After more than a year of fits, starts and complications, Orcas Recycling Services is in the driver’s seat at the Orcas Island solid waste transfer station.

The San Juan County Council unanimously approved a contract Aug. 20 with Orcas Recycling Services to provide solid waste and recycling handling services at the Orcas Island transfer station.

ORS and San Juan County Public Works expect that ORS will begin operations in September. ORS will take over all solid waste operations at the transfer station and provide services to both self-haulers and the county solid-waste franchise hauler, San Juan Sanitation.

The initial five-year contract can be extended by the county in five-year increments for up to 20 years.

ORS will initially offer lower disposal rates, so self-haulers on Orcas are expected to see an immediate decrease in disposal costs, and will be making improvements to the solid-waste facility in the near and long term, according to county officials.

Immediate improvements include installing new signage, minor traffic improvements and a new tarping station for transfer trailers. ORS is also planning on building a re-use facility on the site and first expects to complete a site master plan.

ORS has not yet proposed a schedule for construction of the re-use facility.

Direct questions regarding ORS and its new operations to ORS Director Pete Moe, petemoe@gmail.com, or 360-298-2600.