2. THE RULES
• This is a team trivia game. The game board contains five categories of
questions with five questions for each category, with questions increasing
in difficulty as the points increase.
• The first team gets to choose the category and the point possibility; after
that, the winning team gets to choose the category for each subsequent
question.
• Each team has a tap light. Once a question is revealed, the first team to hit
the light gets a chance to answer the question.
• Anyone on the team may answer, but answering removes that team
member from answering again until all team members have answered
questions.
• If a team answers incorrectly, the next team in order has a chance to
answer the question until each team has an opportunity.
• If a team answers a question incorrectly, that team loses the points from
their total. However, a team may elect to pass without a point penalty.
Each team has three passes total that may be used in competition.
5. APPLIANCES AND ELECTRONICS - 10
Televisions are not accepted for disposal or
recycling at any King County transfer
stations.
• For recycling options: Direct customers to the KC SWD
“What do I do with” website.
http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/wdidw/category.asp?C
atID=8. What do I do with...Printers, Copiers, Fax Machines,
Peripherals, Televisions, etc.
• The logo designates authorized E-Cycle Washington
collection sites that allow residents to recycle their TVs for
FREE. For information, visit www.ECycleWashington.org
7. APPLIANCES AND ELECTRONICS – 20
Although printers can be recycled, they
are only accepted as garbage at King
County transfer stations.
• For recycling options: Direct customers to the KC SWD “What do I
do with” website.
http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/wdidw/category.asp?CatI
D=8. What do I do with...Printers, Copiers, Fax Machines,
Peripherals, etc.
• The logo designates authorized E-Cycle Washington collection
sites that allow residents to recycle their printers for FREE. For
information, visit www.ECycleWashington.org
9. APPLIANCES AND ELECTRONICS – 30
Microwaves are not accepted for
recycling, but they can be disposed as
garbage at transfer stations.
• For recycling options: Direct customers to the KC SWD “What do I do with”
website. http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/wdidw/index.asp. What do I
do with...Microwaves
10. APPLIANCES AND ELECTRONICS - 40
Do King County SWD transfer
stations accept dishwashers made
primarily of plastic?
11. APPLIANCES AND ELECTRONICS – 40
Dishwashers that are primarily made of
plastic materials are accepted as garbage
and the customer is charged the garbage
disposal rate.
• Dishwashers that are NOT primarily made of plastic materials will continue to
be accepted as a non-refrigerant type appliance and charged the $10 fee at all
stations that accept appliances for recycling, including Bow Lake, Enumclaw,
Shoreline, and Vashon.
• TSO’s will place dishwashers primarily made of metal into the scrap metal
recycling container.
• SWD facilities that do not accept appliances for recycling (including Algona,
Cedar Falls, Factoria, Houghton, and Renton) will continue to ban disposal of all
major appliances (both refrigerant and non-refrigerant types) -- and will direct
customers to transfer stations that accept appliances for recycling or to
companies that recycle appliances.
• See the King County SWD “Guide to Recycling Major Appliances in King
County.”
12. APPLIANCES AND ELECTRONICS - 50
Why is a $30 recycling charge
assessed for refrigerators, freezers,
and air conditioners?
13. APPLIANCES AND ELECTRONICS – 50
The $30 fee charged for recycling refrigerant-type
appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, and air
conditioners is used to pay a certified vendor to safely
remove and dispose of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and
other types of refrigerants from those appliances. The
vendor certifies that all refrigerants have been properly
removed.
• Refrigerants are regulated under the federal Clean Air Act. Recycling these
appliances helps ensure that refrigerants are safely removed and are not
released into the atmosphere.
• Customers should not remove refrigerant from their refrigerators, freezers, air
conditioners and other refrigerant-type appliances, but instead should leave
that to trained and certified processors.
• If a customer tells us that they have removed the refrigerant from a refrigerant-
type appliance and ask to only be charged $10, explain that we still must send
all refrigerant-type appliances to a certified vendor and therefore must charge
$30 for each refrigerant-type appliance.
• We only charge a $10 fee for recycling non-refrigerant type appliances (such as
dishwashers and washing machines) because we do not need to send those
appliances to a certified vendor to have the refrigerants removed. The $10 fee
helps cover our costs of handling these heavy, bulky materials.
