Spring 2010

Natural Yard Care Workshops Composting
Start Soon Classes Start
With Basics
Learn about environmentally friendly Backyard Composting
yard and garden maintenance in a Learn how to improve the quality
series of fun and informative workshops of your soil by putting leaves, grass
sponsored by the Tacoma-Pierce County clippings and other yardwaste to use.
Health Department. Our Backyard “Hot” Composting class
Each series will consist of three workshops covers the essentials: the composting
covering topics such as natural lawn care, garden process, how to compost even in small
pest management, soil basics, backyard compost- yards, using finished compost, avoid-
ing, sustainable landscape design and smart ing and solving problems, and helpful
watering for your lawn and garden. equipment and tools. There is no cost,
Refreshments and yard care but registration is required.
door prizes will be offered at
each workshop. Worm Bin Composting
To register, or for more Did you know that red worms
information, please have five pairs of hearts? Come
contact Geoff Rinehart at to our food waste composting
class to find out more about how this
(253) 798-4587 or grinehart@tpchd.org.
unique species makes some of the
best nutrient-rich compost.
NATURAL YARD CARE WORKSHOPS
You may register for “instruction
Gig Harbor Civic Center / 3510 Grandview St.
only” for no fee, or for $30 you will
April 13, 21, 27 / 6:30-8:30 p.m.
go home with a 14-gallon plastic
South Hill* / Meridian Habitat Park / 14422 Meridian E. worm bin, a pound of red worms and
April 15, 22, 29 / 6:30-8:30 p.m.
class supplies.
April 22 class features TV/radio gardening personality Ed Hume
Classes are offered regularly. Reg-
Graham* / Frontier Park Lodge / 21800 Meridian E. istration is required. Deadline is two
May 4, 11, 18 / 6:30-8:30 p.m. weeks before each class.
For more information or to register,
*South Hill and Graham workshops are co-sponsored with
Pierce County Parks & Recreation and require an $8 fee call (253) 798-2179 or e-mail pcsolid-
(pre-registration required). waste@co.pierce.wa.us. You can also
register online at www.piercecounty-
wa.org/compost.
Classes meet at the Environmen-
SoundGRO Fertilizer
®
Map Shows Bike- Who to Contact for
Friendly Routes
Plan your spring and summer bicycle trips
Garbage Collection
& Curbside Recycling New Gleaning Project Prevents Waste
with our recently published bike map. American Disposal Pierce County Refuse
Picked Produce Will Benefit Food Banks
Pierce County Public Works and (253) 414-0345 (253) 537-8687
It’s a stunning fact: About 25 percent of Multiple Agencies Turn Excess
Utilities produced the guide www.murreysdisposal.com www.lemayinc.com
commercially grown food goes to waste in this Into Resource
for bicyclists traveling to
Lakewood Refuse University Place Refuse/ country. A coalition of Pierce County organizations and
major centers, tourist
(253) 588-1705 Westside Disposal And you’ve probably seen a neighborhood fruit individuals is coming together to create the Pierce
attractions and other key
www.lemayinc.com (253) 564-3212 tree ripen beautifully, only to have all the fruit fall County Gleaning Project (PCGP). Their mission is
destinations within Pierce
Murrey’s/DM Disposal www.uprefuse.com and rot on the ground. to turn food waste into resources by “gleaning”—
County. It identifies existing bikeways
(253) 414-0345 In our busy world, excess fruit and vegetables harvesting excess fresh fruit from neighborhood
and scheduled bicycle improvements. The bike
www.murreysdisposal.com often go unused. This wasted food also burdens trees and local farms—in order to increase fresh
map focuses on on-road bikeways (e.g. roads with wide lanes, paved
our solid waste system and creates odor and pest food at local food banks.
shoulders and designated bicycle lanes) and paved shared-use trails.
problems in our communities. The gleaning project will be staffed by the St.
Visit www.piercecountywa.org/bikemap for a printer-friendly online version or for locations to pick up the brochure.
At the same time, demand at local food banks Leo Food Connection working in collaboration
You can also request a copy by emailing bikemap@co.pierce.wa.us or calling (253) 798-3552.
has increased dramatically in recent years. with numerous community partners, including the
Pierce County Master Gardeners
For More Information:
and the Pierce County Food
PIERCE COUNTY SOLID WASTE DIVISION.......... (253) 798-2179 PIERCE CO. PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES, ROAD MAINTENANCE
Coalition.
24-hour Info Line...............................................(253) 798-4115 Adopt-A-Road Information..............................(253) 798-6000
“We’re excited to work with
Website............................. www.piercecountywa.org/solidwaste PIERCE COUNTY RESPONDS. ............................(253) 798-4636
E-mail......................................... pcsolidwaste@co.pierce.wa.us these groups because this is a
Website.................................... www.piercecountyresponds.org
STATEWIDE RECYCLING INFORMATION.............1-800-RECYCLE E-mail.......................................... pcresponds@co.pierce.wa.us
community-based effort that will
help to achieve our goal of diverting 75
TACOMA-PIERCE CO. HEALTH DEPT. Pierce County Responds accepts reports on a variety of land use,
percent of the waste from the landfill,” said
Household Hazardous Waste Info.................1-800-287-6429 dumping and vehicle-related nuisances.
Kristen McIvor, Environmental Educator, Pierce
County Public Works and Utilities. The PCGP will
focus on two primary sources of produce—
commercial growers and homeowners throughout
the county.
Community Involvement Needed
You can help the gleaning team in a number
of ways.
• Volunteer to glean. Sign up to
help with farm glean-
ing or fruit tree

tal Services Building Training Room harvest.

