Whatcom County recycling: New search tool answers your garbage and recycling questions

Now you can quickly look up if Whatcom County recycling is available for common (and uncommon) items, and where/how to safely dispose of it.
May 17, 2022

Find out how to dispose of an item

Clear info on Whatcom County recycling, compost and waste disposal has never been easier to find!

The Whatcom County Health Department has launched Waste Wise, a free online tool for all available Whatcom County recycling to help residents and businesses know how and where to safely dispose of unwanted items. Users type the name of the item in the Waste Wise web portal, and the system lists safe disposal options. The list will include if the item can be reused, recycled, composted, or safely thrown into a standard trash bin. This includes materials such as mattresses, batteries, household hazardous waste (HHW), medicines, and other hard to recycle items. Garbage and recycling services are mostly provided by private companies, but the County coordinates and oversees waste operations.

Whatcom County recycling
You can also see a full list of materials below the search bar

 

As an organization whose roots started 40 years ago introducing curbside recycling to Whatcom County, we’re very excited this tool is available. Tons of usable materials end up in landfills every year, and even the most avid recyclers have trouble tracking how to best dispose of household items.

Waste Wise is free and available for everyone at whatcomcounty.us/wastewise. For more information, contact Arend Meijer, Environmental Health Specialist, at (360) 778-6035 or .

Learn more about RE Sources waste prevention work. We also offer online lessons about waste reduction, upcycling and more!