King County, WA’s Only Landfill Expected to Be Completely Full by 2040

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): In King County, all the waste that is not compostable or recyclable — like used diapers, greasy pizza boxes or CVS receipts — is sent to Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, a 778-feet high, 920-acre piece of land in Maple Valley that is close to being completely filled. According to the people who are in charge of the landfill, Cedar Hills receives about 1 million tons of waste a year, and it is expected to be sealed off within 15 years, which means that 2040 is the projected completion year of the landfill.

“Basically all garbage that is generated within King County, which is 37 cities and excludes Seattle and excludes the city of Milton — all that garbage that is generated comes here to Cedar Hills Landfill,” said landfill supervisor Joseph Newton. Right now, all of that waste is suffusing throughout Cell 8 of 9. The previous cell — Cell 7 — was opened in 2010 before being sealed and closed less than a decade later.

While all current waste is being placed in Cell 8, Cell 9 is being used for the landfill’s support buildings and office facilities. And because Cell 8 is due to be filled, facilities on Cell 9 will be de-constructed soon and moved to 3005 Northeast 4th Street in the Renton Highlands, which will include a vehicle maintenance shop, office space and parking for employees, laboratory space and space for tractors, trailers and operations vehicles.

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com