The Bow Lake Recycling & Transfer Station at 18800 Orillia Rd S in Tukwila is the busiest transfer station King County runs, handling roughly a third of all the garbage that moves through the county's system. If you've heard people call it simply the Bow Lake transfer station, it's the same place. What sets it apart for self-haulers is the schedule: the garbage building stays open around the clock most weekdays, so you can drop off a load before work, after work or in the middle of the night.
Last checked 2026-09-25 against King County Solid Waste Division pages, its 2026 facility guide and the Bow Lake fact sheet. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm before you go.
See Bow Lake and nearby drop-offs on the map
Bow Lake Transfer Station at a glance
| Operator and owner | King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Solid Waste Division |
| Address | 18800 Orillia Rd S, Tukwila, WA 98188 |
| Garbage building | Mon–Thu open 24 hours; Fri midnight–11:30 p.m.; Sat–Sun 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. |
| Recycling area | Mon–Fri 6 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sat–Sun 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. |
| Closed | Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day |
| Vehicle limit | 40 feet bumper to bumper, including any trailer |
| Info line | 206-477-4466 |
Bow Lake Recycling and Transfer Station hours
There are two schedules to keep straight.
The transfer building (garbage): King County's 2026 facility guide lists it as open 24 hours a day Monday through Thursday. On Friday it runs from midnight to 11:30 p.m., then closes overnight. Saturday and Sunday hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The recycling area sits outside the main building and keeps shorter hours: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends. If you're bringing cardboard, yard waste or appliances late at night, those outside areas will be closed, so plan a daytime trip for mixed loads.
The station closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. (An older county fact sheet lists shorter Sunday hours; we've used the 2026 guide, but it's worth checking the county page if you're going on a Sunday afternoon.)
Who uses Bow Lake
The county says Bow Lake mainly serves people and businesses from Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, SeaTac and Tukwila. Like all King County stations, it's for self-haulers who live or work in the county's solid waste service area. Seattle residents have their own city-run stations; see our South Transfer Station guide.
Commercial trucks bring most of the tonnage, but most of the visits are regular people. In 2023 the station recorded almost 197,000 customer visits, and about 78 percent of them were self-haulers.
A newer, bigger station
The current Bow Lake Recycling & Transfer Station opened in July 2012 on a 20-acre property along Interstate 5, replacing a station that had been there since 1977. Expanded recycling followed in October 2013. The building earned LEED Platinum certification, and the station won a 2014 Solid Waste Association of North America award for excellence in transfer stations. Rainwater from the roof is stored in vaults and reused to wash floors and truck wheels. The station's public art piece, "Confetti Cloud," is a sculpture built from salvaged glass fragments.
Garbage from Bow Lake is trucked about 17 miles to King County's Cedar Hills Regional Landfill.
Materials you must sort out
Four materials aren't accepted as garbage at Bow Lake and must go into marked bins:
- Corrugated cardboard
- Clean, untreated wood
- Scrap metal
- Yard waste
Inside the main building, there are bins for cardboard, clean wood and scrap metal right next to where self-haulers unload, so you can separate them as you go.
What Bow Lake recycles
- Mixed recyclables: paper, cartons, cans, glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles and tubs, and lids 3 inches or bigger, all empty, clean and dry
- Cardboard
- Appliances, including refrigerant units ($30 each)
- Mattresses and box springs ($30 each to recycle, up to six pieces a day; they must be dry)
- Fluorescent bulbs and tubes (a per-vehicle daily limit applies)
- Scrap metal
- Textiles: clothing, shoes, linens and similar, clean or worn, as long as they're dry
- Yard and food waste
- Tires: up to four per customer, rims OK, placed in the tire bin (garbage fee applies)
What it won't take
- Household hazardous waste. Take it to King County's South County drop-off at 35101 West Valley Hwy in Algona (open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8 a.m.–4 p.m., weekends 9 a.m.–5 p.m., closed Wednesday) or to Factoria in Bellevue.
- Computers, monitors and TVs. Use E-Cycle Washington (1-800-732-9253), which is free.
- Asbestos and ammunition.
- Large, heavy items over 2 × 2 × 2 feet that also weigh more than 200 pounds, unless you've gotten a county waste clearance first.
2026 fees at Bow Lake
| Material | Fee |
|---|---|
| Garbage, minimum (up to 320 lb) | $40.25 |
| Garbage, per ton | $243.38 |
| Clean wood or yard waste, minimum | $20.70 |
| Clean wood or yard waste, per ton | $129.38 |
| Refrigerant appliances | $30 each |
| Mattress recycling | $30 each |
| Mixed recyclables, cardboard, textiles | Free |
| Unsecured load | $25 extra |
Payment options are Visa, Mastercard, Discover, cash and Apple Pay. If you hold a ProviderOne, EBT or ORCA LIFT card, ask for the Cleanup LIFT discount: $20 off each type of waste per visit. It isn't offered to businesses or to residents of Seattle or Milton.
Tips for a smoother visit
- Use the overnight hours if they suit you. For garbage-only loads, the round-the-clock Monday–Thursday schedule gives you options outside regular business hours.
- Bring mixed loads in daylight so the outdoor recycling area is open.
- Separate wood and yard waste from garbage to get the lower rate; mixed loads are charged as garbage.
- Tarp your load. The county adds $25 for unsecured loads.
- Keep branches under 4 inches thick and 8 feet long.
Nearby alternatives
- Renton Recycling & Transfer Station, 3021 NE 4th St, Renton: weekdays 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m., weekends 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Its recycling is limited and the vehicle limit is 25 feet. See our Renton Transfer Station guide.
- South County Recycling & Transfer Station, 35101 West Valley Hwy, Algona: weekdays 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m., weekends 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., with a hazardous waste drop-off on site.
- Seattle's South Transfer Station for Seattle residents; see our South Transfer Station page.
Find more transfer stations near you
Search the nationwide dump map by ZIP code, browse our King County listings, or open the Bow Lake station listing. For the basics of how these sites work, read our transfer station near me guide.
Bow Lake Transfer Station FAQ
Is the Bow Lake transfer station open 24 hours?
The garbage building is open 24 hours Monday through Thursday and from midnight to 11:30 p.m. on Friday, per King County's 2026 guide. Weekend hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the outdoor recycling area keeps shorter hours.
What are the Bow Lake Recycling & Transfer Station recycling area hours?
Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
How much does it cost to dump at the Bow Lake transfer station?
In 2026, garbage costs a $40.25 minimum for up to 320 pounds and $243.38 per ton above that. Separated yard waste and clean wood start at $20.70.
Does the Bow Lake Recycling & Transfer Station take mattresses?
Yes. Bow Lake recycles dry mattresses and box springs for $30 each, with a limit of six pieces per day.
Can I bring paint or chemicals to the Bow Lake transfer station?
Only dried-out latex paint, which can go in the garbage. Oil-based paint and other hazardous waste go to the South County or Factoria hazardous waste drop-offs.
Before you go
Hours, fees and rules change. We last checked this page on 2026-09-25 using King County's Bow Lake station page, its disposal fees and restrictions pages, the 2026 facility guide and the Bow Lake fact sheet. Confirm details on the official Bow Lake Recycling & Transfer Station page or call 206-477-4466 before you haul.