ABOUT US

Founded in the 1944, University Place Refuse Service has over 60 years of experience keeping neighborhoods beautiful. We are a full-service refuse company offering residential pickups, curbside recycling, yardwaste disposal and composting, commercial and apartment garbage services, construction waste disposal, drop box (dumpster) rentals, and portable storage units.

UP Refuse is known throughout the Northwest as a company with the highest integrity, who serves with excellence and who believes in community service and participation. From local festivals and fairs, to school fundraisers and community events, UP Refuse has been a sponsor and donor because we believe in community involvement.

UP Refuse was founded by Kordeil Larsen as the smallest garbage company in Pierce County. In the 1960's, when the Utilities and Transportation Commission began regulating trash haulers, all the companies had to request a service area. Others asked for the whole county. Larsen asked for Fircrest and present-day University Place.

We're not the largest garbage company in the county, but we have one of the best reputations in the entire state. How do we keep the tradition of excellence going for over 60 years? UP Refuse keeps up-to-date with technology, hires the best staff, offers a full-range of disposal services, stays involved in our community and protects our customers' best interests. We believe in excellence, integrity and service.

General manager, Roger Gruener joined University Place Refuse in 1974. He has helped guide UP Refuse through the biggest change so far--a move toward recycling. With the help of brother-in-law Neil Holden, UP Refuse is now three times larger than it was before the recycling program began in 1990. Recycling is a huge part of the services that UP Refuse offers. Fircrest and University Place both have curbside recycling. In 2005, UP Refuse joined with other Pierce County haulers to implement a new, simplified curbside recycling system using one large cart rather than separate, smaller bins. Recycling service is offered year round, with pickup every other week on the regular garbage pickup day. The UP Refuse recycling and yard waste programs help divert thousands of tons of waste from landfills and is part of our company's commitment to our region's future.

UP Refuse also offers a recycling center for larger quantities of recyclables, along with cardboard boxes, at our headquarters at 2815 Rochester Street in University Place.

Part of the recycling boom has been from the increase of yard waste. UP Refuse is proud to offer yard waste disposal for all of our customers. Traditionally, yard waste makes up 31 per cent of the materials taken to the landfill.

Grass clippings, garden debris and other organic materials are collected in a large green Yard Waste Toter. Yard waste is picked up the same day as recycling (every other week on the same day as regular garbage pickup).

Automation has also become a major part of our daily operations.  Drivers are no longer required to push and pull heavy toters to and from the trucks.  Our trucks have mechanical arms that grab the toter from the curb and dump them into the truck before returning them back to the curb.  This has significantly reduced the number of injuries to our drivers and increased our productivity immensely.

UP Refuse is proud of our long tradition of waste disposal in Pierce County. We look forward to serving our customers for many years to come!

Early photo of one of our UP/Fircrest Refuse Service trucks, with founder Kordeil Larsen

Our family tradition: Four generations of UP Refuse (1998 Photo)