County Bans Plastic Bags from Curbside Recycling, Mulls WTE Plant

SEATTLE (Waste 360): King County, Wash., announced it will no longer accept plastic bags and wraps in its curbside recycling program beginning in 2020. In addition, the county is considering incinerating waste and converting it to energy as its Cedar Hills Regional Landfill nears capacity.

According to a King 5 News report, beginning January 1, 2020, residents will be asked to take their plastic bags to a drop-off site for remanufacturing or put them in their trash bins. The move is an effort to decrease contamination in the county’s recycling stream.

King County is also studying the economic feasibility of building and operating a waste-to-energy (WTE) facility, which could potentially save the county billions over the long haul, according to KOMO News. The county’s landfill currently accepts more than 800,000 tons of solid waste a year and is nearing capacity. Additionally, neighbors have complained of landfill odors.

Courtesy: www.waste360.com