Helps Close Loop in University Place, unless otherwise • “Donate” your
To start your yard care regimen this spring, consider noted. fruit tree. Contact
adding SoundGRO® Fertilizer to your list. the PCGP if you would
SoundGRO® is a 100 percent naturally organic fertilizer, manufactured by like to donate fruit from
Pierce County Public Works and Utilities from biosolids of the wastewater Class Schedule your fruit tree. You can
treatment process. BACKYARD COMPOSTING have it fully picked,
Because of its water-insoluble nitrogen source, SoundGRO® will not (Instruction Only) partially harvested
easily wash away like chemical fertilizers. April 17, 10 a.m.–noon or have a bag of
You can apply the SoundGRO® slow-release, non-burning pellets with May 25, 10 a.m.–noon picked fruit left
a regular broadcast or drop spreader on lawns, trees, shrubs, flowering (WSU Extension, Puyallup) with you. Accepted
beds and vegetable gardens. FOOD WASTE COMPOSTING fruits include:
SoundGRO® is available at the Chambers Creek Regional Wastewater (Worm Bin) University Place, WA 98467-1078 apples, plums, pears,
Treatment Plant, 10311 Chambers Creek Road West in University Place. Hours May 15, 10 a.m.–noon 9850 64th Street West peaches, grapes and
are 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday–Friday; closed for lunch 11:30–noon. June 9, 6-8 p.m. Solid Waste Division Continued inside…
Prices start at $3.50 per 50-pound bag. Visit www.soundgro.com for Public Works and Utilities
Additional classes may be added. Earth Matters is a publication of Pierce County Pierce County Executive: Pierce County Council: Roger Bush, Chair
more information or call (253) 798-4005. Public Works and Utilities, Solid Waste Division. Pat McCarthy Shawn Bunney Tim Farrell Joyce McDonald
Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled paper and recyclable Barbara Gelman Terry Lee Dick Muri
through Pierce County’s curbside recycling program.
Gleaning Project, cont’d.
 berries. These should be pesticide
and worm-free and harvested from
the tree or bush (not the ground).
• Be a neighborhood coordinator.
Tired of seeing fruit go to waste in
your neighborhood? Volunteer to
organize fellow neighbors to har-
vest the trees in your neighborhood.
Training and equipment will be
provided—no experience required.
• Scout fruit trees in your neighbor-
hood. If you notice fruit going to
waste on a neighborhood tree, PCGP
can provide outreach materials to
help you
talk to
your
neighbors
about
............................................
CAPE Keeps
Neighborhood
Cleanup
Affordable
Need an incentive to start a
community spring cleaning project?
Assistance is available from Pierce
County Responds—a program coordi-
nated by Public Works and Utilities.
The Community Assistance and
Public Education (CAPE) program was
created to make County resources
available for a scheduled community
cleanup day.
Potential CAPE assistance includes:
• Litter Credits: Eligible recipients at
properties in unincorporated Pierce
County may receive a $100 disposal
credit at participating transfer sta-
tions.
• Junk Vehicle Affidavits: These are
used in place of a title to have a junk
vehicle removed from your property.
Hulk haulers will not remove junk
vehicles if you do not have either a
title or a junk vehicle affidavit.
donating their fruit to our program.
• Spread the word. Tell all your
friends, family and co-workers! You
can request outreach materials or
download them from the gleaning
project website. You can also be a
“fan” on Facebook. Search for the
Pierce County Gleaning Project and
click “be a fan.”
• Provide the tools. The project wel-
comes your surplus harvesting equip-
ment such as ladders and boxes.
The gleaning project is an excellent
way to help hungry people in our
community and reduce waste at the
same time.
For more information, please visit the
Pierce County Gleaning Project website,
www.piercecountygleaningproject.org,
email: info@piercecountygleaning
project.org, or call Rebecca Goossen at
(253) 327-1710.
• “Dumpsters”: These large containers
can be provided to clean up public
properties such as a park or open
space owned by your community
(cannot be used to clean private
properties). Once filled, the CAPE
program will pay the disposal fees for
the waste collected by volunteers.
If your community is selected for a
CAPE project, Pierce County Responds
staff will work with your community
representative to arrange a date we will
be in your neighborhood. A commu-
nity meeting will take place before the
actual cleanup day.
Please call (253) 798-4636 or submit
an online request at www.piercecoun-
tyresponds.org.
Pierce County Responds has programs to
help with litter cleanup on private and
public property.
Celebrate Earth Day April 22
Spring Cleaning: Not Everything Goes in Trash
Following are tips for environmen-
tally safe ways to dispose of household
items.
COMPUTERS, MONITORS, TVS: Recycle
these items free of charge through the
E-Cycle Washington program. Visit
www.ecyclewashington.org or call
1-800-RECYCLE for more information.
Another option is the Take It Back
Network, businesses that recycle these
items for a small fee. See the partici-
pants’ list, and learn more about the
Take It Back Network, at www.pierce-
countywa.org/tibn or call (253)
798-2179.
OLD CLOTHES, FURNITURE, BOOKS:
Donate or sell items that are in good
condition. Try a consignment shop,
thrift store, yard sale or list online.
Also check out the free online option,
www.2good2toss.com.
OIL-BASED PAINT, PESTICIDES,
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS AND OTHER
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTES:
These products are labeled “corro-
sive,” “flammable,” “poison,” “toxic,”
“danger,” “warning” or “caution.”
Examples include drain cleaner, insec-
ticides, weed killer and pool chemicals.
Try to use them up or give leftovers
to a neighbor. Don’t put them in the
garbage.
Instead, take the items to the facili-
ties listed below. Pierce County resi-
dents can drop off products free of
charge.
• Tacoma Hazardous Waste Collection
Facility at 3510 S. Mullen Street,
just east of Fircrest (open seven days
a week, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., except
major holidays)
• Hidden Valley Transfer Station,
17925 Meridian Street E., Puyallup
(open Tuesday and Thursday, 8 a.m.
to noon and 1 to 5 p.m.)
For details on how to prepare
and transport household hazard-
ous waste, call the Hazardous
Waste Line at 1-800-287-6429
or visit www.piercecountywa.
org/hhw.
LATEX PAINT is water-
based and not hazardous.
If you can’t use it up or
give it away, dry out the
paint and put the can in the
garbage with the lid off. (Landfills
and garbage haulers can’t accept wet
paint.) To speed up drying, add kitty
litter, sawdust, grass clippings or thin
strips of newspaper. If the paint can
is too full to add an absorbent, line a
cardboard box with a plastic bag, pour
in paint and mix with an absorbent.
FLUORESCENT BULBS AND TUBES
contain small amounts of mercury and
should never be placed in the garbage.
Take It Back Network participants who
collect fluorescent bulbs and tubes
include: McLendon Hardware stores
(Bulbs: no charge. Tubes: fee) and Se-
attle Lighting (Bulbs and tubes: fee for
both). Other recycling locations include
the Hidden Valley Hazardous Waste
Facility and the Tacoma Hazardous
Waste Facility. For more information
visit www.piercecountywa.org/fbulb.
