Lake Forest Park and Kenmore residents haul their own garbage during sympathy strike against Republic Services

Thousands of residents in Lake Forest Park and Kenmore are experiencing disruptions to waste and recycling services as Republic Services honors a nationwide Teamsters strike initiated on July 9, 2025. To alleviate the growing garbage backlog, Republic has established drop-off locations in six Western Washington cities and plans to add more in the coming days. On Thursday, residents filled the Lake Forest Park Towne Centre parking lot to transfer their garbage into waiting Republic trucks. A worker from Florida, assisting with the situation, remarked, “We’re just up here to help out,” highlighting the urgency of the service disruption. Republic Services is prioritizing critical customers as they work to resume normal operations.

They have deployed additional employees from other regions and are collaborating with temporary labor to manage the drop-off locations. The company has communicated updates through local news channels, emphasizing their commitment to resolving the issue. Local officials have expressed gratitude for the cooperation in setting up these services to aid residents during the strike.