Puako Transfer Station

Puako Transfer Station is the small transfer station on Puako Beach Drive in Waimea where locals drop off household loads to be compacted and trucked to a larger landfill. Neighbors, property managers, and anyone clearing out a car or garage tend to use it for shorter runs instead of driving all the way to a distant landfill.

Drive up to a simple entrance booth and be prepared to stop at a scale; many transfer stations charge by weight, so expect to pause again on the way out. Pull up to the drop-off bays or containers and unload into clearly marked bins or compactors; recycling containers are commonly grouped near the main drop area. The site looks like a working yard-big trucks, compacting equipment, and piles of sorted material-so wear shoes you don’t mind getting a little dusty. Weekends and seasonal cleanups often bring a line, so plan for a short wait if it’s busy.