King County’s Spring Household Hazardous Wastemobile Event is coming up from Friday, March 26th through Sunday, March 28th at the Des Moines Marina.

This is the perfect opportunity to get rid of all that hazardous waste you’ve got sitting around, like dead batteries, fluorescent bulbs, oil, gas and a myriad of other stuff that can ruin the environment.

Here are the details:

WHAT: King County’s Spring Household Hazardous Wastemobile Event

WHEN: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday March 26 – March 28

WHERE: Des Moines Marina, located at 22307 Dock Street in Des Moines.

What to bring:

• solvents
• batteries, (lead acid, button, rechargeable)
• oil based paint
• cleaners
• pesticides
• oil
• antifreeze
• gasoline
• mercury products
• fluorescent bulbs and tubes
• propane tanks

What NOT to bring;

• latex paint
• empty containers
• computers
• TVs
• alkaline batteries
• explosives
• asbestos
• appliances
• medicines
• solid waste
• tires, etc

The following restrictions apply at all the household hazardous Wastemobile collection events:

• gasoline – 30 gallon limit
• total waste – 50 gallons per customer per day
• container size – no larger than five gallons
• fluorescent tubes or bulbs (not accepted from businesses) – limit 10
• automotive batteries – limit 5

The Wastemobile is FREE of charge and is for King County Residents and small quantity generators only. To find out if you qualify as a King County small quantity generator, call the Business Waste Line at 206 263-8899.

Additional information can be found at www.lhwmp.org or contact the Household Hazards Line at 206 296-4692, toll free at 1 888 869-4233

The Normandy Park and Burien Fall Recycling Collection Event and Rain Barrel Sale is scheduled for this Saturday, Sept. 19th from 9am – 3pm at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center, which is located at 19010 First Avenue South.

At this event you can safely dispose of numerous unwanted materials, some for free, others for a small fee.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Normandy Park & Burien Recycling Collection Event

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 19h from 9 am to 3 pm

WHERE: Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center

INFO: Recycle these household wastes:

• TIRES: Bias ply, steel belted, and studded tires accepted. Limit 6 passenger tires per household (18 inches and below) free of charge. $1.50 charge for each tire on a rim. $5 charged for each large truck tire and $15 charged for each truck tire on rim (cash only). No oversized tires accepted.
• MOTOR OIL, FILTERS, & ANTIFREEZE: Motor oil, oil filters, antifreeze, brake fluid, transmission fluid, 2-cycle oil, steering fluid, crankcase oil, kerosene, and home heating fuel. Do not mix with antifreeze, solvents, gasoline, or other substances.
• LEAD ACID BATTERIES: Car, truck, marine, and motorcycle batteries accepted.
• ALKALINE BATTERIES: AAAA, AAA, AA, A, B, C, and D cell batteries only.
• CARDBOARD: Please flatten. No wax coated cardboard.
• REUSEABLE HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND CLOTHING: Clothing and miscellaneous household items in good condition will be collected by Seattle Goodwill. Mattresses and furniture will not be accepted. Items in need of repair will not be accepted.
• PORCELAIN TOILETS AND SINKS: $5 charge (cash only). Toilet seats, hardware, and base wax rings must be removed.
• REFRIGERATORS/FREEZERS/HOUSEHOLD AIR CONDITIONERS: $25 charge for each refrigerator, freezer or household air conditioner (cash only).
• APPLIANCES AND SCRAP METAL: Auto parts, engines and gas lawnmowers (drained of oil and gasoline), metal lawn chairs, stoves, microwaves, barbecues, steel, aluminum, brass, copper and other ferrous and non-ferrous metals. $5 will be charged for each water heater that still has insulation coating (cash only). Metals that are insulated, rubber or oil coated, previously or currently contain chemicals, paint, or hazardous materials will not be accepted. Light fixture ballasts and sealed drums will not be accepted.
• PROPANE TANKS: Residential tanks only. $5 charge (cash only).
• ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT: DVD players, VCRs, stereo equipment, printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners, cellular phones and computer peripherals such as keyboards and mice. Computer monitors and televisions will not be accepted. You can recycle these items for free at other locations.