UNWANTED MEDICINES: Unwanted and
outdated pharmaceuticals pose seri-
ous safety and environmental threats
ranging from child poisonings, illegal
use, and contamination of our streams
and drinking water. Safe disposal is
quick and easy: Don’t flush them. Mix
medicines in a sealable plastic bag
with coffee grounds, kitty litter or saw-
dust, then add water. Seal it in another
bag. Throw it in your garbage. Destroy
prescription information. For more
information visit www.safedrugdispos-
alnw.org or www.medicinereturn.com.
Our online Recycling and Disposal
Directory, at www.piercecountywa.org/
recycle, lists locations to recycle, dis-
Borrow a Kit for
Fish-Friendly Car Washing
Your fundraising car wash might be bad news for local waterways.
Water that runs into storm drains goes directly into our lakes, streams and
Puget Sound with little or no treatment. The runoff from car washes contains
soap, oil and other pollutants that are toxic to fish and other aquatic life.
You can prevent the pollution with
an easy-to-use car wash kit that Pierce
County Public Works and Utilities loans
out free. These kits use a storm drain
insert and a pump to send the dirty
water to a sewer system or vegetated
area to soak into the ground.
Find out more at www.piercecounty
wa.org/carwash or call (253) 798-2725
to reserve a kit.
pose or donate items in Pierce County.
From appliances and carpet to micro-
wave ovens and remodeling debris, this
website lists more than 100 categories
to assist you with your recycling and
disposal needs. You can also contact
the Pierce County Solid Waste
Division at (253) 798-2179 for more
information.
Puyallup Hosts Livable Communities
Don’t miss the worms, prizes, rain
gardens and other fantastic features of
the Livable Communities Fair, taking
place at the Puyallup Spring Fair
April 15-18.
Coordinated by Pierce County, the
Livable Communities Fair will offer
hands-on activities, workshops and
information at the fairgrounds’ Centen-
nial Building, just inside the Blue Gate.
Visitors will learn about green tech-
nologies, renewable energy, recycling
and ideas for sustainable living in our
....................................................................
community.
School’s
Recycling Effort
Equals Savings,
Cleaner Campus
The 700 students at Warren Hunt
Elementary School in Puyallup are seri-
ous about their recycling. They have no
trouble filling 18 recycling carts, and
the garbage truck visits half as often as
it did before.
Hunt started with 14 recycle carts,
then added four more when milk car-
ton recycling began this year. The carts
are filled to the brim and emptied every
two weeks.
“Sometimes we have so much recy-
cling that we have to call for an extra
pickup after just one week,” said Mike
Hanson, Hunt Elementary’s counselor
and recycling
project coordi-
nator.
Milk cartons
took up the
most space in
the school’s
garbage con-
tainer. Just by
recycling milk
cartons, Hunt
has cut its
garbage pickup
from twice a
What else can you do at the exhibit?
• Enter the daily drawings for prizes
such as a rain barrel or worm
compost bin
• Watch demonstrations of rain gar-
dens and solar electricity
• Make “garbage art” with your kids
• Check out the latest eco-products
• Learn about recycling, waste reduc-
tion and property cleanup programs
For more information call
(253) 798-7477 or visit
April 15–18
www.livablepiercecounty.org.
week to just once a week.
The expanded recycling program
Now all the recycling containers are
covered.
began with a waste audit in the fall “Hunt Elementary is proud of the
of 2008. Bob Dieckmann from Pierce work that we are doing,” Hanson said.
County Public Works and Utilities and “We will continue to find new ways to
Leonard Cassman, Puyallup School encourage even more recycling and ul-
District Maintenance Administrator, led timately reduce our carbon footprint.”
the students through the audit.
Patti Punzi’s 6th grade class is in HUNT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
charge of making sure the recycling RECYCLING PROGRAM SUCCESS
bins are set out for pickup.
“Mrs. Punzi and her class, and our
custodian Carol Stanford, are the pri-
mary reason why our recycle program
has had the success that we enjoy,”
Hanson said.
2008 2009 2009 2009
Besides the cost savings in garbage garbage garbage recycling garbage +
service, Hunt’s recycling efforts also cost cost cost recycling
$6,595.99 $3,560.42 $1,541.96 cost
have kept the school grounds cleaner.
Paper and cardboard in open recycling
$5,102.20*
* Reduction in waste spending of $1,493.79
containers used to blow across campus.
Gleaning Project, cont’d.
 berries. These should be pesticide
and worm-free and harvested from
the tree or bush (not the ground).
• Be a neighborhood coordinator.
Tired of seeing fruit go to waste in
your neighborhood? Volunteer to
organize fellow neighbors to har-
vest the trees in your neighborhood.
Training and equipment will be
provided—no experience required.
• Scout fruit trees in your neighbor-
hood. If you notice fruit going to
waste on a neighborhood tree, PCGP
can provide outreach materials to
help you
talk to
your
neighbors
about
............................................
CAPE Keeps
Neighborhood
Cleanup
Affordable
Need an incentive to start a
community spring cleaning project?
Assistance is available from Pierce
County Responds—a program coordi-
nated by Public Works and Utilities.
The Community Assistance and
Public Education (CAPE) program was
created to make County resources
available for a scheduled community
cleanup day.
Potential CAPE assistance includes:
• Litter Credits: Eligible recipients at
properties in unincorporated Pierce
County may receive a $100 disposal
credit at participating transfer sta-
tions.
• Junk Vehicle Affidavits: These are
used in place of a title to have a junk
vehicle removed from your property.
Hulk haulers will not remove junk
vehicles if you do not have either a
title or a junk vehicle affidavit.
donating their fruit to our program.
• Spread the word. Tell all your
friends, family and co-workers! You
can request outreach materials or
download them from the gleaning
project website. You can also be a
“fan” on Facebook. Search for the
Pierce County Gleaning Project and
click “be a fan.”
• Provide the tools. The project wel-
comes your surplus harvesting equip-
ment such as ladders and boxes.
The gleaning project is an excellent
way to help hungry people in our
community and reduce waste at the
same time.
For more information, please visit the
Pierce County Gleaning Project website,
www.piercecountygleaningproject.org,
email: info@piercecountygleaning
project.org, or call Rebecca Goossen at
(253) 327-1710.
• “Dumpsters”: These large containers
can be provided to clean up public
properties such as a park or open
space owned by your community
(cannot be used to clean private
properties). Once filled, the CAPE
program will pay the disposal fees for
the waste collected by volunteers.
