Trash Talk

A pig and her piglets munch on some leftover food from the Darrington School District’s cafeteria at the Guerzan homestead on Friday, March 15, 2024, in Darrington, Washington. Eileen Guerzan, a special education teacher with the district, frequently brings home food scraps from the cafeteria to feed to her pigs, chickens and goats. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

‘A slopportunity’: Darrington school calls in pigs to reduce food waste

Washingtonians waste over 1 million tons of food every year. Darrington found a win-win way to divert scraps from landfills.

 

A front loader clears trash away from the wall as people unload their waste at Airport Road Recycling & Transfer Station at on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Antifreeze, batteries, cooking oil: All are recyclable — for free

Snohomish County Public Works operates six recycling and waste facilities. Residents can bring in lawn mowers and propane tanks.

 

Items are sorted for recycling inside the Waste Management Cascade Recycling Center in Woodinville, Washington on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)

10 cents per bottle: Recycling companies have mixed views on proposal

A new bill cosponsored by Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds, could give Washingtonians refunds for glass and plastic, to boost recycling.

 

Volunteers break down and collect styrofoam during a recycling event at 1049 State Ave in Marysville, Washington on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. (Annie Barker / The Herald)

Volunteers trim trees, holiday trash at recycling event in Marysville

Locals dropped off styrofoam and Christmas trees on Saturday. The event helped repurpose items not allowed in recycling bins.

Volunteers break down and collect styrofoam during a recycling event at 1049 State Ave in Marysville, Washington on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Darrington Elementary School fourth grader Brayden Parris, 9, fills up his cup with chocolate milk from one of the schools new milk dispenser during lunch on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023 in Darrington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Darrington school reduces lunchroom waste with new milk dispensers

Milk cartons generally aren’t accepted by recycling centers in Snohomish County. Dispensers could be a solution. And they save milk too.

Darrington Elementary School fourth grader Brayden Parris, 9, fills up his cup with chocolate milk from one of the schools new milk dispenser during lunch on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023 in Darrington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Items are sorted for recycling inside the Waste Management Cascade Recycling Center in Woodinville, Washington on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Trash Talk

Trash Talk: A new column on waste, recycling in Snohomish County

What can you recycle, really? Confusion about waste guidelines inspired a new monthly series to answer readers’ questions.

Items are sorted for recycling inside the Waste Management Cascade Recycling Center in Woodinville, Washington on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)