DON’T BRING:

• No scrap wood/bulky wood
• No construction/demolition debris No garbage No mattresses/furniture No plastic toys, hoses, etc.
• No window glass

These hazardous wastes:

• No oil based paint
• No pesticides/herbicides
• No household chemicals
• No cleaning products
• No fluorescent lights

Rules For Latex Paint

• Latex paint is no longer considered hazardous waste and the household hazardous waste facilities in King County (the Wastemobile, Factoria, and two Seattle sites) no longer accept it. Residents who cannot use up latex paint, please dry it out and put it in the garbage with the lid off. Visit the King County website www.kingcounty.gov/dnrp/swd for more informa- tion on how to dry out latex paint.

For event information, call 206-248-7603 or visit www.govlink.org/hazwaste/house/disposal/ or call the Household Hazards Line Monday to Friday 9 am to 4:30 pm except holidays at 206-296-4692.

Washington now has a FREE recycling program called “E-Cycle Washington” for computers, computers monitors, laptops, and televisions. Call 1-800-RECYCLE or visit 1800recycle.wa.gov to find authorized E-Cycle Washington collection locations. In the Burien/Normandy Park area you may drop off computers, computers monitors, laptops, and televisions for free at the following E-Cycle Washington locations:

• Burien Goodwill Store (1031 SW 128th Street, Burien, WA 98146, 206-957-1020)
• Salvation Army Burien Store (16033 1st Ave S, Burien, WA 98148, 206-267- 7272)
• St. Vincent de Paul (13445 1st Ave S, Burien, WA 98168, 206-243-6370)

Please note – drop off locations may change. Quantities accepted are limited. Please also note that computer peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and printers are not included in this program but will be accepted at City Recycling Collection Events.

Rain Barrel & Compost Bin Sale:
To encourage the use of recycled content material and more efficient use of water, the cities of Burien and Normandy Park are offering recycled plastic rain barrels at a huge discount. In addition, start backyard composting with a compost bin to save resources and money. Composting is a natural process that turns yard waste into rich soil. Yard waste—grass, leaves, old flowers—contain mostly water. Once the material decomposes, rich soil is all that’s left.

$20 each. Cash only. While supplies last. No pre or post event sales.

King County’s free Household Hazardous Wastemobile is coming to the Burien Fred Meyer on the weekend of Sept. 11-13th, from 10am to 5pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Fred Meyer is located at 14300 First Ave South in Burien (206-433-6446).

Operated by King County as part of the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program, the Wastemobile offers King County residents the ability to drop off hazardous household waste items, including:

• Pesticides
• Chlorine bleach
• Oil-based paints
• Automotive products (oil, antifreeze, auto batteries, etc.)
• Fluorescent bulbs/ballasts
• And other items

All free of charge!

By properly disposing of these materials and keeping them out of drains and landfills, King County residents are helping safeguard the environment.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens to the toxic waste after you drop if off, here’s some info:

• Corrosive Liquids – such as drain cleaner, pool chemicals, etc. are neutralized at a treatment facility.
• Latex paint – uncontaminated latex paint can be blended and tinted for reuse, then sold as new product. Latex paint that isn’t recyclable into new paint may be used as an additive in the manufacture of certain cement compounds.
• Lead acid batteries – recycled at smelters in the US, reclaiming the lead.
• Mercury – processed through retort and prepared for use in commercial applications.
• Oil-base paints, solvents and thinners – blended into a fuel mixture for use at facilities such as cement kilns.
• Pesticides and poisons – kept in their original containers or sealed in a bag if the container is rusty or leaking. Each container is nestled one-by-one into layers of absorbent granules inside steel drums. These wastes are incinerated or placed in a hazardous waste landfill.
• Used Motor Oil – accepted at the Wastemobile or by private sector businesses is re-refined into new lubricating products or reused as fuel for ships and cement kilns.

Please note that latex paint is no longer accepted during household hazardous waste collection events. Research has shown that dried or solidified latex paint can be safely disposed in the regular garbage.

Created in 1989, the Wastemobile was the first program of its kind in the nation. In its 18 years in operation, the program collected more than 14,771 tons of household hazardous waste from nearly 330,000 customers.

For more information, including acceptable materials, quantity limits and how to properly dispose of latex paint at home, call the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program’s Hazards Line at 206-296-4692, Monday through Friday between 9am and 4:30pm, except holidays. Recorded information is available after hours.

