Insights to lower your impact during this holiday season





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Recycling and Garbage News
Guide to Holiday Recycling and Shopping





Ways to minimize holiday waste

Let our simple, visual guide help you sort through holiday waste. While holiday festivities bring us closer, they can also bring more waste into the home. A simple gathering at home, a work gift exchange, or a gift shopping adventure: all leave behind packaging to sort through. The Holiday Recycle Guide shows you how to save many reusable and recyclable items from going to the landfill.

Also, if you're hosting a gathering with food, composting is another way to collect and recycle food scraps. For more guidance on composting, visit our website [ [link removed] ].

Holiday disposal guide

*Printable Guide* [ [link removed] ]






Less energy, safer lights with LED

Post-Thanksgiving, neighborhoods begin to come alive with the sparkle of holiday light decorations. The type of lights you use matters when it comes to your electricity bill and energy use. Did you know you have the ability to save up to 75% in energy costs on decorative lights by choosing LED lights?

According to a Department of Energy [ [link removed] ] study, decorative lights consume around 6.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year in the United States. Consider using LED lights for a more energy-efficient holiday season.

Holiday Lights

Not only do LED holiday lights consume less electricity, they also have the following advantages*:


* Safer: LEDs are much cooler than incandescent lights, reducing the risk of combustion or burnt fingers.
* Sturdier: LEDs are made with epoxy lenses, not glass, and are much more resistant to breakage.
* Longer lasting: The same LED string could still be in use 40 holiday seasons from now.
* Easier to install: Up to 25 strings of LEDs can be connected end-to-end without overloading a wall socket.

"*Source: LED Lighting | Department of Energy [ [link removed] ]"



Recycle your old string lights

Whether upgrading or replacing your broken holiday lights, be sure to recycle your old string lights. There are many options throughout Kitsap. During the holidays, some local hardware stores collect old string lights to recycle. Check with your local store or look for a receptacle next time you're out shopping.

You can also recycle your string lights in our metal scrap bins year-round at the Silverdale Recycling and Garbage Facility [ [link removed] ] and Olympic View Transfer Station [ [link removed] ] recycling areas. Many scrap metal recyclers [ [link removed] ] also accept string lights.

Wonder where to recycle other lights?

LightRecycle Washington accepts up to 10 mercury-containing lights per day. You can protect the environment from unwanted release of mercury by recycling your CFLs, fluorescent tubes and HID (High Intensity Discharge) lights. Recycle accepted lights [ [link removed] ] for free at a location near you [ [link removed] ]! 

While mercury lights need proper recycling, incandescent and LED light bulbs are safe for your trash.






Holiday shopping insights





Bring your own bag

It's been one year since Washington's single-use plastic bag ban started [ [link removed] ]. Still, many of us have found ourselves fumbling to carry our items, no bag in hand, at least once.

Save yourself the trouble. With holiday shopping upon us, it's a good time to make a plan to bring your own bag whenever you go out.

Woman toting her own bags

Plan to stock your car, backpack or purse now, and be ready for the holiday hustle. This way, whether you have a scheduled or unexpected stop, you'll be ready with a bag of your own.




Memories outlast materials

Sometimes, the best gifts come in the simplest ways. Consider how you can lower your impact on the environment by giving your loved ones the gift of time. It's a good way to avoid the extra waste in wrapping gifts that will one day be outdated.

The gift of an experience can cost nothing, like a walk in the park, or be as elaborate as a week-long excursion. Any age or budget can give this special gift of time.

Activity ideas

Make the most of each day by making memories and forget the material things. They'll only decay eventually, while an experience with your loved one shapes who you are together.






Holiday schedule at facilities

Christmas and New Year's

Kitsap County garbage, recycling and hazardous waste facilities are closed for the following days and times during the winter holidays:

Closed for the holidays
Olympic View Transfer Station

Christmas Eve - closes at 3 p.m.

Christmas Day - closed

New Year's Day - closed

Recycling and Garbage Facilities in Silverdale, Hansville and Olalla

Christmas Eve - closes at 2 p.m.

Christmas Day - closed

New Year's Day - closed

Household Hazardous Waste Facility

Christmas Eve - closed all day

Christmas Day thru New Year's Day - closed



*Facility Info* [ [link removed] ]






Winter driving
Weather and delays

Winter storms, outages or road conditions can affect services and hours at our waste facilities. When this happens unexpectedly, staff will inform customers upon arrival. 

View the inclement weather and emergency information page [ [link removed] ] for up-to-date news on how and when Kitsap County operations may be affected.








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