WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: 2022’s first West Seattle recycling/shredding event

| Environment | West Seattle news

As always, recycling/shredding is popular – this year’s first West Seattle event has a big turnout. We just went over to the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) for a look.

Organizers didn’t have a master count yet but our informal look at tally sheets suggested at least 200 cars in the first hour; commenters on our morning-preview post mentioned a long line in the early going, and cars stretched back to the south entrance when we arrived in the area around 10 am. Once you get onto the campus, the line splits into two.

Some people parked on 16th SW north of the campus and walked their items in. This continues until noon, provided the trucks don’t all fill up!

Here’s what they’re accepting, while there’s capacity. The event is a collaboration between the West Seattle Junction Association, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, and Seattle Public Utilities. If you miss this, Fauntleroy Church‘s first 2022 Recycle Roundup, also a dropoff event, is scheduled for 9 am-3 pm Sunday, April 24th.

Vincent March 19, 2022 (10:38 am)

Please enter the lot from the south. People are coming in from the north end and jumping in line. Play fair, people.

Sunuva March 19, 2022 (12:31 pm)

Disappointed to get turned away at 11:40 with at least 50 other cars who had been waiting in line for a while. I had a full truck load too.I’m glad they are offering this, but they need to somehow plan for more demand. I wonder how much of that stuff from the many who got turned away will now get thrown away instead of recycled. I also wonder how much gas was wasted with cars driving in from around Seattle to sit and idle in line and then get turned away. They need to offer these more often or have more capacity or something. Again, I’m happy these events are being offered, but too many people got turned away.

ITotallyAgreeWithYou March 19, 2022 (4:38 pm)

Sheesh! They don’t “need” to do anything. This is a free-to-you event they choose to host, not an obligatory service. Your waste is your responsibility. How much stuff will now get thrown away depends solely on whether or not individuals choose to responsibly dispose of their waste. The same services are still out there. What were you going to do with your waste before this event was offered?
- MJ March 19, 2022 (10:55 pm)
  
  I was disappointed to be turned away after arriving well before the event was to end and then waiting in line for 20 minutes. This is not the first time this has happened to me so clearly there could be better planning. If they are limited to what they can take then shorten the time frame or at least say “until trucks are filled”. No need to let people sit there waiting if they are already near capacity.
- Sunuva March 20, 2022 (8:14 am)
  
  Sheesh! Again, I’m thankful they put this on and am well aware that it is free. I’m not in here crowing that they bend to my commands, just offering my feedback after seeing how many people got turned away at the end. Sheesh!I will find other ways to deal with this stuff as I’m sure most other people will.
Milton Friedman March 19, 2022 (10:08 pm)

Perhaps they didn’t have enough volunteers. Maybe the containers filled up quickly. Was it worth your time waiting in line, wasting gas only to be turned away? Or would a better option been the dump with maybe shorter lines for a fee?
- Sunuva March 20, 2022 (8:21 am)
  
  Probably yes. If I had known I’d get turned away then I would have made alternate plans, which I’m doing now. It’s just going to take me 2 or 3 trips to different places now for styro, electronics, shredding stuff. So, in hindsight yes it would have been better not to have tried that approach first. Now I know.
- AMD March 20, 2022 (8:43 am)
  
  The minimum fee at the dump is $30. If your car burns six gallons of gas waiting in line for 30 minutes, the problem is your car, not event organization.
  - Sunuva March 20, 2022 (10:07 am)
    
    Sure, cars burn gas idling and it’s worth considering that impact vs driving to a couple other places to drop items off instead.
    
    I use the dump from time to time as well. I just thought for these electronics that I would try the free and close recycling option first. This was my first time to this event and now I know what to expect for the future. I’ve since found out that Staples will take these electronics so I’m heading there soon!
    
