Federal Way, WA • King County
Federal Way’s closest King County option is the Algona Transfer Station near Auburn — garbage-only with limited public hours — with the full-service Bow Lake station in Tukwila as the next-nearest choice. Here’s the current info for a self-haul run, plus the new South County station coming in 2026. Or skip the trip entirely: we’ll haul it for a $99 minimum, no dump run required.
Rather not load, drive, and wait? Text us a photo of the pile.
📱 Text a Photo to (253) 722-4285The Facts
The closest King County transfer station to Federal Way — a small, older, garbage-only facility in the City of Algona, near Auburn. The fuller-service Bow Lake station in Tukwila is the next-closest option. Here’s the current information for a self-haul trip, verified against King County’s official listings.
| Address | 35315 W Valley Highway, Algona, WA 98001 |
|---|---|
| County | King County (Solid Waste Division) |
| Hours | Limited public hours (reduced schedule) — confirm the current days and times with King County before you go |
| Phone | (206) 477-4466 |
| Accepts | Garbage only — there are no recycling or yard-waste services at Algona |
| Coming 2026 | A new, full-service South County Recycling & Transfer Station is expected to open in summer 2026 to serve Auburn, Algona, Federal Way & Pacific |
Effective Jan 1, 2026 — the standard King County rate (Algona charges the same county fee). Rates change periodically; confirm on the King County disposal-fees page.
Before You Load Up
Algona is a garbage-only station — so recycling and yard waste aren’t accepted here at all, and the usual hazardous and banned items still can’t go in the pit. Sort these out (and find another site for the recyclables) before you go — or hand the whole mixed pile to us and skip the sorting:
Not sure where an item goes? We handle appliances, e-waste, metal, and mixed loads every day and route each stream to the right place — see how we recycle & donate »
Getting There
The Algona Transfer Station sits on W Valley Highway in the small City of Algona, just east of Federal Way near Auburn, along the West Valley Highway and SR-167 corridors. It’s an older, open-sided, direct-dump facility — here’s how a self-haul trip actually goes:
Algona runs a reduced public schedule and is garbage-only. Call King County at (206) 477-4466 to confirm it’s open before you load up — a wasted trip is the most expensive kind.
Tie down and cover everything. King County charges a $25 fee for any load that arrives unsecured — a loose tarp can cost you.
You’re charged by weight, with a $40.25 minimum. County employees direct you to the tipping floor; you unload your own vehicle by hand.
Do the Math
The transfer-station fee is only part of the bill. Add up the truck you don’t own, the gas, the fee, the possible unsecured-load charge, and your Saturday standing in line — and the “free” dump run isn’t. Here’s the honest comparison:
Simple
Send a picture of the pile to (253) 722-4285. We give you a firm, all-in price — no station trip to price it.
Same-day and next-day slots are usually open across Federal Way and the Valley.
Our crew loads it, hauls it, and takes it to the right place — you never see the transfer station.
Where It Goes
Algona is garbage-only, so a self-haul trip there means everything goes in one pit — and your recycling has to go somewhere else. We work differently: reusable furniture and household goods go to charitable partners for a second life, appliances and metal go to recyclers, and e-waste goes to certified electronics recyclers. Because we sort loads right on the truck, only what genuinely can’t be reused or recycled reaches the transfer station.
That’s the part a self-haul trip can’t do for you — see our eco-friendly practices »
Questions
Free estimates and same-day service across Federal Way and the whole South Sound. Text a photo of the pile for the fastest price — or explore more with our South Sound dump guide and Federal Way junk removal page.
Takes 60 seconds · No obligation · Same-day response