14. DO YOU ACCEPT? - 10
Are books accepted for recycling at
King County SWD transfer stations?
15. DO YOU ACCEPT? – 10
Yes! Paperback books, telephone books,
and hard cover books can be placed in
the commingled recycling bins.
• Waste prevention is best! Encourage customers to take old
paperback and hard back books that are in decent
condition to libraries, schools, used bookstores, and Good
Will.
• For recycling and reuse options, direct customers to the KC
SWD “What do I do with” website:
http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/wdidw/material.as
p – Books.
16. DO YOU ACCEPT? - 20
Can paper cups and plastic cups
(empty and clean) be placed in
commingled recycling bins at King
County SWD transfer stations?
17. DO YOU ACCEPT? – 20
Yes! We now accept paper and
plastic cups (empty and clean) in the
commingled recycling bins.
• Other materials that we now accept (starting in 2014)
are
- Plastic pots (small plant pots from garden stores)
- Plastic clamshells
- Plastic trays
- Plastic pill bottles (but no prescription vials or
bottles)
- Large lids (3 inches or more in diameter)
18. DO YOU ACCEPT? - 30
Are items primarily made of metal
(such as a metal chair with a plastic
seat and back) accepted for
recycling (with scrap metals) at King
County SWD transfer stations?
19. DO YOU ACCEPT? – 30
Yes! If an item is primarily made of
metal (50 percent or more), then it
can be placed in the scrap metal
recycling bin (at transfer stations
that offer scrap metal recycling).
20. DO YOU ACCEPT? - 40
Are decking materials made from
recycled plastic (such as Trex®)
accepted for recycling at King
County SWD transfer stations?
21. DO YOU ACCEPT? – 40
No. Decking materials made from
recycled plastic (such as Trex®)
cannot be recycled at King County
transfer stations.
22. DO YOU ACCEPT? - 50
When it comes to recycling, what
do grass, leaves, and wax coated
cardboard have in common?
23. DO YOU ACCEPT? – 50
All three materials – grass, leaves,
and wax coated cardboard -- can be
composted, and thus can be placed
with yard waste at transfer stations
that offer yard waste recycling.
• Grass, leaves, and wax coated cardboard can be used to make
compost, a soil amendment that enriches soil and improves
plant health.
• Wax coated cardboard (such as those used for shipping
produce at grocery stores) cannot be recycled along with
other cardboard.
• If your transfer station offers yard waste recycling, then wax
coated cardboard can be added to the yard waste. If no yard
waste is available and the box cannot be reused, it should be
placed in the garbage.
24. RIDDLE ME THIS - 10
Do broken glass bottles and jars get
recycled?
25. RIDDLE ME THIS – 10
Yes! Some bottles and jars get broken, but
ultimately the glass is crushed before it is
recycled into new products.
• Color sorted crushed glass – called cullet in the recycling industry – is
melted and re-formed into new bottles and jars. Glass can be
recycled indefinitely with no loss in quality or purity.
• Recycled crushed glass that is not sorted by color is used in
construction and road projects, and can be used as a substitute for
sand in filtration projects.
• Making new glass containers from recycled glass bottles and jars
saves energy because recycled glass is processed at a lower
temperature than glass made from raw materials.
26. RIDDLE ME THIS - 20
Why should transfer station
customers separate their recyclable
materials from their garbage?
27. RIDDLE ME THIS – 20
There are two reasons:
(1) To save money (now and in the future).
-Save money now:
• Many recyclable materials are accepted at no charge at most of our
transfer stations.
• Other materials (including yard waste and appliances) are accepted at a
reduced rate (lower than the garbage disposal rate).
-Save money in the future:
• As we recycle more, the life of our landfill will be extended – and that will
save ratepayers money in the long run.
(2) To do their part to help conserve natural resources.
• Recycling conserves energy, water, and natural resources such as trees and
oil.
• Example: Each ton (2,000 pounds) of recycled paper conserves 17 trees,
380 gallons of oil, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy,
and 7000 gallons of water.
28. RIDDLE ME THIS - 30
What advantage do customers
realize by not receiving payment for
scrap metals?
29. RIDDLE ME THIS – 30
By not paying customers for
their scrap metals, we are able
to accept many different
materials for recycling.
