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Thurston County, Washington

The content on the Thurston County website is currently provided in English. We are providing the “Translation” for approximately 10 languages. The goal of the translation is to provide visitors with limited English proficiency to access information on the website in other languages. The translations do not translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. The translations are made through an automated process, which may not result in accurate or precise translations, particularly of technical and legal terminology.

Public Works

3 women wearing hats and standing behind an outreach booth with a tablecloth that reads "Thurston County Public Works Solid Waste Division"


We offer people living in Thurston County a variety of ways to learn about garbage, recycling, and composting. We use presentations, tabling demonstrations, Question & Answer events, videos, and social media to help Thurston County reduce waste and recycle properly.

Free Compost Giveaway Event 2025

A group of people bent over a pile of compost on a rainy day.
3 people standing in front of a "I love compost" banner

Date: Saturday, May 3
When: 11am-2pm
Where: Hawks Prairie Park & Ride
2548 Hogum Bay Rd NE, Olympia, 98516

Thurston County residents are invited to pick up a free ½ yard of bulk compost, generously donated by Brady Trucking, as a celebration of International Compost Awareness Week (May 4-10). 

Event Reminders:
- Please bring your own shovel, gloves, & container(s)
- Be prepared to load your own material
- Compost is first come, first served while supplies last
- Limit: 1/2 cubic yard per household (20 x 5-gallon buckets)

Compost offered at this event started as food and yard waste from residents and businesses in Thurston County. It was then processed into a finished compost product by Brady Trucking in Shelton, WA.

Need to contact us? Call (360) 867-2491 or email thurstonsolidwaste@co.thurston.wa.us​  

2025 Events

Spring Fix-It Fair!

A man and woman work together to fix an electric kettle with tools.

 

Date: Wednesday, April 16
When: 2:30pm-6:30pm
Where: Lacey MakerSpace at St. Martin's University 
Zaverl Hall, Building 5 Baran Drive Southeast, Lacey, WA 98503

Join us for our second community repair event at the Lacey MakerSpace! Volunteers will help repair clothing, lamps, housewares, jewelry, small appliances, and bicycles—for free!

For more information, or to sign up to attend or volunteer, visit ThurstonSolidWaste.org/FixIt

A flyer for Thurston County's Earth Day Celebration.

 

Date: Saturday, April 19
When: 1pm-4pm
Where: Woodland Creek Community Park
6729 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey, WA 98503

Celebrate Earth Day with Thurston County and the City of Lacey at a fun, family-friendly event focused on recycling and waste reduction!

 

Free Activities to Celebrate Earth Day:

  • Touch-a-Garbage Truck with LeMay Pacific Disposal
  • Touch-a-Bus with Intercity Transit 
  • Plant native wildflowers to take home with Thurston County Noxious Weeds
  • Make your own non-toxic household cleaner with Thurston County Public Health & Social Services
  • Play games that teach you how to keep our streets and shorelines free of litter with Pacific Shellfish Institute 
  • Learn how to make a beeswax wrap with Thurston County Solid Waste
 

Additional Highlights: 

  • Plastic Film Recycling: Attendees can drop off one grocery bag filled with plastic film that will be collected by Ridwell and recycled into decking material by their partner Trex!
  • Learn about Timberland Regional Library's services & resources
  • Talk with a Recycling & Waste Reduction Specialist to get all of your "can this be recycled?" questions answered
 
Photo of cleaning supplies for the PHSS healthy homes program
A group of people standing in front of a LeMay garbage truck
A photo of a child sorting recycling
2 people helping a child make their own beeswax wrap.
Image of wildflower seed packets
A photo of an intercity transit bubble bus

This event is in collaboration with The City of Lacey, Intercity Transit, Thurston County Master Recycler Composters, Pacific Shellfish Institute, Timberland Regional Library, Ridwell, and LeMay Pacific Disposal.

Event Contact: 
April Roe, Recycling & Waste Reduction Specialist 
Phone (o) 360.867.2267  (c) 360.485.8319 
Email april.roe@co.thurston.wa.us

Presentations

We offer presentations for Thurston County based organizations, civic groups, neighborhood associations, classrooms, and other groups of 10 or more. Topics include: 

  • local recycling and garbage systems 
  • recycling 101
  • food and yard waste recycling
  • waste less food
  • low waste holidays

Contact us to request a presentation. We ask that you contact us at least three weeks prior to your desired presentation date.

2025 Recycling Matters Presentation Series

 

A flyer with a variety of dates for recycling education presentations happening in 2025.

 

Thurston County is partnering with LeMay Pacific Disposal and The City of Yelm to offer every-other-month presentations to help residents and businesses reduce their landfill waste.
 
Description:
Recycling 101:
Join us to learn the basics of recycling! Thurston County's recycling & waste reduction specialists will break down how your waste flows through the county, how recycling markets work, and bust common misconceptions. Don't miss this chance to boost your recycling knowledge and contribute to a more sustainable Thurston County!
 

Can This be Recycled?:
This audience-driven session is all about answering your recycling questions. We invite you to bring in items you’re unsure about and get expert advice on which waste stream they belong to. It’s a fun, hands-on way to learn how to recycle more effectively and reduce waste in our community!

 
Time:
Presentations are generally the last Wednesday of every other month from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
 
Dates & Locations:
February 26: Recycling 101 - LeMay Pacific Disposal, 2904 Hogum Bay Rd NE, Lacey 
April 30: Can This Be Recycled? - Kenneydell Park Lodge, 6745 Fairview Rd SW, Olympia
June 25: Recycling 101 - Yelm Community Center, 301 2nd St SE, Yelm
August 27: Can This Be Recycled? - LeMay Pacific Disposal, 2904 Hogum Bay Rd NE, Lacey 
October 29: Recycling 101 - Virtual
November 19: Can This Be Recycled? - Virtual 
 

Registration is strongly encouraged as the space is limited to 30 participants. Light refreshments will be provided.

Recycling Matters Series Registration

Community Events

Our staff attend several community tabling events each year, ready to answer questions and share information about garbage, recycling, and food and yard waste recycling. 

If you are organizing an event and looking for an educational vendor, please contact us.

Event Date Location Time More Info
LOTT WET Science Center - Saturday Workshop Saturday, January 25 LOTT WET Science Center 10:00am-4:00pm See here
Billy Frank Jr. Celebration Wednesday, March 19 Timberline High School 5:00pm-7:30pm See here
Thurston Green Business Awards Wednesday, April 9 St. Martin's Norman Worthington Center 11:00am-1:00pm See here
Fix-It Fair  Wednesday, April 16 Lacey MakerSpace 2:30pm-6:30pm See here
Thurston County Earth Day Celebration Saturday, April 19 Woodland Creek Community Park 1:00pm-4:00pm See above
Free Compost Giveaway Saturday, May 3 Hawks Prairie Park & Ride 11:00am-2:00pm See above
Thurston County Fair

Thursday, July 31 - Sunday, August 3 

Exact date of attendance TBD

Thurston County Fairgrounds Exact time of attendance TBD See here
Eco Fair & Art Festival August - exact date TBD Good Shepherd Lutheran Church TBD See here
Nisqually Watershed Festival  Saturday, September 27 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge TBD See here
Thurston County Harvest Festival Saturday, October 4 South Union Grange TBD See here