Public Invited to Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility Anniversary Celebration

Tours, demonstrations, and light refreshments will highlight the 10^th anniversary celebration at the Kitsap County Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Facility on Sunday, April 23, from 10 am to 2 pm. The Facility will not accept waste on April 23.

The HHW staff will treat visitors to a behind-the-scenes tour of the Facility.

Opening the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility  (formerly known as the Moderate Risk Waste Collection Facility) ten years ago eliminated the need for frequent mobile collections. The HHW Facility was built in 1996 to replace the Household Hazardous Waste Roundups held at the Kitsap Mall since the early '90s. Although there was a festive air about the Roundups, it was an intense effort to organize and only provided service for 8 days each year. 

Once the HHW Facility was opened, the days of service have increased to 150 and we find it much safer to handle the waste in a specially designed building than in a busy parking lot. According to Rick Gilbert, the Facility supervisor, they averaged less than 2,000 customers per year in the beginning, but the customer base has grown as information about what is accepted at the Facility increases and more people began finding alternatives to hazardous products.

“Today,” says Gilbert, “we assist more than 6,000 residents annually, taking in over 600,000 pounds of material a year.” Since opening, staff at the HHW Facility has assisted over 38,000 area residents with their hazardous waste management needs.

Gilbert explains that while emphasizing educating residents on using alternatives to toxics, there is still a legacy of hazardous products lurking in basements and garages. “The residents who have visited us so far have brought in over 3 million pounds of household hazardous waste.”

He adds that small businesses bring in an average of about 70,000 pounds of hazardous waste annually through the County’s Small Quantity Generator program---over 387, 000 pounds since opening.

Gilbert points out that educating Kitsap County citizens on recycling and disposal options is a never-ending job in a growing community. “We keep working to improve methods to reach the residents and businesses, and to make their experience here a pleasant one.” One of the customer improvements was to add a second lane that is opened when large volume loads would otherwise slow the traffic flow at the facility. The popular “Swap Shop” provides many usable household and automotive products at no cost.

The HHW Facility is located at 5551 SW Imperial Way in the Olympic View Industrial Park across from the Bremerton National Airport on Highway 3. Normal business hours for residents are Thursday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. Business must call The Open Line to make an appointment.

Additional Information:

• Map to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility

• More information about the HHW Facility

• Business waste information

• Related publications

Kitsap County Public Works
The Open Line
(360) 337-5777 or (800) 825-4940
openline@co.kitsap.wa.us