⇨ ATTENTION:

Please contact Spokane Clean Air, 509-477-4727 for guidelines regarding fire debris disposal/actions. Also, please view our "Resources" section at the bottom of this page. At this time, the Spokane County Regional Solid Waste System (SCRSWS) is asking property owners to please temporarily refrain from clean-up of ash, demolition or structural fire related debris.  We strongly recommend that you consult with your home insurance company or hire a certified cleanup contractor prior to proceeding with any type of cleanup.  Hazardous waste can be present among the fire debris, such as asbestos-containing material or heavy metals like lead, that requires special handling and proper disposal. Furthermore, we encourage anyone involved in any debris removal process to contact the Spokane County Building Department to obtain a demolition/debris removal permit. To contact the Spokane County Building Department, please call 509-477-3675, email BPHELP@spokanecounty.org, or visit their Online Permit Center.    

Safe Handling:

Spokane Regional Health District and the Spokane Clean Air Agency have issued joint guidance about handling debris. Guidance is available online here. Property owners should be aware that extremely hazardous waste may be present in ash and other fire-related debris (asbestos, heavy metals, toxic chemicals, etc.).   

Accepted Solid Waste:  

Spokane County’s North County Transfer Station and the Valley Transfer Station can accept some fire-related debris. The materials must be “recognizable” If these items are coated in ash – they will be rejected. For information on accepted fire debris at the City’s Waste to Energy Facility, please call  (509) 625-6580.  Transfer Station staff are trained to recognize asbestos-containing debris, and they can direct you to a proper facility if needed. The transfer stations cannot accept any demolition building materials from the fires without a clean asbestos test. For more information, please contact Spokane Clean Air at 509-477-4727. Household Hazardous Waste is currently only open on Saturdays and Sundays at the transfer stations, however, starting September 5th, the North Transfer Station will be available 7 days a week.

The accepted fire debris items must be recognizable items such as: 

• Furniture, appliances
• Burned vegetation, bagged spoiled food
• Tools, machinery
• Regular household trash
• We will take scrap metal that has no adhesives, glues, or other materials attached to it. 

For disposal of all other items please call Spokane Regional Clean Air at 509-477-4727.

Not Accepted:  

The region’s three transfer stations: North County, Spokane Valley and the Waste to Energy Facility (see attached map) CANNOT accept any ash or structural/demolition fire debris. At this time, officials with the system are consulting with local solid waste service providers, the State of Washington, and other regulatory agencies to determine how to efficiently and safely dispose of fire-related materials during the recovery process.    

In addition to fire debris containing ashes and structural/demolition materials, scrapings and soils will not be accepted at these facilities.  After a disaster, materials that are potentially hazardous and could endanger public and environmental health standards require special handling, management, and testing before they can be disposed of properly.   

Contractors:    

It is strongly recommended that insured property owners consult with insurance providers in advance, and hire only certified, licensed and bonded contractors to assist with clean-up efforts.  The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has a verification tool available. 

Resources:      

The Graham Road Landfill is the destination for ash and demolition debris. Before delivering any materials to the landfill, please call Graham Road Recycling and Disposal Center’s office 1-509-244-0151 for additional information or scheduling disposal.

The Spokane Conservation District is providing support and resources to landowners in Spokane County who have been impacted by the devastating Oregon Rd. fire and Gray fire. Their team of specialists will come to your property and conduct a thorough assessment and provide informed recommendations based on your goals for the property. Additionally, they will also inform landowners of current programs that may provide financial assistance for necessary actions. Visit their website here for additional information.

Spokane Regional Health District and the Spokane Clean Air Agency have issued joint guidance about handling debris. Guidance is available online here.

Link to the Waste Management website is provided here.

Link to Sunshine Disposal is provided here. Sunshine disposal has hauling options to assist with disposal.

Link to the Washington Department of Ecology is provided here.