King County, WA Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Drop box load cap
- 3 cubic yards or 1 ton
- White goods area access
- residential self-haulers only
- Curbside bulk pickup
- not set by county code
- Illegal dumping penalty
- up to 90 days jail, $1,000
Summary
Unincorporated King County has no curbside bulky-item pickup in its code; residents self-haul large items and appliances to county transfer stations, where drop box loads are capped at 3 cubic yards or 1 ton.
C. Drop box facilities shall accept municipal solid waste in loads not to exceed either three cubic yards or one ton from commercial and self-haulers;
D. [Collection areas for]* yard waste, other organics, or both, located at some county transfer facilities shall accept source-separated yard waste from commercial and self-haulers. Loads at drop box facilities shall not exceed either three cubic yards or one ton;
E. White goods collection areas located at some county transfer facilities shall accept source-separated white goods from residential self-haulers;
F. Clean wood collection areas located at county transfer facilities shall accept source-separated clean wood from [commercial and self-haulers]*;
G. Other wastes, such as industrial waste, semisolid or liquid waste and asbestos-containing waste material, may be accepted at facilities as designated and approved by the division director;
H. Acceptance of any suspect waste may be denied pending the division director's approval; and
I. Salvaging and scavenging are prohibited at all King County solid waste facilities. (Ord. 16053 § 1, 2008: Ord. 15912 § 20, 2007: Ord. 14811 § 15, 2003: Ord. 13550 § 2, 1999: Ord. 10984 § 3, 1993: Ord. 9484 § 3, 1990: Ord. 8108 § 4, 1987).
*Reviser's note: Added but not underlined in Ordinance 15912. See K.C.C. 1.24.075.
Full Breakdown
King County Code Title 10 sets up self-haul disposal, not curbside bulk pickup. K.C.C. 10.10.030.C caps drop box facility loads at three cubic yards or one ton for commercial and self-haul customers. Subsection E limits white goods (major appliances) collection areas at transfer stations to residential self-haulers with source-separated units. Separately, K.C.C. 10.08.040.C lets the Solid Waste Division adopt rules that bar or conditionally restrict bulky wastes, special wastes, and wood waste at specific facilities. Curbside trash and recycling service instead comes from WUTC-certificated private haulers, whose own tariffs govern any bulky-item pickup option.
Violations & Fines
Delivering waste to a facility outside these rules, or dumping bulky items on public or private property instead, is unlawful under K.C.C. 10.04.080 and punishable as a misdemeanor under K.C.C. 10.08.110: up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does King County pick up bulky items curbside in unincorporated areas?
How much can I bring to a county drop box facility at once?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in King County
Compare King County to another location·View the Washington trash & recycling overview
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