Due to the inability of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad to provide intermodal shipping containers, which are used to ship solid waste by rail to the regional landfill, Island County Solid Waste Transfer Stations are at capacity and were temporarily closed as of Thursday. Island County officials are unsure when they will reopen.

BNSF has indicated that staffing and related supply chain issues are the cause of the delays, and they are working to quickly resolve the issues.

Until further notice, the Coupeville Transfer Station, Camano Island Transfer Station, Oak Harbor Drop-box Facility and the Bayview Drop-box Facility will be closed to residential and commercial self-haul solid waste collection, and disposal services. However, these facilities will still be open and available for self-haul recycling services.

As soon as shipping containers become available, and the facilities are able to remove excess stockpiled refuse, collection and disposal services will reopen.

For updates and further information, please visit www.islandcountywa.gov/PublicWorks/SolidWaste/Pages/Home.aspx