If your community is selected for a
CAPE project, Pierce County Responds
staff will work with your community
representative to arrange a date we will
be in your neighborhood. A commu-
nity meeting will take place before the
actual cleanup day.
Please call (253) 798-4636 or submit
an online request at www.piercecoun-
tyresponds.org.
Pierce County Responds has programs to
help with litter cleanup on private and
public property.
Celebrate Earth Day April 22
Spring Cleaning: Not Everything Goes in Trash
Following are tips for environmen-
tally safe ways to dispose of household
items.
COMPUTERS, MONITORS, TVS: Recycle
these items free of charge through the
E-Cycle Washington program. Visit
www.ecyclewashington.org or call
1-800-RECYCLE for more information.
Another option is the Take It Back
Network, businesses that recycle these
items for a small fee. See the partici-
pants’ list, and learn more about the
Take It Back Network, at www.pierce-
countywa.org/tibn or call (253)
798-2179.
OLD CLOTHES, FURNITURE, BOOKS:
Donate or sell items that are in good
condition. Try a consignment shop,
thrift store, yard sale or list online.
Also check out the free online option,
www.2good2toss.com.
OIL-BASED PAINT, PESTICIDES,
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS AND OTHER
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTES:
These products are labeled “corro-
sive,” “flammable,” “poison,” “toxic,”
“danger,” “warning” or “caution.”
Examples include drain cleaner, insec-
ticides, weed killer and pool chemicals.
Try to use them up or give leftovers
to a neighbor. Don’t put them in the
garbage.
Instead, take the items to the facili-
ties listed below. Pierce County resi-
dents can drop off products free of
charge.
• Tacoma Hazardous Waste Collection
Facility at 3510 S. Mullen Street,
just east of Fircrest (open seven days
a week, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., except
major holidays)
• Hidden Valley Transfer Station,
17925 Meridian Street E., Puyallup
(open Tuesday and Thursday, 8 a.m.
to noon and 1 to 5 p.m.)
For details on how to prepare
and transport household hazard-
ous waste, call the Hazardous
Waste Line at 1-800-287-6429
or visit www.piercecountywa.
org/hhw.
LATEX PAINT is water-
based and not hazardous.
If you can’t use it up or
give it away, dry out the
paint and put the can in the
garbage with the lid off. (Landfills
and garbage haulers can’t accept wet
paint.) To speed up drying, add kitty
litter, sawdust, grass clippings or thin
strips of newspaper. If the paint can
is too full to add an absorbent, line a
cardboard box with a plastic bag, pour
in paint and mix with an absorbent.
FLUORESCENT BULBS AND TUBES
contain small amounts of mercury and
should never be placed in the garbage.
Take It Back Network participants who
collect fluorescent bulbs and tubes
include: McLendon Hardware stores
(Bulbs: no charge. Tubes: fee) and Se-
attle Lighting (Bulbs and tubes: fee for
both). Other recycling locations include
the Hidden Valley Hazardous Waste
Facility and the Tacoma Hazardous
Waste Facility. For more information
visit www.piercecountywa.org/fbulb.
UNWANTED MEDICINES: Unwanted and
outdated pharmaceuticals pose seri-
ous safety and environmental threats
ranging from child poisonings, illegal
use, and contamination of our streams
and drinking water. Safe disposal is
quick and easy: Don’t flush them. Mix
medicines in a sealable plastic bag
with coffee grounds, kitty litter or saw-
dust, then add water. Seal it in another
bag. Throw it in your garbage. Destroy
prescription information. For more
information visit www.safedrugdispos-
alnw.org or www.medicinereturn.com.
Our online Recycling and Disposal
Directory, at www.piercecountywa.org/
recycle, lists locations to recycle, dis-
Borrow a Kit for
Fish-Friendly Car Washing
Your fundraising car wash might be bad news for local waterways.
Water that runs into storm drains goes directly into our lakes, streams and
Puget Sound with little or no treatment. The runoff from car washes contains
soap, oil and other pollutants that are toxic to fish and other aquatic life.
You can prevent the pollution with
an easy-to-use car wash kit that Pierce
County Public Works and Utilities loans
out free. These kits use a storm drain
insert and a pump to send the dirty
water to a sewer system or vegetated
area to soak into the ground.
Find out more at www.piercecounty
wa.org/carwash or call (253) 798-2725
to reserve a kit.
pose or donate items in Pierce County.
From appliances and carpet to micro-
wave ovens and remodeling debris, this
website lists more than 100 categories
to assist you with your recycling and
disposal needs. You can also contact
the Pierce County Solid Waste
Division at (253) 798-2179 for more
information.
Puyallup Hosts Livable Communities
Don’t miss the worms, prizes, rain
gardens and other fantastic features of
the Livable Communities Fair, taking
place at the Puyallup Spring Fair
April 15-18.
Coordinated by Pierce County, the
Livable Communities Fair will offer
hands-on activities, workshops and
information at the fairgrounds’ Centen-
nial Building, just inside the Blue Gate.
Visitors will learn about green tech-
nologies, renewable energy, recycling
and ideas for sustainable living in our
....................................................................
community.
School’s
Recycling Effort
Equals Savings,
Cleaner Campus
The 700 students at Warren Hunt
Elementary School in Puyallup are seri-
ous about their recycling. They have no
trouble filling 18 recycling carts, and
the garbage truck visits half as often as
it did before.
Hunt started with 14 recycle carts,
then added four more when milk car-
ton recycling began this year. The carts
are filled to the brim and emptied every
two weeks.
“Sometimes we have so much recy-
cling that we have to call for an extra
pickup after just one week,” said Mike
Hanson, Hunt Elementary’s counselor
and recycling
project coordi-
nator.
Milk cartons
took up the
most space in
the school’s
garbage con-
tainer. Just by
recycling milk
cartons, Hunt
has cut its
garbage pickup
from twice a
What else can you do at the exhibit?
• Enter the daily drawings for prizes
such as a rain barrel or worm
compost bin
• Watch demonstrations of rain gar-
dens and solar electricity
• Make “garbage art” with your kids
• Check out the latest eco-products
• Learn about recycling, waste reduc-
tion and property cleanup programs
For more information call
(253) 798-7477 or visit
April 15–18
www.livablepiercecounty.org.
week to just once a week.
The expanded recycling program
Now all the recycling containers are
covered.
began with a waste audit in the fall “Hunt Elementary is proud of the
of 2008. Bob Dieckmann from Pierce work that we are doing,” Hanson said.
