Pierce County Public Works & Utilities reminds all county residents and businesses impacted by the recent flood to report their damages to the Department of Emergency Management’s Damage Assessment Center at 1-866-798-6363 (toll-free) between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. through Fri., Jan.16. Information collected from these reports will help determine where to focus clean up assistance.

Pierce County and its private sector partners offer many free and low cost options for handling some materials damaged by flooding, such as electronics, hazardous materials and yard waste. Visit piercecountywa.org/recycle to view the complete recycling and disposal resource guide.

Here are some tips:

1. Disposal and recycling

The following facilities are open seven days a week for disposal and recycling needs:

— Hidden Valley Transfer Station, at 17925 Meridian East on Puyallup’s South Hill

— Prairie Ridge Transfer Station, at 11710 Prairie Ridge Drive E. at South Prairie Road E. between Bonney Lake and South Prairie

— Purdy Transfer Station, at 144th Street NW at 54th Ave. NW near Gig Harbor

2. E-cycling

Electronic waste is recyclable free of charge at more than thirty Pierce County locations through the E-cycle Washington program. Visit http://www.piercecountywa.org/recycle or http://www.ecyclewashington.org for details.

3. Hazardous waste

Pierce County and the City of Tacoma accept household hazardous waste for free seven days a week at the Tacoma Landfill, 3510 South Mullen, just off Center Street in Tacoma. The same service is provided by Pierce County’s solid waste contractor at the Hidden Valley Transfer Station on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

4. Yard waste

County residents can recycle their first cubic yard of yard waste free of charge at any of the transfer stations listed above. Additional cubic yards are accepted at $7 per yard.

5. Stay safe

To protect personal health and safety while assessing flood damage and clean up, observe these guidelines:

— Do not burn flood debris or yard waste. It is illegal everywhere in urban Pierce County and the fine particles in debris smoke can cause health problems.

— Make sure any contractor hired to help clean up is fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and that any waste materials are taken to a legal disposal site. Require disposal receipts/dump tickets from the contractor before paying for services.

— When hauling waste or recyclables, secure the load on the vehicle to protect yourself and others on the road. Bring cash to pay the disposal fee, as facilities do not accept other forms of payment.

Assistance programs provided by the Solid Waste Division will not be retroactive. Reimbursement is not available for costs incurred prior to the launch of any cleanup program.

For more information, contact the Solid Waste Division at (253) 798-2179, email pcsolidwaste@co.pierce.wa.us or visit http://www.piercecountywa.org/solidwaste .