Yard waste burning could be banned year-round in King County
Published 2:11 pm Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) is considering a year-round ban on residential yard waste burning in its four counties, including King County.
PSCAA regulates local residential yard waste burning rules and is required by state law to regularly assess whether residents have a reasonable alternative to burning. The goal, according to the PSCAA website, is to reduce smoke, both to protect the environment and the health of residents.
Outdoor burning is already banned in all Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) across PSCAA’s four counties: King, Kitsap, Snohomish and Pierce. UGAs include cities and surrounding areas that the state has designated for a city’s future growth under the Growth Management Act.
This new ban, if approved, would affect land outside UGAs, like around Enumclaw, Black Diamond, and Buckley.
Alternatives to burning yard waste — such as composting or curbside collection and drop off services — are now “widely available,” PSCAA states.
Recycling services for yard waste are available at the Enumclaw, Bow Lake, Cedar Falls, Factoria, Shoreline and Vashon transfer stations, but not all of King County’s waste facilities.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Over the next few months, PSCAA will create a draft of its new outdoor burning rules. In the last few months of the year, the public will be able to comment on that draft; the chance to comment during the pre-draft period is over.
To comment on the draft when it is released, residents can email RAOB@pscleanair.gov.
A decision is expected to be made by the PSCAA board of directors in 2027. The board includes mayors, council members and other elected officials from the four counties.
To sign up for email alerts, email PSCAA or see if your property would be affected, visit pscleanair.gov/723/Upcoming-Rulemaking-for-Residential-Yard.
