The new year brings with it some new rules from King County Solid Waste. According to a recent press release, cardboard, scrap metal, yard waste and clean wood will, as of Jan. 2, no longer be accepted as garbage at its transfer stations that accept those materials for recycling.

“The items we’re targeting in the new recycling rule account for about one third of what self-haul customers bring to our facilities to be disposed of as waste,” said Pat D. McLaughlin, King County Solid Waste Division director.

The new rule applies to residents and businesses that haul their own garbage, recyclable and compostable materials to King County transfer stations and drop boxes.

Officials said that there will be no change in garbage disposal fees, and that customers would likely save money by separating these recyclable materials. There is currently no fee for recycling anything except yard waste and clean wood (unpainted, untreated lumber, pallets and crates), and that fee is more than 50 percent lower than the garbage disposal fee.

“When recyclable materials are put back into the economy, they help create local jobs while conserving natural resources by reducing the need to create new products from virgin materials,” McLaughlin said.

Editor’s Note: The Vashon transfer station does not accept clean lumber for recycling at this time, so that material should continue to be disposed of as garbage, per Doug Williams, spokesperson for King County Solid Waste.