Seattle Dump Fees & Landfill Guide for Junk Removal Operators

King County operates 8 transfer stations with a 2026 self-haul MSW rate of $243.38/ton — among the highest in the nation, nearly 4x the national average of $62/ton. The $40.25 minimum covers up to approximately 320 lbs. Contract haulers (operators who qualify through KC Solid Waste Division) pay $191.47/ton — a $52/ton savings. Cedar Hills Regional Landfill is NOT open to the public; all waste routes through transfer stations. Snohomish County's Southwest Transfer Station charges $160/ton ($30 minimum) — significantly cheaper for operators working the north side. Fees are projected to exceed $413/ton by 2034. Mandatory recycling sort since 2018: cardboard, metal, and yard waste banned from garbage.

• Contract hauler rate ($191.47/ton) saves $52/ton versus self-haul ($243.38/ton) — qualify through KC SWD at (206) 477-4466
• Snohomish County at $160/ton is $83/ton cheaper than KC self-haul — route north-side jobs to Southwest Transfer Station in Mountlake Terrace
• Mandatory free recycling at all KC stations (cardboard, metal, yard waste) — every pound diverted saves $0.12+ at these rates

King County charges $129.38/ton for yard waste and clean wood from non-sedan vehicles — 47% cheaper than the $243.38/ton garbage rate. Sedans pay only $20.70 flat for yard waste. This makes yard waste separation the highest-ROI sorting activity in the Seattle market. On a 2-ton load with 30% yard waste, separating the green waste saves approximately $68. Snohomish County Southwest Transfer Station has SUSPENDED yard waste acceptance since September 2022 — yard waste from Snohomish County jobs must go elsewhere.

King County mattress surcharge: $30 per unit, limit 6 per day. Tires: limit 4 car tires per load (included in minimum fee). Appliances with refrigerant: fee per unit — call to confirm. Electronics/e-waste: NOT accepted at transfer stations — use Factoria HHW facility. Unsecured load fee: $25 per vehicle. Cardboard and scrap metal recycling: FREE (mandatory sort). Vehicle length limit: 40 feet at Bow Lake, Factoria, and Shoreline; 30 feet at Houghton. Snohomish County unsecured load fine: $20.

At $243.38/ton, every pound of metal diverted from the KC scale is worth more in Seattle than in almost any other metro. West Seattle Recycling (3881 16th Ave SW, Mon–Sat 10 AM–5:30 PM) pays: copper #1 $3.80⁠–⁠$4.30/lb, copper #2 $3.70⁠–⁠$3.90/lb, insulated copper wire $2.70⁠–⁠$3.30/lb, brass $2.00⁠–⁠$3.25/lb, aluminum cans $0.24⁠–⁠$0.30/lb, stainless steel $0.17⁠–⁠$0.23/lb, steel/iron at 2¢/lb (300+ lbs). Print their online coupon for +3¢/lb bonus on aluminum, copper, and brass. Car batteries: $4 each. Does NOT accept glass, plastic, TVs, computers, refrigerators, tires, or catalytic converters.

Busiest station in the KC system — handles approximately one-third of total tonnage. The 24-hour weekday access is unique and valuable for operators running late-day or early-morning dump runs. Accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, cash, and Apple Pay. Waste charge accounts available through KC SWD at (206) 477-4466. 40-foot maximum vehicle + trailer length. Mandatory recycling sort — cardboard, metal, and yard waste must be separated from garbage. Avoid Saturday mornings — consistently the busiest time. Weekday mornings (Mon–Wed) are least crowded.

Materials accepted: MSW at $243.38/ton, Yard waste at $129.38/ton, Mattresses at $30/unit (6/day max), Tires (4 car tires/load, in minimum), FREE cardboard/scrap metal recycling

Documentation needed: Waste charge account: (206) 477-4466; Contract hauler eligibility: must live/do business in KC 37-city service area; Visa, MC, Discover, cash, Apple Pay

Surcharges: Unsecured load: $25/vehicle; Mattress: $30/unit; Appliance with refrigerant: call for fee; E-waste: NOT accepted (use Factoria HHW)

The ONLY KC facility with integrated HHW collection — junk removal operators encounter hazardous items (paint, solvents, batteries, propane) on virtually every residential cleanout. Batch-drop HHW here between Eastside jobs. Seattle residents may also use HHW. Same MSW pricing as all KC stations. HHW free for King County residents, limit 30 gallons. Latex paint is NOT hazardous — use PaintCare drop-off locations (free) instead.

Snohomish County-operated — at $160/ton, this is $83/ton cheaper than King County self-haul ($243.38/ton) and $31/ton cheaper than KC contract hauler rate ($191.47/ton). For operators working the north side (Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline border), routing here instead of a KC station saves significant money. G-Certificated haulers pay $149/ton. Open 7 days a week. IMPORTANT: yard waste has been SUSPENDED since September 2022 — not accepted. Trailers over 18 feet restricted before 3:30 PM weekdays and 1 PM weekends. Credit/debit preferred, cash and check accepted.

At $243.38/ton disposal, every pound of metal diverted from the KC scale is worth more here than in almost any other metro. Print the online coupon for +3¢/lb bonus on aluminum, copper, and brass. Does NOT accept glass, plastic, TVs, computers, refrigerators, tires, or catalytic converters. For appliance recycling, Habitat for Humanity Store in Bellevue (13500 Bel-Red Rd) accepts working appliances 10 years or newer — free donation with potential pickup via Resupply partner.