UPDATE: Busiest West Seattle Junction recycling event ever

11:22 AM: The West Seattle Junction free recycle/reuse/shred event is more than halfway through – and though the volunteers routing everyone couldn’t give us an in-progress count, it is without doubt the busiest one they’ve ever had. As noted in comments on our morning preview, the Northwest Center truck – household items and clothing – filled up very quickly. Organizers say NW Center isn’t able to send a second truck but they’re trying to see if they can get one for next week. (This is the nonprofit that used to have a daily truck in The Junction, but hasn’t been able to staff that during the pandemic.) Other than that, when we were there a short time ago, we were told everything else still has capacity, including electronics recycling with Friendly Earth:

And a shredding truck (four boxes max):

Plus household batteries and Styrofoam:

This continues in the parking lot off 42nd south of SW Oregon until 1 pm, as capacity allows.

12:22 PM: Electronics recycling is now maxed out, per commenters (thank you!).

Ra September 26, 2020 (11:40 am)

Friendly earth is out of capacity for small electronics. I just got turned away 10 minutes ago.

WS Resident September 26, 2020 (12:18 pm)

Just tried dropping off a monitor 15 min ago – tech recycling is full and not accepting any more.

WSB September 26, 2020 (12:22 pm)

Thank you, will update.

Conjunction Junction September 26, 2020 (12:25 pm)

Thank you so much for having this event! I was pretty excited to get rid of my shredding and then realized my styrofoam!

Unfortunately, the traffic back up for this event was huge and the WSJA people managed it as best they could, but maybe next time, could you please move it to a more manageable parking lot? One of the churches or Bank of America? I went home, got a cart, and walked it full of my stuff from another parking lot. I saw other people walking in, so I appreciated that!

Also unfortunate was the styrofoam recycler, let’s just say that their customer service was a little lacking (probably with good reason, but still). Having only 2 people pick over every piece, was actually what caused the traffic jam mentioned above. I took my styrofoam, that I was unwilling to sit and pick over, home with me.

The City of Seattle has a free styrofoam recycling program under the Special Collections Category, scroll down this page to find the instructions. You have to plan ahead, but it is free and easy. If the WSJA would like the bags to hand out, I have a case I ordered for my block, they can reply to this post.

Again, my appreciation for all the recyclers and the WSJA, lets see if we can come up with some fixes to make it even better and easier!

Lisa September 26, 2020 (12:49 pm)

Love this event but they really need traffic control or to move it elsewhere. It was impossible to drive around this block this morning.

DD September 26, 2020 (1:06 pm)

This is a wonderful annual event for our community but this year, with anticipated volumes of donors, and traffic, it would have been a good idea to coordinate with official traffic control and routing. I went early and was headed south on 42nd AVE SW…stuck mid block right before Oregon. There was continuous traffic turning right from Oregon and also being allowed to turn left, in to the event, from northbound 42nd. No apparent effort was made to feather in our cars heading south and light after light went from green to red. There was a Seattle traffic control officer in one of those mini vans ahead of me and I went up to him to ask him whether there could be any assistance directing traffic. He said I’d have to call 911. I opted not to do that and soon after he made a u turn and got himself out of the jam all the rest of us were locked in. 30 minutes later , I finally got to the corner and decided to hang a right, park a block away, and walk over two boxes of shredding in two trips. I mentioned to one of the people handling the questionnaires that someone should look North as well as south to improve access and flow. did not expect that to happen though. A solid traffic plan would be a good idea next time. Do wonder why the city employee couldn’t take any initiative, or contact assistance. Guess it wasn’t in his job description.

J September 26, 2020 (1:26 pm)

I found it very pedestrian-friendly. I walked right up, was politely directed to the styrofoam truck, where I placed my items in a big bag. It all took about a minute. Thanks so much to all the volunteers who helped make this happen.

