The Material Recovery Center of Lewis County

The Material Recovery Center of Lewis County -- The MeRC

Location: Solid Waste Central Transfer Station
Address: 1411 S. Tower Ave, Centralia, WA 98531
Hours: 9:00am - 4:00pm every Wednesday and first and third Saturday of each month or by appointment.
Phone: (360) 740-1221 or (360) 740-1481 (Weekends and Holidays)

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ACCEPTED AT THE MeRC

Click the following link to see the list of hazardous materials accepted at the MeRC: Acceptable materials

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ACCEPTED AT THE EAST LEWIS COUNTY TRANSFER STATION

The MeRC maintains a satellite collection trailer at the East Lewis County Transfer Station. The trailer is available to residential customers during normal operating hours of the transfer station. The Transfer Station is open Monday through Saturday. Hours are 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. The Transfer Station is closed on the following holidays: New Years Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas.

Click the following link to see the list of hazardous materials accepted: Acceptable Materials

SWAP SHACK

Lewis County operates a free give-a-way program for unused materials collected through the hazardous waste collection program. Please go to the following link for more information.

Residential Customers

The services of the MeRC are FREE to residential customers! Recycle the following items during operating hours of the Central Transfer Station:

• Used motor oil (includes engine oil, transmission fluid, hydraulic fluid, gear oil, and power steering fluid)
• Spent antifreeze
• Car batteries
• Propane tanks (less than 25 gallons in capacity)
• Fluorescent lights and compact fluorescent lamps -- 15 or less are free. Charges apply for more than 15 lights. (Please go to the scale house first. The collection building for fluorescent lights is in the recycling area.)

Dispose of all other hazard waste items during regular business hours of the MeRC.

Business Customers and Schools

The Hazardous Waste Program and the Material Recovery Center of Lewis County is proud to offer a hazardous waste collection program for conditionally exempt small quantity generators (CESQG) operating in Lewis County.

To qualify for this program, a business or school must generate less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste per calendar month. The MeRC accepts the same hazardous waste items from businesses and schools as it does from residential customers.

Businesses and schools must fill out a work order prior to bringing any waste to the MeRC. Follow the link, work order, to access the needed form. Fax the form back to the hazardous waste program coordinator at 360-330-7805. The coordinator will price each item, total the fees for the work order, and return the work order back to you. After receiving the completed work order it is the business' responsibility to call the hazardous waste program coordinator to schedule an appointment to bring in the hazardous waste. The fees are due on day of delivery. Form of payment includes: cash; check; visa; or master card.

special instructions for latex paint

Latex paint has become a very burdensome waste to manage in Washington State. Latex paint is not a hazardous waste. Latex paint is a special waste because it is a liquid. It cannot be disposed of in the garbage. It cannot be disposed of in the waste water treatment system. It cannot be poured down a storm drain. Latex paint is costly to manage at local hazardous waste collection facilities.

Lewis County manages latex paint through a process of remixing. The paint is collected, segregated into colors and mixed in 55-gal drums. The resulting paint is poured into 5 gallons buckets and given away free to the public.

In 2010 over 9000 gallons of latex paint was given away. An additional 640 gallons was shipped for further processing at a cost of $1500.00. This is very expensive for the county.

In the future we ask all residential and business customers to manage their own latex paint. Go to the Latex Paint page for more information.

Prescription Medications and over the counter pharmaceuticals

Recent research has concluded that pharmaceuticals are now found in surface and ground waster. These medications, vital to the health and well being of many people, are a cause for concern when they are found in the environment.

Until recently, the accepted procedure was to throw unused medicines in the garbage or flush them down the toilet. The recent studies are concluding that this is not the best disposal method. Click here to visit the county's unused medicine website.

The Take it back Network has a program for the collection of unwanted or unused prescriptions medicines. Please visit the following website for more information.

There is a new medicine take back program in Lewis County. Please click here for more information.

You can also visit the site pharmaceuticals to learn more about safe disposal procedures. For a list of pharmacies in Washington State that take back medicines visit the pharmacy website.

Leftover or out of date vitamins, supplements and herbals can be safely disposed of in the garbage.

items not accepted at the MeRC

The following items will not be accepted at the MeRC:

• Empty containers (includes paint cans, aerosol cans, oil containers, antifreeze containers, garden chemical containers) -- Wrap in a garbage bag and dispose of in the garbage.
• Water (in paint cans and buckets and antifreeze containers) -- allow to evaporate
• Rinse water from latex paint brushes and rollers -- allow to evaporate
• Dried paint (latex or oil based), adhesive, tar or asphalt -- place in a plastic garbage bag, tie and place in a garbage can.
• Containers of latex paint less than 1/2 full (Remove lids, allow contents to dry, wrap in a garbage bag, dispose of in the garbage)
• Fertilizer -- Apply to lawn or garden or give to a neighbor or local farmer