Rural Systems

Kootenai County operates a rural system for the collection of household refuse from our county's rural customers. The intention of the rural system is to provide service to those rural residential areas of the county that do not have private collection or other disposal facilities available locally. We do encourage collection for your convenience and have found it to be at a very reasonable cost.

This system is designed and contracted to collect only household refuse. It is not intended for the collection of other materials such as tires, wood, construction debris (sheet rock, concrete, etc.) appliances, furniture, hazardous waste and large bulky items. We ask that you dispose of these materials at the Ramsey Ave. or Prairie Ave. Transfer Station

The rural system is not for disposal of commercial or business generated waste. Homeowner's solid waste fees are being used every time a commercial business uses the rural system for disposal.

If you witness a violation of the posted regulations, including commercial disposal, please contact the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department at (208) 446-1300. If you can provide a description of the vehicle and a license plate number, there is a better chance of finding the violator.

We are pleased to begin our Rural Site Recycling Program. Under this program, the acceptable recyclable items do not need to be separated. Just place all of the acceptable recyclable items you have into the Rural Site Recycling Bin. This simple process makes using the recycling bin just as easy as the trash bin. The convenience of this program will encourage more people to recycle and divert more waste from our landfill. For more information, download our Rural Systems Flyer here.

The Rural Collection System is broken down into three Categories:

Northern Route: All North sites are currently staffed seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Twin Lakes: Site is located at mile post 13 on Highway 41 between Twin Lakes and Spirit Lake
• Garwood: Corner of State Highway 53 and Old Highway 95
• Athol: Howard Road, North of State Highway 54 east of Athol

Southwest Route

• Mica Flats: Kidd Island Rd. adjacent to Worley Highway District Shop
• Rockford Bay: Rockford Bay Rd east of Rockford Bay Resort
• Sun-up Bay Road: Adjacent to Alexandria Rest Stop
• Cave Bay Road: 1/4 mile East of Worley

Southeast Route

• Blue Creek Bay: Intersection of Yellowstone Trail Rd & Blue Creek Rd.
• Wolf Lodge: Intersection of Wolf Lodge Rd & I-90
• Rose Lake Junction: Intersection of State Highway 3 & I-90
• Rose Lake: On State Highway 3 at Rose Lake Village
• Valley Mart: On State Highway 3 at Valley Mart Store
• Harrison Junction: State Highway 97 on North side of Cd'A River
• Carlin Bay: Carlin Creek Rd 1/2 mile east of State Highway 97

Kootenai County Code, Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 15 states the following:

1. Disposal Of Hazardous Or Dangerous Waste Material: It shall be unlawful and a violation of this chapter for any person to deposit or dispose or in any way aid or assist in the deposition or disposal of, or provide for delivery of, any hazardous waste material within the Kootenai County waste disposal system or anywhere within Kootenai County. Nothing in this chapter is intended to conflict with the provisions of the Idaho hazardous waste management act from Idaho Code section 39-4401 et seq., or any other state or federal regulation.



2. Improper Disposal At Approved Rural Residential Collection Site:

1. The county maintains rural residential collection sites solely for the use of its residential citizens who reside on properties that have paid the county solid waste fee, as defined in the current fee resolution.



2. Rural residential collection sites are for garbage generated from residential dwellings. Prohibited are any commercial waste, yard waste (greater than three 32-gallon cans or equivalent [96 gallons]), tires, batteries, construction materials, appliances, furniture, carpet, large bulky items, liquid waste, wood or wood products, petroleum products or any other hazardous material (as defined in federal code and/or on the label of the container).



3. Any person who deposits or disposes of any hazardous or otherwise dangerous waste matter at, or provides for delivery of same to an approved solid waste rural residential collection site, transfer station or landfill, shall be liable for the full costs of controlling or eliminating any posed health hazard and/or properly disposing of said dangerous materials, as may be incurred by the county or any other public agency.



4. Persons shall comply with all signs posted by the county at rural residential collection sites, transfer stations and landfills.



5. Any person, commercial or industrial entity, or commercial hauler who deposits or disposes of any waste that is prohibited, as defined herein, at, or provides for delivery of same to an approved rural residential collection site, shall be liable for the penalties articulated below, as well as criminal fines.