County Public Works and Utilities and “We will continue to find new ways to
Leonard Cassman, Puyallup School encourage even more recycling and ul-
District Maintenance Administrator, led timately reduce our carbon footprint.”
the students through the audit.
Patti Punzi’s 6th grade class is in HUNT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
charge of making sure the recycling RECYCLING PROGRAM SUCCESS
bins are set out for pickup.
“Mrs. Punzi and her class, and our
custodian Carol Stanford, are the pri-
mary reason why our recycle program
has had the success that we enjoy,”
Hanson said.
2008 2009 2009 2009
Besides the cost savings in garbage garbage garbage recycling garbage +
service, Hunt’s recycling efforts also cost cost cost recycling
$6,595.99 $3,560.42 $1,541.96 cost
have kept the school grounds cleaner.
Paper and cardboard in open recycling
$5,102.20*
* Reduction in waste spending of $1,493.79
containers used to blow across campus.
Gleaning Project, cont’d.
 berries. These should be pesticide
and worm-free and harvested from
the tree or bush (not the ground).
• Be a neighborhood coordinator.
Tired of seeing fruit go to waste in
your neighborhood? Volunteer to
organize fellow neighbors to har-
vest the trees in your neighborhood.
Training and equipment will be
provided—no experience required.
• Scout fruit trees in your neighbor-
hood. If you notice fruit going to
waste on a neighborhood tree, PCGP
can provide outreach materials to
help you
talk to
your
neighbors
about
............................................
CAPE Keeps
Neighborhood
Cleanup
Affordable
Need an incentive to start a
community spring cleaning project?
Assistance is available from Pierce
County Responds—a program coordi-
nated by Public Works and Utilities.
The Community Assistance and
Public Education (CAPE) program was
created to make County resources
available for a scheduled community
cleanup day.
Potential CAPE assistance includes:
• Litter Credits: Eligible recipients at
properties in unincorporated Pierce
County may receive a $100 disposal
credit at participating transfer sta-
tions.
• Junk Vehicle Affidavits: These are
used in place of a title to have a junk
vehicle removed from your property.
Hulk haulers will not remove junk
vehicles if you do not have either a
title or a junk vehicle affidavit.
donating their fruit to our program.
• Spread the word. Tell all your
friends, family and co-workers! You
can request outreach materials or
download them from the gleaning
project website. You can also be a
“fan” on Facebook. Search for the
Pierce County Gleaning Project and
click “be a fan.”
• Provide the tools. The project wel-
comes your surplus harvesting equip-
ment such as ladders and boxes.
The gleaning project is an excellent
way to help hungry people in our
community and reduce waste at the
same time.
For more information, please visit the
Pierce County Gleaning Project website,
www.piercecountygleaningproject.org,
email: info@piercecountygleaning
project.org, or call Rebecca Goossen at
(253) 327-1710.
• “Dumpsters”: These large containers
can be provided to clean up public
properties such as a park or open
space owned by your community
(cannot be used to clean private
properties). Once filled, the CAPE
program will pay the disposal fees for
the waste collected by volunteers.
If your community is selected for a
CAPE project, Pierce County Responds
staff will work with your community
representative to arrange a date we will
be in your neighborhood. A commu-
nity meeting will take place before the
actual cleanup day.
Please call (253) 798-4636 or submit
an online request at www.piercecoun-
tyresponds.org.
Pierce County Responds has programs to
help with litter cleanup on private and
public property.
Celebrate Earth Day April 22
Spring Cleaning: Not Everything Goes in Trash
Following are tips for environmen-
tally safe ways to dispose of household
items.
COMPUTERS, MONITORS, TVS: Recycle
these items free of charge through the
E-Cycle Washington program. Visit
www.ecyclewashington.org or call
1-800-RECYCLE for more information.
Another option is the Take It Back
Network, businesses that recycle these
items for a small fee. See the partici-
pants’ list, and learn more about the
Take It Back Network, at www.pierce-
countywa.org/tibn or call (253)
798-2179.
OLD CLOTHES, FURNITURE, BOOKS:
Donate or sell items that are in good
condition. Try a consignment shop,
thrift store, yard sale or list online.
Also check out the free online option,
www.2good2toss.com.
OIL-BASED PAINT, PESTICIDES,
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS AND OTHER
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTES:
These products are labeled “corro-
sive,” “flammable,” “poison,” “toxic,”
“danger,” “warning” or “caution.”
Examples include drain cleaner, insec-
ticides, weed killer and pool chemicals.
Try to use them up or give leftovers
to a neighbor. Don’t put them in the
garbage.
Instead, take the items to the facili-
ties listed below. Pierce County resi-
dents can drop off products free of
charge.
• Tacoma Hazardous Waste Collection
Facility at 3510 S. Mullen Street,
just east of Fircrest (open seven days
a week, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., except
major holidays)
• Hidden Valley Transfer Station,
17925 Meridian Street E., Puyallup
(open Tuesday and Thursday, 8 a.m.
to noon and 1 to 5 p.m.)
For details on how to prepare
and transport household hazard-
ous waste, call the Hazardous
Waste Line at 1-800-287-6429
or visit www.piercecountywa.
org/hhw.
LATEX PAINT is water-
based and not hazardous.
If you can’t use it up or
give it away, dry out the
paint and put the can in the
garbage with the lid off. (Landfills
and garbage haulers can’t accept wet
paint.) To speed up drying, add kitty
litter, sawdust, grass clippings or thin
strips of newspaper. If the paint can
is too full to add an absorbent, line a
cardboard box with a plastic bag, pour
in paint and mix with an absorbent.
FLUORESCENT BULBS AND TUBES
contain small amounts of mercury and
should never be placed in the garbage.
Take It Back Network participants who
collect fluorescent bulbs and tubes
include: McLendon Hardware stores
(Bulbs: no charge. Tubes: fee) and Se-
attle Lighting (Bulbs and tubes: fee for
both). Other recycling locations include
the Hidden Valley Hazardous Waste
Facility and the Tacoma Hazardous
Waste Facility. For more information
visit www.piercecountywa.org/fbulb.
UNWANTED MEDICINES: Unwanted and
outdated pharmaceuticals pose seri-
ous safety and environmental threats
ranging from child poisonings, illegal
use, and contamination of our streams
and drinking water. Safe disposal is
quick and easy: Don’t flush them. Mix
medicines in a sealable plastic bag
with coffee grounds, kitty litter or saw-
dust, then add water. Seal it in another
bag. Throw it in your garbage. Destroy
prescription information. For more
information visit www.safedrugdispos-
alnw.org or www.medicinereturn.com.
