Kitchen Demolition Debris, Recycling and Donation in Clark County

Tearing out a kitchen produces more material than most people expect: cabinet boxes, countertops, drywall, flooring, old appliances, and a shelf of half-used paint and cleaners from under the sink. In Clark County each of those has a different destination, and some have rules attached before they can leave the house. This page covers where everything goes, what it costs at the gate according to the posted rates, and what is worth donating before the demolition crew arrives.

Before anything is torn out

Two checks come before the first cabinet is removed, because both affect how debris must be handled.

• Asbestos. Old sheet vinyl, floor tile, mastic and wall or ceiling texture are suspect materials under the Southwest Clean Air Agency's rule, SWCAA 476, regardless of the year they were installed. Clark County's instruction is: "Before demolition, contact Southwest Clean Air Agency at 360.574.3058". Debris suspected of containing asbestos must be tested before it goes to a transfer station. Negative results are shown at the scale house. Positive results need a Special Waste permit from Columbia Resource Company, 360.737.1727. The survey rules are in asbestos and kitchen remodels in Clark County.
• Lead paint. In a home built before 1978, Washington's renovation rule (chapter 365-230 WAC) requires a contractor disturbing painted surfaces to be a certified firm using lead-safe work practices, including containment so that no dust or debris leaves the work area. See lead paint rules for pre-1978 homes.

Sort the kitchen before demolition

The three transfer stations

Clark County's public works department states: "Residents and commercial contractors may self-haul C&D debris to any transfer station." Loads must be secured and covered. All three stations are operated by Columbia Resource Company, a Waste Connections company, and their rates and hours are governed by its contract with Clark County.

What disposal costs at the gate

Columbia Resource Company charges by weight, plus a fee for each trip, plus state tax. As of October 2026 its rates page lists:

• Solid waste disposal: $118.65 per ton.
• Rate per cubic yard, where it applies: $14.83.
• Transaction fee, per trip, charged in addition to disposal rates: $10.00.
• "a 3.6% State GRT tax will be charged on every disposal transaction at any CRC location."
• Special handling for a refrigerator, freezer or air conditioner: $24.91.

Some things we could not confirm, and you should ask the scale house about each:

• A separate construction debris rate. The rates page links a "Construction And Demolition Waste Acceptance Form" but prints only the general solid waste rate.
• The minimum charge for a small load. We could not find one stated for general solid waste.
• How ranges, dishwashers and other appliances without refrigerant are charged, by weight or accepted as scrap metal.
• When the current rates took effect. The page prints no effective date.

Because the charge is by weight, dense material drives the bill. If a contractor is doing the work, hauling and disposal should appear in the estimate, which is one of the lines to look for when comparing kitchen remodel estimates.

Who is allowed to haul it

Clark County's page explains that Waste Connections holds the exclusive certificate to collect and haul garbage in the county, construction sites included, and that a contractor may self-haul only the garbage its own personnel produced, in its own labeled company vehicle. It may not haul garbage produced by subcontractors or clients. For a homeowner, the practical point is to ask who will remove the debris from each trade on the job, and to be cautious about a third party offering to haul it away for a fee. Confirm the current rule with Clark County Public Works if it affects how you plan the work.

If you are doing your own demolition, you may haul your own debris. Read what homeowners may do themselves first, because the asbestos rules still apply to an owner-occupant.

Paint, solvents and other hazardous leftovers

Clearing the kitchen usually turns up old paint, stains, solvents and fluorescent tubes. These do not go in the debris load. Residents can bring household hazardous waste to the transfer stations free of charge on the days listed in the table above. "Business hazardous waste will not be accepted."

Clark County lists a limit of 25 gallons or 200 pounds per visit and asks residents to sign a form stating the waste is not from a business. It also says mercury-containing lights, aerosols, antifreeze and motor oil can be dropped off during all transfer station hours. Confirm the limits with the county before bringing a large quantity.

For paint specifically, PaintCare operates in Washington and states: "There is no charge for dropping off paint at a PaintCare drop-off site." It accepts "house paint as well as primers, stains, sealers, and clear coatings such as shellac and varnish." We could not confirm the status of a retail take-back program for fluorescent lamps, so use the hazardous waste drop-off for those.

Donating cabinets and appliances

Evergreen Habitat for Humanity runs two Habitat Stores in Vancouver that resell donated building materials:

• Central Vancouver Habitat Store, 10811 SE 2nd Street, Vancouver, WA 98664.
• West Vancouver Habitat Store, 3200 NE 52nd Street, Vancouver, WA 98663.

Donations are taken Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5:30 pm, and the stores are closed Mondays. The phone number is 360-213-1313.

The acceptance rules are strict, and they decide whether your cabinets are a donation or debris. The store accepts "New or gently used complete kitchen cabinets, clean with all doors and drawers attached". It does not accept cabinets that are damaged, dirty or in poor repair, missing hardware, doors or drawers, showing exposed staples or nails, home-made, or repainted. Appliances must be "New or gently used large kitchen and laundry appliances under 10 years old; clean, functional, no repairs needed", and wall-insert ovens are not accepted. Every item not on a pallet "must be a 2 person lift or less", and "All items are accepted at staff discretion".

The store offers residential pick-ups "with priority and standard options available." Pick-up fees and lead times are not published, so ask when you call. We also could not confirm that Habitat offers a deconstruction service, where its own crew removes a kitchen, so do not plan around one without asking. Whether your existing cabinets are worth saving at all is a separate question from whether a store will take them.

Planning debris into the project

1. Settle the asbestos and lead questions first.
2. Photograph cabinets and appliances and call the Habitat Store to see what it will take.
3. Schedule the donation pick-up or drop-off before demolition day.
4. Take hazardous leftovers to a transfer station on a hazardous waste day.
5. Agree in writing who hauls the rest and what it costs.

Demolition is one of the first on-site steps in the kitchen remodel timeline, and it goes faster when these decisions are already made. JDI Construction handles project management for the homeowner, so ask us during planning how demolition debris will be removed and what looks donatable. To start, see our Vancouver kitchen remodeling page.