• Not all recyclable materials generate revenue for the
SWD. And the revenue that the SWD receives for scrap
metals only partially offsets the cost to transport and
process all the recyclable materials accepted at King
County transfer stations.
• The more we recycle, the longer our landfill will be in
operation – and lengthening the life of our landfill will
save ratepayers money in the long run.
30. RIDDLE ME THIS - 40
What recycling practice increases
recycling participation and
decreases King County SWD
transfer station costs?
31. RIDDLE ME THIS – 40
Commingling of recyclable
materials.
• Commingling (combining recyclable materials in the same
recycling bin) increases recycling participation by residents
and businesses.
• Commingling decreases KC SWD costs by lowering the
number of recycling bins maintained in inventory and
reducing the number of partially filled containers that are
hauled to the Material Recovery Facility (MRF).
32. RIDDLE ME THIS - 50
In our commingled recycling bins,
what percentage of contamination
– including garbage and recyclable
materials that we do not accept – is
permitted (according to our
contract with Republic Services, our
hauler/processor)?
33. RIDDLE ME THIS – 50
Up to 10 percent.
• According to our contract with Republic Services (which
hauls and processes our commingled recyclable materials),
extra charges will NOT be assessed to the SWD if
contamination is 10 percent or less.
• We should definitely continue to kindly inform customers
about which recyclable materials are accepted and which
are not. But there’s no reason to get upset or angry when
customers place unacceptable items (such as small lids or
plastic utensils) in the commingled recycling bin.
34. MISCELLANEOUS STUFF - 10
What rate is applied to a mixed
load of garbage and recyclable
materials?
35. MISCELLANEOUS STUFF – 10
The garbage disposal rate is applied for a mixed,
unseparated load of garbage and recyclable
materials.
• There is no way for transfer station staff to know what percentage of a
mixed load is comprised of garbage and what percentage is comprised of
recyclable materials.
• However, customers who keep their recyclable materials separate from
their garbage may place recyclable materials (such as paper, bottles, cans,
cardboard, scrap metals, clean wood) free of charge into recycling
containers at our transfer stations -- and then re-weigh and be charged
only for the material disposed of as garbage.
36. MISCELLANEOUS STUFF - 20
All recyclable material should be
placed loose (not in bags or boxes)
in recycling bins except for what
material?
37. MISCELLANEOUS STUFF – 20
With the exception of clear plastic bags that
contain shredded paper, all recyclable
materials must be placed loose (not in bags or
boxes) in the recycling bins.
• Plastic bags get caught in sorting equipment at Material Recovery
Facilities and cause expensive repairs and delays.
• All KC SWD transfer stations except Algona and Factoria will accept
shredded paper if the shredded paper is contained in clear plastic
bags. Clear plastic bags of shredded paper should be placed in the
commingled recycling bin.
38. MISCELLANEOUS STUFF - 30
Why are the slots on the recycling
bins so high off the ground and why
are the openings so small?
39. MISCELLANEOUS STUFF – 30
The recycling bins are designed to
collect and transport recyclable
materials in a safe and efficient
manner. The size and height of the
slots discourage contamination with
garbage and allow for the maximum
amount of material to be collected in
one bin. Lidded containers help to
reduce litter and site cleanup.
40. MISCELLANEOUS STUFF - 40
What should we tell customers
when they ask about the recycling
symbols and numbers on plastic
materials – and want to know
which “numbers” we accept?
41. MISCELLANEOUS STUFF – 40
Explain to customers that the following SHAPES (or types) of
plastic materials are accepted at in our commingled
recycling bins, and that they should ignore the numbers on
the plastic materials.
• (The numbers were placed on plastic containers to help the recycling material
processing facilities. And not everything with the recycling symbol or
everything with the words “Recyclable” has a recycling market in this area.)
• We accept the following types of plastic if they are clean and free of food.
- Bottles
- Clamshells
- Cups
- Jugs
- Pill bottles (but no prescription vials/bottles)
- Pots (small plant pots from garden stores)
- Tubs (food containers for butter, cottage cheese)
- Trays
42. MISCELLANEOUS STUFF - 50
What is one environmental
program provided by King County
SWD that may be useful to our
transfer station customers in their
homes, businesses, and schools?
