Residents and businesses can take clean yard waste to a yard waste recycling facility [ [link removed] ]. Recycling yard waste is often cheaper than disposal and keeps reusable materials out of the landfill!

*Plastic soil bags *belong in the garbage because they’re tanglers. Tanglers are items that wrap around equipment at recycling facilities, causing machines to break. Instead, consider purchasing loose soil from local businesses or composting your own yard waste and food scraps. Visit our Composting in Kitsap [ [link removed] ] webpage to learn more.

*Plastic plant pots and trays *aren’t recyclable in curbside carts or at county facilities. However, stores like Lowe's, Home Depot, and local garden centers often accept them for recycling or reuse. You can also reuse these items for seedlings or share them with online “Buy Nothing” groups. Dispose of broken pots in the garbage.

*Paint. *You can drop off paint for free recycling at any of the eight PaintCare drop-off locations [ [link removed] ] in Kitsap County.

*Medication. *You can safely dispose of unused or expired medications for both people and pets at Safe Medication Return locations [ [link removed] ]. You can also order mail-back supplies at no charge to residents.

Recycling, donation, or disposal questions? Search your items using our Waste Wizard tool at Recycle.Kitsap.Gov. [ [link removed] ]




Connecting with Kitsap's solid waste system

Solid waste management in Kitsap County, Washington [ [link removed] ]

From exploring Kitsap's six waste and recycling facilities to tracking the journey of our garbage by train, our interactive story map [ [link removed] ] covers it all! 

Learn how the Kitsap County Public Works Solid Waste Division manages solid waste, develops waste reduction programs, and safely handles hazardous waste. 

 



Your questions answered

Can you put dog poop in the food and yard waste cart?

No! Pet owners should bag and place dog poop in the garbage. Place only food, yard waste, paper towels, napkins, and coffee filters in the food and yard waste cart.

Dog waste can carry bacteria that can make humans and pets sick and pollute our waterways. Learn more on the pet waste webpage [ [link removed] ].

Have a recycling, garbage, or composting question you want answered? Submit your question, [ [link removed] ] and we may feature it in a future newsletter!







Safer swaps for spring cleaning

Many household cleaning products we use to clean our kitchens, bathrooms, or cars can contain harmful chemicals. These products often carry warning labels such as "danger," "warning," "poison," or "caution."

You can reduce your exposure to these chemicals by:


* Buying only what you need to avoid storing extra products.
* Disposing of unused chemicals safely at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility [ [link removed] ].
* Making your own nontoxic cleaning products [ [link removed] ] with common household ingredients.
* Choosing safer products with third-party certifications, like EPA Safer Choice [ [link removed] ].

EPA Safer Choice label

*What is EPA Safer Choice?*

The Safer Choice label helps you find products that work well and use safer ingredients for your family and the environment. Certified products also:


* Use more sustainable packaging.
* Undergo performance testing to show the product performs as well as conventional cleaning products.

With the Safer Choice label, you don't have to choose between safer ingredients, sustainable packaging, or performance.



*Search EPA Safer Choice Products* [ [link removed] ]






Community events and resources

Waste reduction, recycling, and other events

* **Food Waste Prevention Week (April 7 to 13, 2025). **Join us on Instagram (@KitsapCountyWA) for tips and tricks to reduce food waste throughout the week!
* *Kitsap Community Food Co-op Sow and Grow (April 12, 2025, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). *Learn about composting, worm bins, and recycling from our Solid Waste Outreach team! The event is located at 421 Park Ave., Bremerton, WA.
* **Styrofoam Collection Event *(April 19, 2025, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.).* Get ready to recycle your Styrofoam! We're hosting a Styrofoam Collection Event at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. Visit our event webpage [ [link removed] ] for more information.
* *Manchester Earth Day Celebration (April 26, 2025, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). *Stop by our table to learn about litter volunteer programs, recycling, composting, and reducing waste! The event is at the qa'qad Stormwater Park [ [link removed] ]. 
* *Port Orchard Farmers Market (May 3, 2025, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.).* Stop by our table to learn about recycling, reuse, household hazardous waste, and composting!
* *Scrap Metal and Electronics Collection Event (May 24, 2025, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.). *Save the date! We're hosting a collection event at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds to recycle scrap metal, speakers, computer parts, office phones, cameras, and more. More information coming soon!
* *National Secure Your Load Day (June 6, 2025).* Every year, Kitsap County teams up with other state and local agencies to educate people about the importance of properly securing vehicle cargo to prevent crashes and litter. Stay tuned for more information about this annual safety campaign.
* *Port Orchard Farmers Market (June 7, 2025, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.).* Stop by our table to learn about securing your load for safer roads!
* *Silverdale Fix-it Fair** (June 21, 2025, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.). *We're hosting a free community repair event in partnership with the Kitsap Regional Library. Join us to repair household appliances, lamps, clothing, and more! Visit our Fix-it Fair webpage [ [link removed] ] for more details. 





*Community workshop on Reducing Climate Pollution (**March 20, 2025)*

Share your experiences and input about climate pollution in the Puget Sound region!

Join the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency for Community Workshops on Reducing Climate Pollution [ [link removed] ] on March 20, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Bremerton Government Center (Norm Dicks Building).

Your input will help inform how actions to reduce climate pollution within our neighborhoods can best be designed and implemented. Each workshop will be a guided conversation focused on hearing directly from you. Previous knowledge of climate pollution is not a requirement to participate.

*Register* [ [link removed] ]




*City of Bainbridge Island's Zero Waste Open House (April 10, 2025)*

Bainbridge Island Zero Waste Open House

The City of Bainbridge Island invites residents, business owners, and island visitors to attend a Zero Waste Open House on *April 10, 2025*, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Senior Center (370 Brien Dr. SE, Bainbridge Island, WA).

The event will host local, regional, and national vendors, where you can learn about different ways your household or business can achieve a zero-waste lifestyle. More information on the vendors will be available two weeks before the event. Attendees will be eligible for a free raffle giveaway of a FoodCycler Eco 3 [ [link removed] ]!






Facility news

Spring holiday closures

The Hansville, Silverdale, and Olalla Recycling and Garbage facilities will close in observance of Memorial Day on *Monday, May 26, 2025*. The Olympic View Transfer Station will remain open during regular hours.

Silverdale Recycling and Garbage Facility updates

Check out the new project webpage [ [link removed] ] for the Silverdale Recycling and Garbage Facility redevelopment project! Explore the interactive webpage to learn about planned improvements, traffic circulation, status updates, and more.






Contact information

Kitsap County Public Works, Solid Waste Division, 360.337.5777 or [email protected]
Kimberly Pleger, Public Works Communications Manager, 360.337.5777 or [email protected]







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