Public Viewing Room

Take a self-guided tour of the J.P. Patches Viewing Room on the third floor of the South Transfer Station to learn how our transfer stations process more than 320,000 tons of garbage, recycling and yard waste each year.

The Viewing Room overlooks the "tipping floor" so visitors can watch the station's daily operations. In addition, educational displays and videos explain Seattle's solid waste system, including recycling and waste reduction.

The Viewing Room is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is ADA-accessible, though due to space constraints, no seating is available. The viewing room is not staffed by employees, and no staff-led tours are provided To ensure the it remains open to all, please follow the below guidelines:

  • All children must be supervised by an adult.
  • Please be gentle with exhibits, do not break or damage.
  • No food or drink allowed.
  • No birthday parties, large groups, or events. 

There are additional resources for teachers and students about School Recycling and Waste Reduction. These videos about recycling, composting, and Seattle’s solid waste system may also be useful for your classroom.

Public Utilities

Andrew Lee, General Manager and CEO
Address: 700 5th Avenue, Suite 4900, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 34018, Seattle, WA, 98124-5177
Phone: (206) 684-3000
SPUCustomerService@seattle.gov

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Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is comprised of three major direct-service providing utilities: the Water Utility, the Drainage and Wastewater Utility, and the Solid Waste Utility.