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Council forwards draft solid waste plan to Department of Ecology for review
Summary
After a presentation on goals to improve recycling, organics diversion and hazardous-waste collection, the council voted to submit the 2025 solid waste management plan draft to the Washington State Department of Ecology for formal review and later public revision.
San Juan County's solid waste program presented a draft update to the county's solid waste management plan, which guides collection, transfer, transport and disposal for the next planning period. Katie Fleming, solid waste program coordinator, told the council the plan is the state-required framework to secure local solid-waste grants and to guide capital and operational decisions.
Fleming outlined goals for reliable collection and transfer services, improved recycling and local material processing, expanded organics diversion including centralized composting, stronger hazardous-waste collection capacity and phased upgrades to transfer facilities (including a planned expansion on San Juan Island, funding dependent). She noted state recycling-reform changes are coming and that the county will update the plan again once Ecology completes its review.
Council members discussed outer-island service constraints, the need for land to expand facilities, and the role of the Lopez Island solid waste disposal district as an operator with its own governance. The council moved to submit the draft plan to Department of Ecology for official review; the motion passed by voice vote.