    Just for the record, last time I went to the dump I got stuck in line for an hour. :) They were cleaning up the inside or something and totally stopped the line. Just sayin. ;)

Donna March 19, 2022 (3:19 pm)

This is a fantastic event and I always look forward to it. Today I waited in line for an hour and of course couldn’t help thinking of all the cars idling, inching ahead a few feet, idling, etc. When I finally got near the front of the line the well-intentioned people just kind of fell apart with any organization they might have started out with. I think the organizers would really benefit from help with logistics. How about getting some advice from people with military backgrounds, the Army or the National Guard? Those folks know logistics! Huge crawling lines of cars kind of takes away from the benefits of recycling.

Westwood March 19, 2022 (7:23 pm)

Save your disappointment. As has been mentioned,…your waste, your problem. There are still plenty of options to responsibly deal with it. You just need to be willing to find out how. Sheesh! is right.

WSB March 19, 2022 (8:21 pm)

I’m sure both WSJA and WSCC would appreciate any constructive feedback; both have new Executive Directors since the last time this was held, and this requires a lot of volunteer-wrangling among other things – for both organizations, the Executive Director pretty much IS the entirety of the paid staff. Anyway, regarding anyone with stuff left over, as mentioned above, Fauntleroy Church’s event is coming up in a month, and SPU also offers what they call “special item collections” now – not free, but it might be useful to some – https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/collection-and-disposal/garbage/special-item-collections
- Sunuva March 20, 2022 (8:08 am)
  
  Thanks, WSB. Appreciate the helpful response!
- Sunuva March 20, 2022 (8:26 am)
  
  Regarding the special item collections: this is great!! > No cost: Styrofoam blocks
  
  I wasn’t aware of this and saves me a trip down to SODO where I had been taking my styro. Thanks again for sharing.
- WS Res March 20, 2022 (9:34 am)
  
  And if you subscribe to Ridwell, you can recycle fluorescent bulbs and styrofoam at any time (for a small extra cost) and fabrics, even scraps and worn things, for no extra, every two weeks.
MJ March 19, 2022 (10:58 pm)

Not a helpful nor kind comment
Sunuva March 20, 2022 (8:07 am)

Save your comment if you can’t be constructive. Sheesh!

HL March 20, 2022 (9:39 am)

I commend when community organizations have these events. If you have a truckload of stuff and bringing to these events you’re part of the problem. These events aren’t for car loads. These are for folks that have a few things. To the complainers in the group, there are so many places that take drop off donations. Contact groups like American Cancer Society Discovery Shops to arrange drop off. But these groups don’t take useless garbage. It has to be salable. You have a car load? Transfer stations also take these items as well, and don’t care if it’s usable. The time and gas waiting in line could have paid to drop off at a transfer station. https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/collection-and-disposal/transfer-stations/rates

Sunuva March 20, 2022 (9:57 am)

I’m sorry, but what?? These events aren’t for people like me and I’m part of the problem? Are you kidding me? For what it’s worth, I had held on to a few old computers, monitors, and other accessories because I know they have toxic stuff that shouldn’t be thrown away. I gathered these things to recycle and add in some large styrofoam pieces and shredding documents and there you go.. I guess it was a partially full load, but still.

Where do you get the idea that I don’t deserve to be able to use this service? I am trying to be responsible here and this was for anyone who had stuff they wanted to responsibly recycle.

Anyways, I’ve found alternatives and am working on taking things to these other places today. I’m disturbed by your comment suggesting I’m part of the problem here though. I am not.

It is a great thing they put on these events and the people that run them deserve huge thank you for their time and energy. I don’t understand the condescending comments on this board though. Why so negative?
- Honey Bee March 20, 2022 (8:11 pm)
  
  Hey Sunuva, sorry you felt negged on and shamed a bit in comments here. It can be a harsh world, but don’t take it personally. Usually when others get mean about something, even if they have a point, they are having a bad day or life stress and taking it out in a toxic way. And we probably have all found ourselves on either end of this in some way or another. So just take a breath, and know, no one is perfect, you aren’t, and neither are the critics.
  
  We could probably all be more mindful about our other forms of garbage and their impacts.
  
  Have a good night :)

Sorry, comment time is over.