Full details are available on the Wastemobile Web Site at http://www.govlink.org/hazwaste/house/disposal/wastemobile.

The Normandy Park and Burien Spring Recycling Event and Rain Barrel Sale is scheduled for this Saturday, May 16th from 9am – 3pm at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center, which is located at 19010 First Avenue South.

At this event you can safely dispose of numerous unwanted materials, some for free, others for a small fee.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Normandy Park & Burien Recycling Collection Event

WHEN: Saturday, May 16th from 9 am to 3 pm

WHERE: Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center

INFO: Recycle these household wastes:

• TIRES: Bias ply, steel belted, and studded tires accepted. Limit 6 passenger tires per household (18 inches and below) free of charge. $1.50 charge for each tire on a rim. $5 charged for each large truck tire and $15 charged for each truck tire on rim (cash only). No oversized tires accepted.
• MOTOR OIL, FILTERS, & ANTIFREEZE: Motor oil, oil filters, antifreeze, brake fluid, transmission fluid, 2-cycle oil, steering fluid, crankcase oil, kerosene, and home heating fuel. Do not mix with antifreeze, solvents, gasoline, or other substances.

Items Must Meet the Following Guidelines:

• LEAD ACID BATTERIES: Car, truck, marine, and motorcycle batteries accepted.
• ALKALINE BATTERIES: AAAA, AAA, AA, A, B, C, and D cell batteries only.
• CARDBOARD: Please flatten. No wax coated cardboard.
• REUSEABLE HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND CLOTHING: Clothing and miscellaneous household items in good condition will be collected by Seattle Goodwill. Mattresses and furniture will not be accepted. Items in need of repair will not be accepted.
• PORCELAIN TOILETS AND SINKS: $5 charge (cash only). Toilet seats, hardware, and base wax rings must be removed.
• PROPANE TANKS: Residential tanks only. $5 charge (cash only).
• CLEAN SCRAP WOOD: Includes milled wood, plywood, pallets, and other untreated and unpainted wood. No peg board, particle or press board.
• BULKY WOOD: Includes large tree branches (minimum 6 inches in diameter), logs, and stumps. No leaves, grass, small branches, sod, or brush. Please lay a tarp under material for ease of removal.
• ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT: DVD players, VCRs, stereo equipment, printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners, cellular phones and computer peripherals such as keyboards and mice. Computer monitors and televisions will not be accepted. You can recycle these items for free at other locations – see the E-Cycle box for more information.

Household Hazardous Wastes can be taken to the Household Hazardous Wastemobile or one of three household hazardous waste collection sites. Normandy Park and Burien residents may use the South Seattle Household Hazardous Waste Facility – 8105 5th Avenue South, Seattle. Open 9:30 am – 4:30 pm, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (except holidays). Volume restrictions apply.

Latex paint is no longer considered hazardous waste and the household hazardous waste facilities in King County (the Wastemobile, Factoria, and two Seattle sites) no longer accept it. Residents who cannot use up latex paint, please dry it out and put it in the garbage with the lid off. Visit the King County website www.kingcounty.gov/dnrp/swd for more information on how to dry out latex paint.

DON’T BRING:

• No Scrap Metal
• No construction/demolition debris
• No plastic toys, hoses, etc.
• No window glass
• These hazardous wastes:
• No oil based paint
• No pesticides/herbicides
• No household chemicals
• No cleaning products
• No fluorescent lights

For event information, call 206-248-7603 or visit www.govlink.org/hazwaste/house/disposal/ or call the Household Hazards Line Monday to Friday 9 am to 4:30 pm except holidays at 206-296-4692.

Appliances and scrap metals will not be collected at this event. Appliances and scrap metals will be collected at a similar event this fall. Washington now has a FREE recycling program called “E-Cycle Washington” for computers, computers monitors, laptops, and televisions. Call 1-800-RECYCLE or visit 1800recycle.wa.gov to find authorized E-Cycle Washington collection locations. In the Burien/Normandy Park area you may drop off computers, computers monitors, laptops, and televisions at no charge at the following E-Cycle Washington locations: Burien Goodwill Store (1031 SW 128th Street, Burien, WA 98146) and Salvation Army Burien Store (16033 1st Ave S, Burien, WA 98148). Please note – drop off locations may change. Quantities accepted are limited. Please also note that computer peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and printers are not included in this program but will be accepted at City Recycling Collection Events.

