Kira Erickson reports from the Island County Commissioners’ board meeting of Wed., Nov. 5, 2025 for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.
Summary by Perplexity.ai
Island County commissioners are seeking solutions for the lack of car recycling options, especially on South Whidbey. During a recent work session on the new recycling contract, Commissioner Melanie Bacon learned that none of the three bidders accept cars, leaving residents with expensive removal fees and few disposal options. Commissioner Jill Johnson emphasized the difficulty for those needing to haul cars long distances. Suggestions included creating a separate vendor request and considering if government should manage disposal. Public Works staff acknowledged the county’s responsibility to address abandoned vehicles and plan to include this issue in the 2026 work agenda, exploring waypoints to offset disposal costs.
They Said It
Commissioner Melanie Bacon was surprised to learn that none of the three bidders for the contract accept cars as a recyclable item.
“There’s few things more solid waste-y than a car, than a broken down old car,” Bacon said.
Commissioner Jill Johnson agreed it was a problem because people living on South Whidbey are told to get their junk vehicles off their properties with no place to take them.
“You shouldn’t expect someone to haul that car for an hour up to the North End,” she said.
Commissioner Janet St. Clair (D-Camano Island) suggested putting out a separate request for proposals for a vendor that does accept cars.
Johnson wondered aloud if the disposal of vehicles should be a responsibility of county government, but stressed that she didn’t want to interfere with the private companies that do it.
