Willard Springs Transfer Station opens Friday free green waste-only disposal

COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County will reopen the Willard Springs Transfer Station for the summer season for free green waste-only disposal.

The station will not be accepting bulk waste due to cash handling and social distancing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Green waste disposal provides an incentive for residents to clean up their properties before wildfire season.

Willard Springs will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. starting Friday, April 3 through Oct. 31. Residents will be allowed to dump acceptable green waste such as pine needles, branches, leaves and brush for free at the transfer station until further notice. Willard Springs’ green waste disposal footprint allows several residents at a time to dump green waste while staying more than six feet away from one another. As Willard Springs supports only cash transactions, this will eliminate the handling of cash by both County personnel and the public.

Willard Springs can’t accept bulk and trash waste at this time due to space limitations. Trash and bulk waste must be measured by County personnel and offloaded by residents into bins located in a confined area of the  transfer station. Bulk waste must be transferred to the City of Flagstaff’s Cinder Lake Landfill by County personnel, while green waste remains onsite at the transfer station.

“While the COVID-19 pandemic mandates that we do our best to follow CDC protocols during this challenging and rapidly changing situation, it also is important that we help our residents get ready for fire season,” said District 3 County Supervisor Matt Ryan, whose district includes the Willard Springs Transfer Station. “Allowing for the disposal of green waste for free at Willard Springs encourages our residents to create defensible spaces around their properties before the start of wildfire season.”

The Cinder Lake Landfill, located at 6770 E. Landfill Rd, is accepting household and bulk waste. Residents are asked to wait in their vehicles while landfill attendants conduct load inspections. For more information, please call the landfill at 928-213-2125.

Green waste disposal at Willard Springs is subject to change if additional restrictions are deemed necessary to help mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents are encouraged to call Ron Hollamon, Coconino County Public Works Solid Waste Manager, at (928) 679-8300 for more information.