Rain Barrel & Compost Bin Sale:
To encourage the use of recycled content material and more efficient use of water, the cities of Burien and Normandy Park are offering recycled plastic rain barrels at a huge discount. In addition, start backyard composting with a compost bin to save resources and money. Composting is a natural process that turns yard waste into rich soil. Yard waste—grass, leaves, old flowers—contain mostly water. Once the material decomposes, rich soil is all that’s left.

$20 each. Cash only. While supplies last. No pre or post event sales.

Saturday morning (4/25), both the cities of Burien and Des Moines were overtaken by eager and helpful volunteers, young and old alike, wearing orange vests and gloves, filling up their trash bags for a day of group clean up.

In Burien, the annual “Clean Sweep” kicked off at 8am with approximately 400 volunteers, including at least 200 from Iglesia Ni Cristo Church, lead by Ronel’ Ibanez, who fittingly won the grand prize of a mountain bike in the raffle (look for him in the first slideshow below); here are some pics taken by Scott Schaefer:

Click to View Slideshow

In Des Moines, Photographer Michael Brunk was on the scene, and he captured some great moments of Destination Des Moines’ annual Clean Up, as evidenced in this slideshow:

Click to View Slideshow

“Clean Sweep,” Burien’s annual spring cleaning event, is planned for Saturday, April 25th, starting at 8am at the fire station on 8th Ave SW.

Citizens are encouraged to join this effort to improve the appearance of the downtown area and neighborhoods by picking up trash and other debris along streets, sidewalks and parks.

Volunteers are asked to report to the Burien Fire Station, located at 15100 8th Ave. SW (map below) at 8am, where they can enjoy a free continental breakfast and then head out to the community to clean, pick up trash, remove graffiti and more.

At Noon the crews return to the fire station for a hot dog lunch and raffle with prizes donated by area businesses. The event ends at 1:00 p.m.

Last year 7.61 tons of garbage was collected.

Participants should bring their own tools, gloves and, if needed, rain gear.

Call Discover Burien at (206) 433-2882 for more information.

View Larger Map

It’s that time of year again, when the holiday trimmings start coming off, get put into big plastic storage bins in the shed, leaving behind a dilapidated and dried up, dangerously flammable Christmas tree with no place to go.

Here’s your B-Town Blog guide to how to recycle your tree:

BOY SCOUT TROOP #375 RECYCLING EVENT SAT./SUN. JAN. 3-4:

• Boy Scout Troop #375 will be recycling trees this Saturday and Sunday (1/3-1/4) from 10am – 3pm.
• Go to Herr Backyard Garden Center on SW 160th near First Ave South, and look for the Boy Scouts and wood chipper device.
• $5 fee per tree.
• Call Diane for more information: 242-2014.

NORMANDY PARK:

• Allied Waste provides curbside collection of Christmas Trees to single-family residential yard debris customers.
• Yard Debris customers can set Christmas trees out on their regularly scheduled collection day.
• Trees must be free of flocking, tinsel, ornaments and metal hangers, cut to 4′ lengths and tied into bundles less than 2′ wide.
• Use biodegradable string or twine – no nylon, plastic or other synthetic materials.
• Flocked trees are not recyclable and will not be accepted – put flocked trees in the garbage.

JAN. 12-16 DES MOINES TREE-CYCLING EVENT:

• Allied Waste will be picking up Christmas trees for City of Des Moines residential curbside customers during the week of January 12 – 16 on the normal garbage pick-up day.
• Place trees curbside, cut into 4′ lengths and tie into bundles no more than 2′ wide.
• Tinsel, garland, and ornament hangers must be removed.
• There will be no charge for this special pick-up.
• Must be a garbage customer to be eligible.
• Trees need to be cut into 4′ lengths and tied into bundles no more than 2′ wide.
• More information: Contact Dave Steen at 206-870-6532

DO IT YOURSELF:

• Waste Management also takes Christmas trees, but we suggest cutting yours in 4′ lengths and tie it into bundles less than 2′ wide, and perhaps even placing it inside your yard waste container (especially with all the wind we’ve been getting lately – we don’t need tumbleweed Christmas trees clogging our roads now do we?).
• Pacific Topsoils, Inc. in Tukwila allows Christmas tree drop-offs; Call for Hours (206) 772-3091; located at 6000 S 129th Street in Tukwila.
• King County has several options for recycling Christmas trees. Call the King County Solid Waste Division Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, at 206-296-4466 or 1-800-325-6165 (toll-free).

