Kristine Major, Solid Waste Educator, 509.625.6521
Wednesday, January 22, 2020 at 5:27 p.m.
The City of Spokane and Spokane County transfer stations will start charging citizens who bring in unsecured loads of trash or yard waste starting Monday, Jan. 27.
Hundreds of customers go over the scales each day at these facilities, and loads that are not covered or secured often lead to litter and accidents on our highways and city streets. More than 12 million pounds of litter come from vehicles each year.
For the past six months, staff at the City’s Waste to Energy Facility and the County’s North Side and Valley transfer stations have been educating drivers on the proper way to secure loads. Starting Jan. 27, fees of $5 to $10 will be issued for vehicles that do not meet these standards when they visit these facilities.
Those fees are small compared to the $216 ticket that Washington State Patrol can issue for drivers with unsecured loads on our highways. The ticket will be even more if the debris falling out of a vehicle causes an accident. Every year, road debris causes about 400 accidents in Washington State.
How do you know if your load is secure? When there is no chance of something you are carrying blowing out or falling out if you were to hit a bump or another vehicle. If you would feel safe driving behind your vehicle, you know it is secured!
How do you secure a load? A load is secure when nothing can shift or blow out. It can be covered by a tarp, but does not have to be as long as ropes or netting contains everything inside the vehicle. Always double check before driving off that your load is secure.
City of Spokane residents using the Waste to Energy Facility can call 3-1-1 for more information. For information on the North County and Valley transfer stations, call the County Hotline, 509.477.6800.