Our online Recycling and Disposal
Directory, at www.piercecountywa.org/
recycle, lists locations to recycle, dis-
Borrow a Kit for
Fish-Friendly Car Washing
Your fundraising car wash might be bad news for local waterways.
Water that runs into storm drains goes directly into our lakes, streams and
Puget Sound with little or no treatment. The runoff from car washes contains
soap, oil and other pollutants that are toxic to fish and other aquatic life.
You can prevent the pollution with
an easy-to-use car wash kit that Pierce
County Public Works and Utilities loans
out free. These kits use a storm drain
insert and a pump to send the dirty
water to a sewer system or vegetated
area to soak into the ground.
Find out more at www.piercecounty
wa.org/carwash or call (253) 798-2725
to reserve a kit.
pose or donate items in Pierce County.
From appliances and carpet to micro-
wave ovens and remodeling debris, this
website lists more than 100 categories
to assist you with your recycling and
disposal needs. You can also contact
the Pierce County Solid Waste
Division at (253) 798-2179 for more
information.
Puyallup Hosts Livable Communities
Don’t miss the worms, prizes, rain
gardens and other fantastic features of
the Livable Communities Fair, taking
place at the Puyallup Spring Fair
April 15-18.
Coordinated by Pierce County, the
Livable Communities Fair will offer
hands-on activities, workshops and
information at the fairgrounds’ Centen-
nial Building, just inside the Blue Gate.
Visitors will learn about green tech-
nologies, renewable energy, recycling
and ideas for sustainable living in our
....................................................................
community.
School’s
Recycling Effort
Equals Savings,
Cleaner Campus
The 700 students at Warren Hunt
Elementary School in Puyallup are seri-
ous about their recycling. They have no
trouble filling 18 recycling carts, and
the garbage truck visits half as often as
it did before.
Hunt started with 14 recycle carts,
then added four more when milk car-
ton recycling began this year. The carts
are filled to the brim and emptied every
two weeks.
“Sometimes we have so much recy-
cling that we have to call for an extra
pickup after just one week,” said Mike
Hanson, Hunt Elementary’s counselor
and recycling
project coordi-
nator.
Milk cartons
took up the
most space in
the school’s
garbage con-
tainer. Just by
recycling milk
cartons, Hunt
has cut its
garbage pickup
from twice a
What else can you do at the exhibit?
• Enter the daily drawings for prizes
such as a rain barrel or worm
compost bin
• Watch demonstrations of rain gar-
dens and solar electricity
• Make “garbage art” with your kids
• Check out the latest eco-products
• Learn about recycling, waste reduc-
tion and property cleanup programs
For more information call
(253) 798-7477 or visit
April 15–18
www.livablepiercecounty.org.
week to just once a week.
The expanded recycling program
Now all the recycling containers are
covered.
began with a waste audit in the fall “Hunt Elementary is proud of the
of 2008. Bob Dieckmann from Pierce work that we are doing,” Hanson said.
County Public Works and Utilities and “We will continue to find new ways to
Leonard Cassman, Puyallup School encourage even more recycling and ul-
District Maintenance Administrator, led timately reduce our carbon footprint.”
the students through the audit.
Patti Punzi’s 6th grade class is in HUNT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
charge of making sure the recycling RECYCLING PROGRAM SUCCESS
bins are set out for pickup.
“Mrs. Punzi and her class, and our
custodian Carol Stanford, are the pri-
mary reason why our recycle program
has had the success that we enjoy,”
Hanson said.
2008 2009 2009 2009
Besides the cost savings in garbage garbage garbage recycling garbage +
service, Hunt’s recycling efforts also cost cost cost recycling
$6,595.99 $3,560.42 $1,541.96 cost
have kept the school grounds cleaner.
Paper and cardboard in open recycling
$5,102.20*
* Reduction in waste spending of $1,493.79
containers used to blow across campus.

Natural Yard Care Workshops Composting
Start Soon Classes Start
With Basics
Learn about environmentally friendly Backyard Composting
yard and garden maintenance in a Learn how to improve the quality
series of fun and informative workshops of your soil by putting leaves, grass
sponsored by the Tacoma-Pierce County clippings and other yardwaste to use.
Health Department. Our Backyard “Hot” Composting class
Each series will consist of three workshops covers the essentials: the composting
covering topics such as natural lawn care, garden process, how to compost even in small
pest management, soil basics, backyard compost- yards, using finished compost, avoid-
ing, sustainable landscape design and smart ing and solving problems, and helpful
watering for your lawn and garden. equipment and tools. There is no cost,
Refreshments and yard care but registration is required.
door prizes will be offered at
each workshop. Worm Bin Composting
To register, or for more Did you know that red worms
information, please have five pairs of hearts? Come
contact Geoff Rinehart at to our food waste composting
class to find out more about how this
(253) 798-4587 or grinehart@tpchd.org.
unique species makes some of the
best nutrient-rich compost.
NATURAL YARD CARE WORKSHOPS
You may register for “instruction
Gig Harbor Civic Center / 3510 Grandview St.
only” for no fee, or for $30 you will
April 13, 21, 27 / 6:30-8:30 p.m.
go home with a 14-gallon plastic
South Hill* / Meridian Habitat Park / 14422 Meridian E. worm bin, a pound of red worms and
April 15, 22, 29 / 6:30-8:30 p.m.
class supplies.
April 22 class features TV/radio gardening personality Ed Hume
Classes are offered regularly. Reg-
Graham* / Frontier Park Lodge / 21800 Meridian E. istration is required. Deadline is two
May 4, 11, 18 / 6:30-8:30 p.m. weeks before each class.
For more information or to register,
*South Hill and Graham workshops are co-sponsored with
Pierce County Parks & Recreation and require an $8 fee call (253) 798-2179 or e-mail pcsolid-
(pre-registration required). waste@co.pierce.wa.us. You can also
register online at www.piercecounty-
wa.org/compost.
Classes meet at the Environmen-
SoundGRO Fertilizer
®
tal Services Building Training Room
Helps Close Loop in University Place, unless otherwise
To start your yard care regimen this spring, consider noted.
adding SoundGRO® Fertilizer to your list.