Monday (Dec. 29th) will be the first garbage and recycling pickup day for a lot of Burien residents in two weeks, so get your containers out there, and remember – triple volume accepted!

Here’s the latest from Waste Management:

Residential service for Monday garbage customers and those scheduled for recycling and/or yard waste service today. If this is not a regular recycling or yard waste collection week, customers will need to wait for service until the week of Jan 5-9.

Double/triple volume accepted; Tips for Managing Extra Garbage & Recycling.

Please remove snow from on top of and around containers. If your street is still snowy, please move your containers to a more accessible location for service.

CONTACT INFO:

Email: info@wmnorthwest.com
Phone: 1-800-592-9995
Fax: 1-866-284-1337

City of Burien Garbage and Recycling Help Line: 206-933-0992

We’ve got ours out, neatly arranged in triplicate and ready to go…have you?

There will be NO garbage/recycling collection in Burien Saturday or Sunday (12/27-28), with up to triple amounts of stuff accepted during the next pickup.

Here’s the latest update from Waste Management (more info available at their website here):

Saturday, December 27, 8:00 AM: Unsafe road conditions have unfortunately required Waste Management to once again postpone residential curbside collection in Snohomish County and most of King County, including Burien, Renton, and all East King County areas.

No residential collection will be provided on Sunday, as previously reported. Waste Management needs to preserve driver time for long work hours next week as we clean up the accumulated material resulting from numerous collection delays.

King County residents outside the City of Seattle may take garbage and recycling to King County transfer stations, including:

• Bow Lake in Tukwila
• Enumclaw
• Renton
• Factoria
• Houghton
• Shoreline

Call 206-296-4466 or visit http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/facilities/transfer.asp for addresses and hours.

Remove Snow Accumulation. To keep containers accessible, please remove snow and extra material from around or on top of them.

Clear Storm Drains to Prevent Street Flooding: As snow melts, water run-off can result in flooding, which further impedes collection. Please clear storm drains of snow and debris to prevent flooding.

Tips for Extra Material Storage and Set Out: Waste Management suggests that residents use the following options for storing and setting out extra materials:

Extra garbage: Place next to garbage container in:

• Securely tied plastic bags labeled “Garbage” or
• 32-gal can with handle and lid (65 lb limit) labeled “Garbage”

Extra recycling: Place next to recycling cart in:

• Plastic recycling bins or
• Cardboard boxes (2×2x2 ft. limit) labeled “Recycling”
• No recycling in plastic bags

Extra yard trimmings (No food scraps or plastic): Place next to yard cart in:

• Heavy paper yard bags (available at hardware stores) or
• Reusable polywoven yard bags (available at hardware stores) or
• 32-gal cans with handles & lids (65 lb limit) labeled “Yard” or

Bundles tied with sisal twine (4′x2′ limit)

Garbage/Recycling provider Waste Management says that there will be NO pickups Friday, Dec. 26th in the Burien area, although they will allow “up to triple volume accepted next regular collection day for each missed curbside container.”

Here are some snippets from their latest update:

Holiday Collection Schedule Friday and Saturday weeks of Dec 25 & Jan 1:

Friday, December 26:
(although there will be no pickup today…), Waste Management’s Customer Service Center will be open from 8 AM – 5 PM:

• Waste Management Customer Service website
• Call 1-800 592-9995

Because of weather delays, we expect phone lines to be extremely busy, resulting in long waits.  The alternatives below will help customers get information quickly:

• Double Triple volume will be accepted on the next regular collection day for each missed residential container. If a container is missed twice, triple volume will apply.
• If you have too much material to fit in your containers, check our Tips for Managing Extra Garbage and Recycling.