Julia September 26, 2020 (2:05 pm)

An exercise in futility for us. Spent nearly 2 hours going there twice, without getting to drop off a thing.

aa September 26, 2020 (2:56 pm)

Really DD? What’s the phone number for assistance at a recycling event on a Saturday? Poor Lisa couldn’t drive around the block.Such high class problems in this comment stream.

onion September 26, 2020 (4:46 pm)

Lighten up, AA. DD was sharing her/his experience and offering constructive suggestions. And DD did not consider this appropriate for a 911 call. My wife and I got there late so we got stuck in the same traffic for 20 minutes, and didn’t get to recycle anything. Perhaps next week.
- aa September 26, 2020 (7:38 pm)
  
  Unfortunately in this world of so much suffering and scary circumstances on a daily basis, businesses being destroyed across the bridge, the upcoming election that scares the bejesus out of me, covid, brain eating bacteria in the water in Texas, on and on, reading people complain about traffic heading to a free volunteer led event that enables them to rid their homes of extra junk took me over the edge.

ss September 26, 2020 (5:07 pm)

AA, I don’t think they are complaining because of inconvenience. It was a major traffic jam around that block and cars that were trying to get past it were stuck in the intersections. It was slightly dangerous not being sure who was in the traffic lane and who was in the waiting line. It was a traffic problem that, if addressed, could make everyone’s life safer next time.

Argonautter September 26, 2020 (7:56 pm)

Clearly there is a need for recycling and donations in West Seattle with COVID and the bridge being down. The Northwest Center website says there is a collection truck during the week, but I’m pretty sure that’s not happening at the moment. What other options are available for clothing and other household donations in West Seattle for those of us who had to bring our items back home? Thanks!

WSB September 26, 2020 (9:04 pm)

No, we talked to NW Center a week or two ago and they don’t expect to be back before next year (aside from one-offs like this). The Senior Center Stop ‘n’ Shop was accepting some donations by appointment:
https://sc-ws.org/stop-n-shop-thrift-store/donate-to-us/
Kathy September 27, 2020 (12:00 am)

Goodwill Burien accepts donations 10 am to 5 pm daily. Also, The folks from Friendly Earth International said they can take electronics, appliances etc. at their facility in SODO located at 1560 1st AVE S. Mondays through Fridays, 9 am to 5 pm.
- emcat8 September 27, 2020 (11:35 am)
  
  Not 5 pm–I went there a couple weeks ago, just after they’d closed at 3. They are also asking that you organize donations by type, which is on their website. But they shut off pretty promptly, well before 5.
  - AMD September 27, 2020 (12:08 pm)
    
    Their donation hours are 9-3. They’re currently not accepting large items (like sofas). Electronics like TVs and monitors are ok. How picky they are about what you’re donating/how it’s packaged seems to fluctuate a bit depending on who’s working. Their queue for cars with donations is thoughtfully laid out and helpful, though.

CL September 26, 2020 (8:33 pm)

Thanks for the tip about the City now taking styrofoam on request, good to know!

wendell September 26, 2020 (10:08 pm)

Yes, the city takes styrofoam, but it goes into the garbage truck on collection day, which I guess ends up in the landfill.

We used to take styrofoam to a facility in Kent, but that company moved and is closed on the weekends (pre Covid).

Perhaps a more robust city recycling effort could be taken on by the city council. Oh… never mind.

WSB September 26, 2020 (10:45 pm)

City Council recycling discussion, item 3:
https://herbold.seattle.gov/capital-projects-oversight-watch-list-resolution-seattle-office-for-civil-rights-seeks-womens-commission-members-improving-curbside-recycling-its-all-happening-at-the-zoo/

Sorry I don’t know what happened to the legislative bills mentioned.

Yma September 27, 2020 (5:56 am)

@aa – yes there are a LOT of scary & awful things going on in these current times ( you forgot the fires). And no, I’m not trying to be fascetious.BUT we all still need to live our daily lives, wash the dishes, walk the dog, clean house & clean out the house – going to a recycling event such as this keeps crud out of the landfills. Taking the time & NOT being able to get to an event like this, well – we’re human & it must be irksome.

Sorry, comment time is over.