New Wastemobile contract could save $300,000 annually

2004 Archived News

King County’s Solid Waste Division has signed a contract with Clean Harbors Environmental Services to operate the county’s Wastemobile service and related programs that help people properly dispose of hazardous household waste.

Based on the new contract pricing, King County’s cost will be 16 percent lower than current expenses, representing savings of approximately $300,000 per year, or $1.5 million over five years. The $1.8 million, one-year contract includes four renewal options for a potential value of $9 million.

The Wastemobile, King County’s mobile household hazardous waste collection program and other collection services serve more than 30,000 customers and collect more than 1,000 tons of hazardous waste annually. In 2004, the Wastemobile program alone collected 661 tons of wastes, or an average of 78 pounds from each of 16,998 customers served.

In its 15 years in operation, the Wastemobile has collected more than 12,660 tons of hazardous wastes, including pesticides, chlorine bleach, paint products and automotive products. The Wastemobile is funded through a surcharge on fees for solid waste disposal and wastewater discharge.

Clean Harbors Environmental Services is North America’s largest environmental services company. The Massachusetts-based firm provides hazardous waste services nationwide to more than 30,000 customers, including the City and County of Los Angeles and more than 175 Fortune 500 companies.

The Solid Waste Division will monitor cost savings during the initial year of the contract in hopes of applying the savings to expand household hazardous waste collection services for county residents.