You can e-mail Customer Service regarding specific concerns by locating your city or county contact address on the menu provided.

Normandy Park residents who are fed up with having to store their own garbage and/or recycling can actually dispose of their stuff today (Wed. 12/24) between 9am and 3:30pm, if they can get out that is.

Here’s an update from Allied Waste/Republic Services:

Allied Waste/Republic Services Emergency Service Alternative for Normandy Park

In recognition that the extended inclement weather has created storage issues for garbage and recycle commodities, the Bellevue Division is offering a temporary solution:

Today Normandy Park has agreed to provide access to two community sites where residents who wish to utilize this opportunity to dispose of their recyclables and garbage may do so. These sites are cleared of snow and will allow Allied Waste /Republic Services to spot attended vehicles so residents can dispose of household recyclables and garbage.

• This service will be available from 9 AM till 3:30 PM, Tuesday Wed., December 24, 2008
• One vehicle will collect garbage only and another will collect recycle only
• Waste Service employees will monitor for contamination and customer compliance

Site 1 is the loop drive and parking lot area in front of City Hall, just off of SW 174th where we placed the container after the windstorm two years ago.

Site 2 is the parking lot at Marvista Park next to the Public Works shop at 19900 4th Avenue SW.

3:30pm 12/23/08 UPDATE: As of 3pm, the National Weather Service released this Winter Storm Advisory – 2 to 4 inches of snow are expected Wed. Dec. 24th, with a transition to rain also:

… Winter Weather Advisory in effect from midnight tonight to 4 am PST Thursday…

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for snow… which is in effect from midnight tonight to 4 am PST Thursday. This upgrades the Winter Storm Watch which had been in effect.

Snow is expected to begin after midnight tonight and continue through Wednesday morning. The snow will be light at first but then increase its intensity on Wednesday morning. Late on Wednesday morning or early in the afternoon… locations below 500 to 1000 feet will transition to a cold rain… while higher hills continue with snow through Wednesday afternoon.

Snowfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are expected. Significantly higher amounts are possible on hills above 500 to 1000 feet or anywhere that precipitation might continue as snow through the afternoon and evening.

Snow showers could bring additional accumulations on Christmas day.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means that periods of snow will cause primarily travel difficulties. Be prepared for snow covered roads and limited visibilities… and use caution while driving.

Also, this update about garbage collection in Normandy Park:

Garbage Collection
Allied Waste has not been able to collect residential garbage and recycling due to road conditions. City staff and Allied Waste have arranged for residential drop off services at two locations in Normandy Park.

Residential customers will have access to collection vehicles/containers for residential garbage and recyclables on Wednesday, December 24th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the locations below:

City Hall Parking Lot – 801 S.W. 174th Street

and

Marvista Park Parking Lot – 19900 4th Avenue S.W.

Regular collection services will resume when road conditions improve and collection vehicles are able to safely operate on residential streets.

11:15am 12/23/08 UPDATE: Looks like another snow storm is coming tonight (Tues. 12/23), with up to six more inches of snow predicted to fall overnight.

Perhaps we will indeed have a “White Christmas” after all?

AREA UPDATES:

• City Hall and the Parks office will be open today until 2pm.
• Burien Parks and Recreation programs are cancelled for today.
• No garbage/recycling pickup today (more details here).
• Road crews continue to plow and sand streets starting with main arterials and moving to secondary streets when they are able.  More details about priority routes can be found on our Snow & Ice Routes Map [PDF].  Please drive with extreme caution and only if necessary.

WEATHER UPDATE:

Here’s the latest Winter Storm Watch from the National Weather Service:

… Winter Storm Watch in effect from late tonight through Wednesday evening…

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Winter Storm Watch… which is in effect from late tonight through Wednesday evening.

Another low pressure system is expected to drop southeast into the Pacific northwest late tonight into Wednesday. A relatively cold air mass will be in place ahead of this system. With the cold air in place… up to another six inches of new snow is possible by Wednesday evening with the snow beginning sometime late tonight. As the system moves through… the low level wind flow will become southwesterly. This should warm up the air mass enough to change the precipitation from snow to rain. This transition is expected to occur Wednesday afternoon but there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding the timing of this transition if it even occurs at all.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Winter Storm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe winter weather. If you must travel in the watch area… carry an extra flashlight… food… water… and blankets in case of emergency.