43. MISCELLANEOUS STUFF – 50
There are many programs! Here are several: Recycle More;
Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling; School
education and assistance programs; Food: Too Good to Waste
• Our Recycle More program provides information to King County residents about
recycling. Check out the website, which includes information about curbside
collection: http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/garbage-recycling/recycle-
more.asp
• Each spring, businesses in King County outside the City of Seattle are invited to
apply for recognition as a Best Workplace for Waste Prevention and Recycling.
For information, visit http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/garbage-
recycling/best-workplaces.asp
• Our School Education Program provides an elementary school assembly about
waste reduction and recycling, and classroom workshops for students in grades
1 – 12. Our King County Green Schools Program provides assistance and
recognition to schools and school districts to help them reduce waste, recycle,
and engage in other conservation practices such as energy and water
conservation. For information, visit
http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/education/index.asp
• Our Food: Too Good to Waste program educates residents and businesses on
how disposal of edible food affects the environment and how to prevent or
reduce food waste. For information, visit
http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/wasteprevention/too-good-to-
waste.asp
44. CH-CH-CH-CHANGES - 10
What initiative started in Shoreline
in April of 2014, reached Enumclaw
in October 2014, and will be
expanding to Bow Lake in 2015?
45. CH-CH-CH-CHANGES – 10
Resource Recovery pilot project
• In October 2014, the Resource Recovery pilot project expanded to
Enumclaw Recycling & Transfer Station with an emphasis on customer
engagement, which is a key to its success.
• To actively involve self-haulers in recycling, signs were posted throughout
the station encouraging customers to “Sort it Out” by placing cardboard,
clean wood, and scrap metals in the proper recycling bins near the tipping
floor. The recycling bins are color-coded – green for cardboard, blue for
scrap metals, and orange for clean wood. Customers can help sort those
recyclable materials instead of dumping them directly onto the tipping
floor.
46. CH-CH-CH-CHANGES - 20
What materials will the Bow Lake,
Enumclaw, Shoreline, and Vashon
recycling and transfer stations start
to accept for recycling in 2015?
47. CH-CH-CH-CHANGES – 20
Some transfer stations (Bow Lake,
Enumclaw, Shoreline, and Vashon)
are planning to accept Styrofoam
and plastic film for recycling.
48. CH-CH-CH-CHANGES - 30
Why are five King County SWD
facilities now accepting mercury-
containing bulbs and tubes at no
charge to the customer?
49. CH-CH-CH-CHANGES – 30
Thanks to a new statewide product stewardship law that went into
effect on Jan. 1, mercury-containing light bulbs and tubes are now
accepted for no charge at the county’s Bow Lake, Enumclaw, and
Vashon recycling and transfer stations. Factoria’s HHW facility will
continue to accept fluorescent bulbs and tubes and other mercury-
containing lights at no charge. And the existing mercury-containing light
bulb and tube recycling collection service at Shoreline has changed from
a paid drop-off service to a no-charge service.
• Learn about the different types of bulbs and tubes accepted at these five KC
SWD facilities.
• Product stewardship programs place more responsibility on manufacturers to
design products that can be disassembled for recycling, are less toxic, and can
be collected and managed in a way that conserves valuable resources.
• Visit LightRecycle Washington to learn more about this product stewardship
program. The program requires lighting manufacturers to create a statewide
program for collecting and recycling mercury-containing light bulbs. The
program is funded through an environmental handling charge that is added to
the retail price of lights containing mercury.
• See the Take it Back Network for additional recycling options.
50. CH-CH-CH-CHANGES - 40
What is King County’s current
recycling rate, and what is the
County’s recycling goal?
51. CH-CH-CH-CHANGES – 40
King County currently recycles about 50
percent of its solid waste. The County’s goal
is to recycle 70 percent of its total solid waste.
• Recycling at our transfer stations is critical to reaching this
goal.
• In 2013, approximately 9,500 tons of recyclable materials
were collected at King County recycling and transfer stations.
To reach a recycling rate of 70 percent, our transfer stations
will need to recycle more!
52. CH-CH-CH-CHANGES - 50
What specific changes in customer
service can you make to help our
self-haul customers recycle more at
our transfer stations?
