KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - The King County Board of Health approved today a revised solid waste code "Title 10" that governs the way Public Health - Seattle & King County regulates solid waste. In addition to incorporating the new state WAC 173-350, Title 10 sets out rules that are unique to King County.

"The updated code is intended to streamline solid waste handling rules and focus them on reducing waste and encouraging recycling" said Carolyn Edmonds, Chair of the King County Board of Health. The new code also requires that Public Health charges permit fees that are based on a full-cost recovery, fee-for-service basis.

"This new code removes the more onerous permitting requirements for some small operators while maintaining solid public health oversight" said Dr. Ngozi Oleru, Director of Environmental Health Division at Public Health - Seattle & King County. "At the same time, the new code streamlines permitting and operations processes for all solid waste handling facilities."

The Board of Health code had previously required all operators to file permit applications involving multiple steps, including a SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) process. The new code eliminates some of these steps for some operators where the potential health impact is limited. While these operators, such as very small composters or wood waste processors will still need to meet performance standards and be inspected, they will no longer have to go through the identical permitting process as a larger operation such as a transfer station.

The expectation is that these streamlined procedures will encourage new recyclers to enter the business.

Fees have also changed for approximately 20 large-operation permittees as part of a "full cost recovery" approach adopted by the Environmental Health Division of Public Health - Seattle & King County. Transfer stations, for example, will see a fee increase from $2000 per year to $4600, a fee that reflects the actual cost of reviewing the plan of operation, inspecting the facility and working with its operators. Operations affected under the revised code include transfer stations, landfills, composters, recycling facilities, and biomedical waste transporters.

The King County Board of Health sets county-wide public health policy, enacts and enforces local public health regulations, and carries out other duties of local boards of health specified in state law. These duties included enforcing state public health statutes, preventing and controlling the spread of infectious disease, abating nuisances and establishing fee schedules for licenses, permits, and other services. Visit the King County Board of Health webpages for information about the Board