Live webcam view from Sea-Tac Airport.
Refresh page to get latest image.

Also, according to the Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport’s stranded travelers are starting to clear out, which must be a relief for everyone who got stuck there.

A local tech Writer named John Cook got stranded at Sea-Tac for seven hours, and here’s a snippet from his blog:

Seven hours.

That’s how long my fellow passengers and I spent waiting on the airport tarmac Sunday as an uncharacteristic winter blast brought SeaTac airport to a grinding halt.

Here’s a link to his interesting first-hand account.

And here’s an update from the Port on the current airport conditions:

The airport is open and the runways are clear for operations. The situation is improving, but there are still flight cancellations and delays. Please check with your airline before starting for the airport. You can also check your flight status online (http://hosting.portseattle.org/fids/FlightInfo.aspx) on the Port’s Web site or via text messaging.

If your scheduled flight is canceled, rebook travel over the Internet or over the phone; do not come to the airport. Long lines at the ticket counters make it more efficient and quicker to rebook off-site.

If a scheduled flight is planned to depart, allow extra travel time to the airport to accommodate challenging regional road conditions and lines at ticket counters and security checkpoints. Plan to arrive at the airport two hours before departure time. It’s a good idea to bring necessary items (diapers, snacks, etc.) in case there are delays and/or long wait times. Airport concessions are open, stocked and prepared to serve.

The airport is continuing to provide volunteer staff in the terminal to assist passengers, answer questions, and assist with line control / crowd control issues.

Just got some info from Jenn Ramirez-Robson of the City of Burien, who forwards us this update from Waste Management on Burien-area garbage and recycling pickup (missed again today but scheduled for another try next week, when you can put out TRIPLE the amount of garbage and recycling as usual):

Monday, December 22 – Due to inclement weather, Waste Management has cancelled collection services for their customers in King, Snohomish, Kitsap and Skagit Counties.

Please note that our call center will not be open until it’s safe for our employees to return to the office.

For the most up to date status of your service we urge you to go to our website: www.wmnorthwest.com/weatherboard.html.

Residential customers: Twice the regular amount of garbage, recycling and/or yard waste will be accepted at no additional charge on the next regularly scheduled collection day for each container. If your next regularly scheduled collection falls on a holiday, Waste Management will collect the following day. For example, due to Christmas, this week’s Thursday customers will be serviced on Friday and Friday customers will be serviced on Saturday.

Residential customers in the City of Seattle: If inclement weather causes missed collections for one day, missed customers will be picked up the following day and all other residential collection will be pushed back one day. If two consecutive collection days are cancelled due to inclement weather, customers may set out a double load on their next scheduled collection day.

Commercial customers. Priority service is given to locations such as hospitals and restaurants where public health is a high priority. All other commercial customers will be serviced as soon as conditions allow for safe collection.

Waste Management is committed to providing reliable collection for all customers. However, in the event that circumstances such as unsafe roads interfere with service schedules, we appreciate customer understanding and cooperation as we manage collection on emergency scheduling.

Waste Management customers are strongly encourages to visit our website for up-to-the-minute collection updates www.wmnorthwest.com/weatherboard.html.

If garbage is missed twice, residents may put out three times as much on the third scheduled collection day.  We certainly will do all we can to keep that eventuality to a minimum!

We are also using outdial phone calls to help keep residents as well informed as possible.

Reminders about how to package extras:

If recycling or yard waste is regularly collected every other week, the missed material will be collected on the next scheduled day for that container (two weeks from the missed collection), unless residents are otherwise notified by telephone or on this site.

Extra garbage: Place next to garbage container in:

• Securely tied plastic bags labeled “Garbage” or
• 32-gal can with handle and lid (65 lb limit) labeled “Garbage”

Extra recycling: Place next to recycling cart in:

• Plastic recycling bins or
• Cardboard boxes (2×2x2 ft. limit) labeled “Recycling”
• No recycling in plastic bags

Extra yard trimmings (No food scraps or plastic): Place next to yard cart in:

• Heavy paper yard bags (available at hardware stores) or
• Reusable polywoven yard bags (available at hardware stores) or
• 32-gal cans with handles & lids (65 lb limit) labeled “Yard” or
• Bundles tied with sisal twine (4′x2′ limit)

Last Saturday (Oct. 25th), ten adventurous area residents braved the deep ravine beneath the Sylvester Bridge in Normandy Park to do some serious cleaning of Fox Creek.