SoundGRO® is a 100 percent naturally organic fertilizer, manufactured by
Pierce County Public Works and Utilities from biosolids of the wastewater Class Schedule
treatment process. BACKYARD COMPOSTING
Because of its water-insoluble nitrogen source, SoundGRO® will not (Instruction Only)
easily wash away like chemical fertilizers. April 17, 10 a.m.–noon
You can apply the SoundGRO® slow-release, non-burning pellets with May 25, 10 a.m.–noon
a regular broadcast or drop spreader on lawns, trees, shrubs, flowering (WSU Extension, Puyallup)
beds and vegetable gardens. FOOD WASTE COMPOSTING
SoundGRO® is available at the Chambers Creek Regional Wastewater (Worm Bin)
Treatment Plant, 10311 Chambers Creek Road West in University Place. Hours May 15, 10 a.m.–noon
are 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday–Friday; closed for lunch 11:30–noon. June 9, 6-8 p.m.
Prices start at $3.50 per 50-pound bag. Visit www.soundgro.com for
Additional classes may be added.
more information or call (253) 798-4005.
Spring 2010
Map Shows Bike- Who to Contact for
Friendly Routes
Plan your spring and summer bicycle trips
Garbage Collection
& Curbside Recycling New Gleaning Project Prevents Waste
with our recently published bike map. American Disposal Pierce County Refuse
Picked Produce Will Benefit Food Banks
Pierce County Public Works and (253) 414-0345 (253) 537-8687
It’s a stunning fact: About 25 percent of Multiple Agencies Turn Excess
Utilities produced the guide www.murreysdisposal.com www.lemayinc.com
commercially grown food goes to waste in this Into Resource
for bicyclists traveling to
Lakewood Refuse University Place Refuse/ country. A coalition of Pierce County organizations and
major centers, tourist
(253) 588-1705 Westside Disposal And you’ve probably seen a neighborhood fruit individuals is coming together to create the Pierce
attractions and other key
www.lemayinc.com (253) 564-3212 tree ripen beautifully, only to have all the fruit fall County Gleaning Project (PCGP). Their mission is
destinations within Pierce
Murrey’s/DM Disposal www.uprefuse.com and rot on the ground. to turn food waste into resources by “gleaning”—
County. It identifies existing bikeways
(253) 414-0345 In our busy world, excess fruit and vegetables harvesting excess fresh fruit from neighborhood
and scheduled bicycle improvements. The bike
www.murreysdisposal.com often go unused. This wasted food also burdens trees and local farms—in order to increase fresh
map focuses on on-road bikeways (e.g. roads with wide lanes, paved
our solid waste system and creates odor and pest food at local food banks.
shoulders and designated bicycle lanes) and paved shared-use trails.
problems in our communities. The gleaning project will be staffed by the St.
Visit www.piercecountywa.org/bikemap for a printer-friendly online version or for locations to pick up the brochure.
At the same time, demand at local food banks Leo Food Connection working in collaboration
You can also request a copy by emailing bikemap@co.pierce.wa.us or calling (253) 798-3552.
has increased dramatically in recent years. with numerous community partners, including the
Pierce County Master Gardeners
For More Information:
and the Pierce County Food
PIERCE COUNTY SOLID WASTE DIVISION.......... (253) 798-2179 PIERCE CO. PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES, ROAD MAINTENANCE
Coalition.
24-hour Info Line...............................................(253) 798-4115 Adopt-A-Road Information..............................(253) 798-6000
“We’re excited to work with
Website............................. www.piercecountywa.org/solidwaste PIERCE COUNTY RESPONDS. ............................(253) 798-4636
E-mail......................................... pcsolidwaste@co.pierce.wa.us these groups because this is a
Website.................................... www.piercecountyresponds.org
STATEWIDE RECYCLING INFORMATION.............1-800-RECYCLE E-mail.......................................... pcresponds@co.pierce.wa.us
community-based effort that will
help to achieve our goal of diverting 75
TACOMA-PIERCE CO. HEALTH DEPT. Pierce County Responds accepts reports on a variety of land use,
percent of the waste from the landfill,” said
Household Hazardous Waste Info.................1-800-287-6429 dumping and vehicle-related nuisances.
Kristen McIvor, Environmental Educator, Pierce
County Public Works and Utilities. The PCGP will
focus on two primary sources of produce—
commercial growers and homeowners throughout
the county.
Community Involvement Needed
You can help the gleaning team in a number
of ways.
• Volunteer to glean. Sign up to
help with farm glean-
ing or fruit tree
harvest.
• “Donate” your
fruit tree. Contact
the PCGP if you would
like to donate fruit from
your fruit tree. You can
have it fully picked,
partially harvested
or have a bag of
picked fruit left
with you. Accepted
fruits include:
University Place, WA 98467-1078 apples, plums, pears,
9850 64th Street West peaches, grapes and
Solid Waste Division Continued inside…
Public Works and Utilities
Earth Matters is a publication of Pierce County Pierce County Executive: Pierce County Council: Roger Bush, Chair
Public Works and Utilities, Solid Waste Division. Pat McCarthy Shawn Bunney Tim Farrell Joyce McDonald
Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled paper and recyclable Barbara Gelman Terry Lee Dick Muri
through Pierce County’s curbside recycling program.

Natural Yard Care Workshops Composting
Start Soon Classes Start
With Basics
Learn about environmentally friendly Backyard Composting
yard and garden maintenance in a Learn how to improve the quality
series of fun and informative workshops of your soil by putting leaves, grass
sponsored by the Tacoma-Pierce County clippings and other yardwaste to use.
Health Department. Our Backyard “Hot” Composting class
Each series will consist of three workshops covers the essentials: the composting
covering topics such as natural lawn care, garden process, how to compost even in small
pest management, soil basics, backyard compost- yards, using finished compost, avoid-
ing, sustainable landscape design and smart ing and solving problems, and helpful
watering for your lawn and garden. equipment and tools. There is no cost,
Refreshments and yard care but registration is required.
door prizes will be offered at
each workshop. Worm Bin Composting
To register, or for more Did you know that red worms
information, please have five pairs of hearts? Come
contact Geoff Rinehart at to our food waste composting
class to find out more about how this
(253) 798-4587 or grinehart@tpchd.org.
unique species makes some of the
best nutrient-rich compost.
