It’s spring cleaning time! Clear out the clutter by bringing your items to one of these two upcoming recycling events on Mercer Island.

City of Mercer Island Spring Recycling Event

Saturday, April 7, 9 am – 3 pm
Mercer Island Boat Launch, 3600 East Mercer Way
The City of Mercer Island is hosting their annual Spring Recycling event in April. You can safely dispose of old equipment and household items from your basement or garage, but please make sure to follow the guidelines below. (These guidelines can also be found on the City of Mercer Island’s recycling page.)

What You Can Bring

• TIRES: Limit 6 passenger tires per household (18 inches and below) free of charge. $2 charge for each tire on a rim (cash only). $5 charged for each large truck tire and $15 charged for each truck tire on rim (cash only). No oversized tires accepted.​
• LEAD ACID BATTERIES: Car, truck, marine, and motorcycle batteries accepted.​
• HOUSEHOLD BATTERIES: AAAA, AAA, AA, A, B, C, and D cell alkaline batteries. Rechargeable batteries and cellphone batteries also accepted.
• CARDBOARD: Please flatten. No wax coated cardboard.
• HOUSEHOLD GOODS & CLOTHING: Clothing and miscellaneous household items in good condition. Furniture and items in need of repair will not be accepted.
• CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL SHREDDING: Shredding and recycling of confidential paper materials. Limit 5 file-size boxes. No exceptions.
• PORCELAIN TOILETS & SINKS: Toilet seats, hardware, and base wax rings must be removed. $15 charge (cash only).
• {2}PROPANE TANKS: Residential five gallon tanks only. $5 charge (cash only).
• REFRIGERATORS, FREEZERS & AIR CONDITIONERS: $28 (cash only) will be charged for each refrigerator or freezer. $33 (cash only) will be charged for each household air conditioner. Please be prepared to pay at event entrance.
• APPLIANCES & SCRAP METAL: Stoves, microwaves, washers, dryers, other metal appliances, metal push and gas lawnmowers (drained of oil and gasoline), auto parts, lawn chairs, barbecues, iron, steel, aluminum, brass, copper, and other ferrous and non-ferrous metals free of charge. $5 (cash only) will be charged for each water heater that still has insulation coating. Metals that are insulated, rubber or oil coated, previously or currently contain chemicals, paint, or hazardous materials will not be accepted. Light fixture ballasts and sealed drums will not be accepted. Any item that contains gas or oil will be rejected.
• ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT: DVD players, VCRs, stereo equipment, printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners, cellular phones (remove personal information) and computer peripherals such as keyboards and mice. Computers, monitors and televisions will NOT be accepted. You can recycle these items for free at other locations – see the E-Cycle section below for more information.
• MATTRESSES: Mattresses and box springs, any size. $15 per mattress and $15 fee for each box spring (cash only). Vendor reserves the right to refuse any item it cannot recycle. No furniture or frames. No wet or soiled items.
• STYROFOAM BLOCKS & PACKING PEANUTS: White styrofoam blocks. Packing peanuts (any color). No urethane foam cushions, hot tub covers, expanded polypropylene or foam insulation. Expanded polystyrene only. Look for the #6 or EPS inside the recycling symbol. Packing peanuts: please keep in box or bag. Materials must be clean and dry.
• CLEAN SCRAP WOOD: Milled lumber, plywood, and pallets. These wood products must be untreated and unpainted. Please do NOT bring furniture, yard waste, stumps, branches, construction or demolition material, as it will NOT be accepted.

Please Do Not Bring

• Construction/demolition debris
• Garbage
• Furniture
• Plastic toys
• Hoses
• Window glass
• Plastics
• Paint of any kind
• Pesticides/herbicides
• Solvents or thinners
• Household chemicals
• Cleaning products
• Fluorescent lights
• Televisions & Monitors, Computers & Laptops (See E-Cycle section on website)

NEW THIS YEAR: Motor oil, oil filters, antifreeze, brake fluid, transmission fluid, 2-cycle oil, steering fluid, crankcase oil, kerosene, and home heating fuel will not be accepted during the recycling event. You can dispose of these items at the City’s Public Works Shop at 9601 SE 36th Street (behind City Hall) Monday – Friday, 7 am – 3 pm.

Donate Food to MI Food Pantry

During the recycling event, you may bring nonperishable food or make a cash contribution to the Mercer Island Food Pantry (through MIYFS). Before donation, please check dates on food to ensure the date has not expired. Non-perishable food donations are tax deductible (tax receipts available).

Additional Information

Paper shredding will once again be offered on site. This spring, they will also have highly discounted rain barrels ($25 each) available for purchase. Supplies are limited.
For extensive details on what is and isn’t accepted, visit the City’s recycling event page >>
Please call 206-275-7608 if you have any questions.

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Windermere Mercer Island Free Recycling Event

Saturday, May 19, 10 am – 3 pm
Windermere Mercer Island Parking Lot, 2737 77th Ave SE, Mercer Island
If you’re not prepared for the city’s recycling event in April, you’re in luck. Our Windermere Real Estate office on Mercer Island will be hosting our free annual recycling event in May for those “hard-to-recycle” items. We also sponsor a Confidential Data Disposal truck for free, secure shredding of old documents.
Windermere can accept the following items:

Windermere CANNOT accept:

• Wood furniture
• CRT televisions (flat screens OK)
• CRT monitors  (flat screens OK)
• Chemicals
• Paint
• Tires
• Lightbulbs
• Glass
• Gasoline
• Oil

See last year’s event page for more information >>