According to Basin Steward Dennis Clark, the volunteers removed what may have amounted to a ton of trash from the ravine.

The ravine is home to Fox Creek, a tributary that flows to Miller Creek, joining it at the Southwest Suburban Sewer District plant.

Years worth of illegal dumping had left a serious mess below the bridge. In fact, this area was the only known serious trash problem in the entire Miller/Walker Creek stream system.

While some of the litter along Fox Creek was simply unsightly, other trash such as car batteries and electronics contain lead that had the potential to leach into the water.

King County Fire District 2 crew members Ernie, Dave, and Jim helped out by installing ropes to the bottom of the ravine, using their winch to haul up 13 (!) tires, and belaying Jim Burrows so that he could safely clean a steep slope. City of Normandy Park Public Works crew will dispose of the trash, recyclables, and hazardous waste (TV monitors, car battery).

The following citizens volunteered: Andy Batcho, Councilmember Clarke Brant, Jim Burrows, Tony Cassarino, Dave Evans, Brett Fish, Chris Gower, Councilmember George Hadley, Stuart Jenner, and Colin Nardine. Washington Conservation Corps member Liz Esikoff also participated.

More info and photos available at Dennis Clark’s blog.

You know what lies under the Sylvester Bridge in Normandy Park?

Did you know that there’s a creek down there?

And um…this:

Here’s a call for help from BTB friend and Miller/Walker Creek Basin Steward Dennis Clark:

Local mountain men – and women – are wanted for an urban adventure this Saturday morning, Oct. 25th!

There’s a decade of trash in the ravine beneath the Sylvester Bridge in Normandy Park. Microwaves, TVs, computer monitors, bicycles, shelving, and variety of other detritus limited only by the imagination of the dolts who threw it off the bridge are at the bottom of the ravine.

With the exception of the trash, which is concentrated in a small area, the ravine is a pocket of green and gold vegetation both attractive and peaceful. The ravine also is home to Fox Creek, a tributary stream to Miller Creek and getting the electronics out will reduce the chance of lead leaching into the creek.

Strong and agile volunteers are needed to pack stuff out of the steep-sided ravine. Safety equipment and donuts will be provided. Volunteers need to wear shoes with good traction and ankle support and wear clothes that can get dirty.

The work will begin 9 a.m. on 11th Place SW just below Sylvester.

Interested volunteers should RSVP with Dennis Clark, Miller/Walker Creek Basin Steward, 206-296-1909, or via email: Dennis.Clark@kingcounty.gov.

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Got waste?

Then get your environmentally-aware self (along with your waste) on down to the King County Wastemobile, which will be parked at the Criminal Justice Training Center Oct. 10-12.

The Wastemobile will be open for business from 10am – 5pm both days in the parking lot of the center, located at 19010 First Avenue South (map below).

Operated by King County as part of the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program, the Wastemobile offers King County residents the ability to drop off hazardous household waste items, including:

• Pesticides
• Chlorine bleach
• Oil-based paints
• Automotive products (oil, antifreeze, auto batteries, etc.)
• Fluorescent bulbs/ballasts
• And other items

All free of charge!

By properly disposing of these materials and keeping them out of drains and landfills, King County residents are helping safeguard the environment.

Please note that latex paint is no longer accepted during household hazardous waste collection events. Research has shown that dried or solidified latex paint can be safely disposed in the regular garbage.

Created in 1989, the Wastemobile was the first program of its kind in the nation. In its 18 years in operation, the program collected more than 14,771 tons of household hazardous waste from nearly 330,000 customers.

For more information, including acceptable materials, quantity limits and how to properly dispose of latex paint at home, call the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program’s Hazards Line at 206-296-4692, Monday through Friday between 9am and 4:30pm, except holidays. Recorded information is available after hours.

Full details are available on the Wastemobile Web Site at www.govlink.org/hazwaste/house/disposal/wastemobile/index.html.

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