NATURAL YARD CARE WORKSHOPS
You may register for “instruction
Gig Harbor Civic Center / 3510 Grandview St.
only” for no fee, or for $30 you will
April 13, 21, 27 / 6:30-8:30 p.m.
go home with a 14-gallon plastic
South Hill* / Meridian Habitat Park / 14422 Meridian E. worm bin, a pound of red worms and
April 15, 22, 29 / 6:30-8:30 p.m.
class supplies.
April 22 class features TV/radio gardening personality Ed Hume
Classes are offered regularly. Reg-
Graham* / Frontier Park Lodge / 21800 Meridian E. istration is required. Deadline is two
May 4, 11, 18 / 6:30-8:30 p.m. weeks before each class.
For more information or to register,
*South Hill and Graham workshops are co-sponsored with
Pierce County Parks & Recreation and require an $8 fee call (253) 798-2179 or e-mail pcsolid-
(pre-registration required). waste@co.pierce.wa.us. You can also
register online at www.piercecounty-
wa.org/compost.
Classes meet at the Environmen-
SoundGRO Fertilizer
®
tal Services Building Training Room
Helps Close Loop in University Place, unless otherwise
To start your yard care regimen this spring, consider noted.
adding SoundGRO® Fertilizer to your list.
SoundGRO® is a 100 percent naturally organic fertilizer, manufactured by
Pierce County Public Works and Utilities from biosolids of the wastewater Class Schedule
treatment process. BACKYARD COMPOSTING
Because of its water-insoluble nitrogen source, SoundGRO® will not (Instruction Only)
easily wash away like chemical fertilizers. April 17, 10 a.m.–noon
You can apply the SoundGRO® slow-release, non-burning pellets with May 25, 10 a.m.–noon
a regular broadcast or drop spreader on lawns, trees, shrubs, flowering (WSU Extension, Puyallup)
beds and vegetable gardens. FOOD WASTE COMPOSTING
SoundGRO® is available at the Chambers Creek Regional Wastewater (Worm Bin)
Treatment Plant, 10311 Chambers Creek Road West in University Place. Hours May 15, 10 a.m.–noon
are 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday–Friday; closed for lunch 11:30–noon. June 9, 6-8 p.m.
Prices start at $3.50 per 50-pound bag. Visit www.soundgro.com for
Additional classes may be added.
more information or call (253) 798-4005.
Spring 2010
Map Shows Bike- Who to Contact for
Friendly Routes
Plan your spring and summer bicycle trips
Garbage Collection
& Curbside Recycling New Gleaning Project Prevents Waste
with our recently published bike map. American Disposal Pierce County Refuse
Picked Produce Will Benefit Food Banks
Pierce County Public Works and (253) 414-0345 (253) 537-8687
It’s a stunning fact: About 25 percent of Multiple Agencies Turn Excess
Utilities produced the guide www.murreysdisposal.com www.lemayinc.com
commercially grown food goes to waste in this Into Resource
for bicyclists traveling to
Lakewood Refuse University Place Refuse/ country. A coalition of Pierce County organizations and
major centers, tourist
(253) 588-1705 Westside Disposal And you’ve probably seen a neighborhood fruit individuals is coming together to create the Pierce
attractions and other key
www.lemayinc.com (253) 564-3212 tree ripen beautifully, only to have all the fruit fall County Gleaning Project (PCGP). Their mission is
destinations within Pierce
Murrey’s/DM Disposal www.uprefuse.com and rot on the ground. to turn food waste into resources by “gleaning”—
County. It identifies existing bikeways
(253) 414-0345 In our busy world, excess fruit and vegetables harvesting excess fresh fruit from neighborhood
and scheduled bicycle improvements. The bike
www.murreysdisposal.com often go unused. This wasted food also burdens trees and local farms—in order to increase fresh
map focuses on on-road bikeways (e.g. roads with wide lanes, paved
our solid waste system and creates odor and pest food at local food banks.
shoulders and designated bicycle lanes) and paved shared-use trails.
problems in our communities. The gleaning project will be staffed by the St.
Visit www.piercecountywa.org/bikemap for a printer-friendly online version or for locations to pick up the brochure.
At the same time, demand at local food banks Leo Food Connection working in collaboration
You can also request a copy by emailing bikemap@co.pierce.wa.us or calling (253) 798-3552.
has increased dramatically in recent years. with numerous community partners, including the
Pierce County Master Gardeners
For More Information:
and the Pierce County Food
PIERCE COUNTY SOLID WASTE DIVISION.......... (253) 798-2179 PIERCE CO. PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES, ROAD MAINTENANCE
Coalition.
24-hour Info Line...............................................(253) 798-4115 Adopt-A-Road Information..............................(253) 798-6000
“We’re excited to work with
Website............................. www.piercecountywa.org/solidwaste PIERCE COUNTY RESPONDS. ............................(253) 798-4636
E-mail......................................... pcsolidwaste@co.pierce.wa.us these groups because this is a
Website.................................... www.piercecountyresponds.org
STATEWIDE RECYCLING INFORMATION.............1-800-RECYCLE E-mail.......................................... pcresponds@co.pierce.wa.us
community-based effort that will
help to achieve our goal of diverting 75
TACOMA-PIERCE CO. HEALTH DEPT. Pierce County Responds accepts reports on a variety of land use,
percent of the waste from the landfill,” said
Household Hazardous Waste Info.................1-800-287-6429 dumping and vehicle-related nuisances.
Kristen McIvor, Environmental Educator, Pierce
County Public Works and Utilities. The PCGP will
focus on two primary sources of produce—
commercial growers and homeowners throughout
the county.
Community Involvement Needed
You can help the gleaning team in a number
of ways.
• Volunteer to glean. Sign up to
help with farm glean-
ing or fruit tree
harvest.
• “Donate” your
fruit tree. Contact
the PCGP if you would
like to donate fruit from
your fruit tree. You can
have it fully picked,
partially harvested
or have a bag of
picked fruit left
with you. Accepted
fruits include:
University Place, WA 98467-1078 apples, plums, pears,
9850 64th Street West peaches, grapes and
Solid Waste Division Continued inside…
Public Works and Utilities
Earth Matters is a publication of Pierce County Pierce County Executive: Pierce County Council: Roger Bush, Chair
Public Works and Utilities, Solid Waste Division. Pat McCarthy Shawn Bunney Tim Farrell Joyce McDonald
Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled paper and recyclable Barbara Gelman Terry Lee Dick Muri
through Pierce County’s curbside recycling program.