Thurston Solid Waste

Thurston County Public Works is recruiting for a SOLID WASTE MANAGER to lead our dynamic, energetic, and innovative team. This position is a direct report to the Public Works Director and plays a key role serving on the Department's Leadership Team. We are seeking a proven professional with a comprehensive work history in Solid Waste who will be able to support the County's mission to create a community that promotes health, commerce, and environmental protection with transparency and accountability by:
♻ Planning, developing, and maintaining solid waste infrastructure and services
♻ Providing leadership in environmental stewardship by meeting regulatory requirements and making use of best technologies for solid waste operations
♻ Strategically managing the allocation of resources to achieve customer and community expectations

Essential functions may include, but are not limited to, the following:
♻ Oversees the development, revision, and countywide implementation of operating plans including the Solid Waste Management Plan, Disaster Debris Plan, Continuity of Operations Plan, and Capital Facilities Program through the Solid Waste Advisory Committee and the Board of County Commissioners.
♻ Prepares and controls the Division's operating budgets and authorizes all expenditures. Develops and implements strategies to manage the rate of expenditures aligned with the approved budgets.
♻ Coordinates public policy development and implementation involving extensive work with elected and appointed officials, advisory committees, and the public throughout the County. Makes presentations at public meetings.
♻ Manages the staff of the Solid Waste Division including evaluation, supervision and discipline. Leads and organizes recruitment of staff. Plans and assists in the organization of Division work plans. Develops performance standards, provides training and coaching, monitors progress and evaluates employee performance, including programs, policies and procedures.
♻ Oversees the Waste Reduction/Recycling Program including public education, school programs, commercial waste assistance programs and other public outreach programs.
♻ Prepares and manages contracts for services, reviews contractor performance, and works to provide solutions to service issues.

The salary for this position is: $8,630.00 - $11,352.00 monthly.

Official job posting: https://fa-etsa-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/jobs/preview/761/?mode=location

Did you miss the battery collection event at Griffin School yesterday? Don't worry, there's another event coming up at the Washington State Capitol on June 18!

They’ll be collecting most household batteries, including button cell, AAAA to D, and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries from electronics and power tools.

🗓️Thursday, June 18th
🕒11am - 4pm PT
📍Washington State Capitol, 416 Sid Snyder Ave
🔗https://batterysafetynow.org/seep-take-back-event

SEEP Battery Take-Back Event — Safe Battery Disposal Washington State Efficiency and Environmental Performance Battery Take-Back Event 🗓️ Thursday, June 18th 🕐 11 AM - 4 PM PT📍 Washington State Capitol416 Sid Snyder Ave SW, Olympia, WA, 98504Join us in Olympia, WA for a free battery take-back event with the U.S. Forest Service’s Woodsy Ow...

This Thursday, May 28!
🕒 Time: 3:30 PM – 6:00 PM
📍 Where: Griffin School parking lot

🦉 Skip the Bin and Recycle Right! 🔋
Don't throw those old batteries in the trash! Join Woodsy Owl this Thursday for a special community event focused on safe battery recycling.

This awesome event was planned and organized by a Griffin School student and Girl Scout as part of earning her prestigious Girl Scout Silver Award! Come out and support her incredible hard work for our community.

📅 When: Thursday, May 28
🕒 Time: 3:30 PM – 6:00 PM
📍 Where: Griffin School parking lot

✨ Event Highlights:
-Meet Woodsy Owl in person!
-Explore the interactive education trailer.
-Safe disposal: Drop off your old household batteries so they can be recycled responsibly.

Let’s protect our environment and support our local youth together. See you there! 🌲✨

*CURBSIDE RATE INCREASE*
LeMay Pacific Disposal is proposing increased curbside collection rates to go into effect June 1📈 You are welcome to attend an open meeting hosted by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 28, at the WUTC at 621 Woodland Square Loop SE, Lacey, WA 98503.

If you would like to sign up to comment 🗣️on a UTC Open Meeting, you can email [email protected] or call 360-664-1234 and indicate which Open Meeting you wish to speak at (May 28). You will also need to provide them with Item B1 and docket number TG-260169 📃 You can also comment by using the “Submit a Comment” feature at the Commission’s website at www.utc.wa.gov

If you intend to listen or participate remotely, call 360-664-1234 at
least a day before the open meeting for instructions and to sign in. You should also call this number if you plan to attend in person
to verify that the case has not been rescheduled to a later open meeting date. If you need reasonable accommodations to participate in this open meeting please contact the Commission at 888-333-9882 or email at [email protected].

Meeting information: https://www.utc.wa.gov/event/88297

Thank you to everyone who attended Saturday's Free Compost Giveaway 2026! Almost all 40 cubic yards (8,000 gallons) of compost donated by Brady Trucking Co., Inc. went to the 130 households that attended. We're super grateful to everyone who helps keep food and yard waste out of the landfill all year long. 🍂🍌🍎 Happy gardening! 🌱

Come and get it! There’s still 30 minutes left to get the rest of this compost at the Free Compost Giveaway 2026 🪏

We are in need of bike donations!!!

Have you been busy with spring cleaning? Do you have a bike that you no longer ride, but still has miles left in it? Please consider donating to the Bike Rescue Project at the Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center! Donated bikes are refurbished by our volunteers, then redistributed back to the community for free!

We collect donations at the Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center near the recycling area. Walk N Roll accepts gently used donations of bicycles with wheels 24” or larger. If you have a full-suspension mountain bike, a drop-bar road bike, or a kid’s bike (with wheels under 24”), please consider donating to another local organization.

Free composting workshops tomorrow!

🌞Two composting workshops on Saturday May 2 at Closed Loop Park Demonstration Garden!
♻️9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. - Food and yard waste composting.
🪱11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Worm composting.

Come for one or both. Both workshops are free and open to the public. No need to register, just show up.

Closed Loop Park is located inside the Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center (WARC) at 2420 Hogum Bay Road NE, Lacey 98516. Take Exit 111 off of I-5, and travel north and turn right into the WARC entrance. Upon entering take the first right into the garden/dog park parking lot. You’ll see a small sign that says “Dog Park” at the entry to the parking lot.
Note: If you miss the first right into the garden/dog park parking lot you will need to follow the road to the intersection before the toll booths. You’ll need to do a U-turn and return back to Hogum Bay Road to start the process again.
Click here for location on Google Maps https://maps.app.goo.gl/VuSpYp1opGCXAgSM9

Learning how to compost enables you to produce a soil amendment that has many benefits in the garden and keeps waste out of the landfill.
Benefits of using compost include:
• Improves soil structure and fertility
• Increases moisture holding capacity of soil
• Improved plant growth
• Protects soil from erosion when used as a mulch

Check out the full schedule of composting workshops at https://extension.wsu.edu/thurston/gardening/composting/