Tacoma Landfill hours & directions

Hours
8 a.m.-6 p.m., every day
(Closed: New Year’s Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day)

Location
Tacoma Landfill
3510 S. Mullen St., Tacoma, WA  98409

Directions

• From I-5: Take Exit 132 and merge onto SR-16. Take Exit 1C Fircrest/Center Street. At the traffic light, go straight onto South Mullen Street and follow the road until you reach the landfill.
• From Orchard Street: Turn onto South Center Street going east. Turn right onto South Mullen Street and follow the road until you reach the landfill.

Landfill rules and guidelines

For the benefit of you and landfill employees, follow these rules and tips when taking loads to the Tacoma Landfill:

• Secure your load
  Uncovered or unsecured loads are illegal and are hazardous on the road and at the landfill. Unsecured loads may incur additional fees.
• Show proof of residency
  To be eligible for the City residential rate, you must show a current Washington state driver’s license or ID showing a City address that receives City residential solid waste service in your name. Or you can bring a picture ID along with a current City utility bill showing an address that receives residential solid waste service in your name.
• Bag or wet down items that create large amounts of dust
  Items such as drywall, insulation, dirt, sod and sawdust produce excessive amounts of dust that is harmful for customers and employees to inhale. Dusty loads that are improperly contained may be rejected or incur additional fees.
• Separate recyclables and household hazardous waste from the rest of the load
  The Tacoma Landfill offers designated areas to unload reusable household items and building materials, general recyclables, household hazardous waste and appliances.
• Avoid the rush
  Typically, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays and after 10 a.m. on weekends are the busiest times at the landfill.
• Observe the speed limit
• No smoking 
• No pets outside of vehicle
• No scavenging
• No hazardous material
• Follow employee instruction
• Follow signs
• Look out for pedestrians in the area

For more information, e-mail solidwaste@cityoftacoma.org or call (253) 591-5543.






Tacoma Landfill tours

What happens to garbage when it leaves your home or business? What's the most unique item buried in the landfill? How does Solid Waste Management dispose of hazardous materials? Take a tour of the City of Tacoma Landfill for answers to these questions and learn how things work behind the scenes.

What you’ll learn
The tour will start at the landfill entrance where your tour leader explains Tacoma's garbage, recycling, yard waste and hazardous waste disposal methods. You’ll travel throughout the landfill to active and inactive areas and see up close the groundwater and methane gas systems that keep the landfill environmentally sound.

Typical tour groups

• School groups -- kindergarteners to college students
• High school and college environmental clubs
• Scouts - cub, boy and girl scouts working on environmental badges
• Businesses
• Non-profit and community groups

How to prepare
Make the most of your landfill tour by asking a lot of questions. This will help the tour leader know what you're most interested in and ensures you get the information you want. Bring clothes to protect you from wind and rain. People with sensitive hearing should bring ear plugs. The tour lasts between 45 and 60 minutes.
Schedule a tour
To schedule a tour, e-mail solidwaste@cityoftacoma.org , or call (253) 591-5543. 

Street heading to the landfill contains nearly 100% recycled material

Mullen Street, the heavily-trafficked street that daily brings hundreds of visitors to the City of Tacoma Landfill, Recycling Center and Household Hazardous Waste Facility, was long overdue for a makeover in 2002.

Virtually every phase of Mullen Street's recycled makeover contained some percentage of materials with recycled content including:

• Asphalt
• Sidewalks
• Curbs
• Tree bark
• Light poles
• Gutters
• Artwork
• Landscaping

Asphalt for the 1,250-foot street was made using re-crushed asphalt and roofing shingles. Parts of the sidewalk, curb, trench backfill and conduit crossings were also constructed with re-crushed asphalt, but also contain concrete waste and fly ash, a by-product of the smelting process.

In addition, recycled aluminum was used to construct five new light poles. The City's Streets and Grounds Maintenance Division used composted yard waste and recycled tree bark for the landscaping. Artifact Co., aenvironmental artists, designed an built unique banners for the light poles as well as two artistic monuments that mark the entrance to the landfill.

Tacoma Firs Golf Center

Usually when someone mentions "driving" and "landfill," it implies loading up a truck and dumping garbage. In Tacoma, if someone talks about “driving at the landfill,” it might be with their golf clubs at Tacoma Firs Golf Center’s driving range, located at the Tacoma Landfill.

In 1999 a private company built a $4 million driving range facility on a portion of the City of Tacoma Landfill. Now run by Tacoma Firs Golf Center, the facility features 80 tee stations on two levels, an 18-hole miniature golf course, natural grass putting green, 50-yard short practice area and pro shop.

The unusual agreement works out well for everyone involved. Tacoma Firs Golf Center has a successful business located on previously unused land and the City of Tacoma, who owns that land, receives a minimum lease payment of $36,000/year or a revenue sharing percentage, whichever is greater.

For more information about Tacoma Firs Golf Center, call (253) 472-6899 or visit www.tacomafirsgolfcenter.com.

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