Four locations throughout Spokane County accepting small yard waste from windstorm

County staff are urging patience as they process long lines of trucks and trailers carrying yard waste at transfer stations.

“This is baptism by fire,” said Spokane County Solid Waste Manager Bill Wedlake, as residents hauled freshly cut pine onto the floor of loading bays at the Valley Transfer Station on Thursday.

Wedlake called Tuesday’s windstorm the largest test of the county’s ownership of the solid waste system “by far.” Almost a year ago, the county took ownership over three transfer stations from the city of Spokane.

Locations where residents can drop off green yard waste for free are as follows:

Waste to Energy facility, 2900 S. Geiger Blvd. 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

North County transfer station, 22123 N. Elk-Chattaroy Road, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily

Valley transfer station, 3941 N. Sullivan Road, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily

Northside landfill, 5502 W. Nine Mile Road, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily

Yard waste from Tuesday’s storm must be less than 3 inches in diameter and less than 6 feet long, to be accepted at area transfer stations.

“If it can’t fit in the chipper, we can’t take it,” said Martha Lou Wheatley-Billeter, county spokeswoman.

The region’s three transfer stations operated by the county will accept self-delivered yard waste for free through Sunday. The city will also accept yard waste for free at the North Side landfill.

The city will extend curbside yard waste cleanup through Dec. 18.

In addition, yard waste of any size is being accepted at the Spokane Valley University Road transfer station, 2415 N. University Road. Users will be charged the normal rate, $10 per visit up to 400 pounds, and each additional ton is $50.

The Spokane Valley station is open 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.

A line of pick-up trucks and other vehicles hauling trailers of branches that once littered the lawns and streets of Spokane County snaked out of the facility on Sullivan Road on Thursday. Brothers Chad and Troy Dokken were hauling their second load of lumber from their mother’s home in Spokane Valley.

“This is the busiest it’s been so far,” said Chad Dokken, who anticipated making a total of five or six trips to drop off all the fallen trees that damaged his mom’s roof.

“They’re doing a great job here,” said Troy Dokken.

Jim Brown sat behind them in an old red Chevy, hauling a bed full of small branches from his granddaughter’s home.

Brown said he was sitting at a steakhouse on Sprague Avenue when the lights went out Tuesday night, and though the smell of the steaks wafted into the restaurant, Brown said he had to stick to beer because the ovens weren’t working.

“We suffered through it,” he said, chuckling.

Travis Cross sat in his truck, accompanied in the bench seats by his Labradoodle, Huey, waiting for the line to move. Huey wasn’t scared by the storm, he said, but showed signs of fright when the power went out.

“He’s just a chicken,” Cross said. He lives in the Ponderosa area of Spokane Valley, and he said his lights switched back on early Thursday morning.

Wedlake stressed that county equipment can only handle yard refuse less than 6 feet long and 3 inches in diameter.

“We’re not trying to be mean,” he said. “We just can’t handle it.”

Wedlake also advised arriving at a location well before closing time, because the gates have to close to allow workers to move the wood out of the loading bays before workers can go home.

“We don’t want you to wait in line, only to have the gates close on you,” Wedlake said. “We’ve got to get things buttoned up here.”

Only clean green tree and yard waste will be accepted through the program. Shingles or building materials will not be accepted.

City residents are urged to use a licensed arborist for tree cleanup efforts. You can find a list on the city’s website, https://my.spokanecity.org/urbanforestry/permits/. City and county officials warn residents to not work near downed power lines, as they might still be active.