This Saturday Kitsap residents can jettison any of their broken-down or unuseable furniture such as sofas, chairs, tables, mattresses, beds, bookcases and more for free.

A special “furniture amnesty” is being offered at the Olympic View Landfill from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 13. The fill located in the industrial park just across from the Bremerton National Airport.

Despite the best intentions, the county expects to have its hands full at the event.

“We’re kind of nervous about it,” joked Gretchen Olsen, the solid waste division manager for Kitsap County Public Works. “We expect the event to be very busy this year.”

Olsen estimates 1,500 vehicles drove through last year’s Furniture Amnesty Day at the landfill, with little advertising. This time, the word is out.

Identification will be requested of participants to prove Kitsap County residency, and loads will be screened for regular garbage and charged regular rates accordingly.

The free program — a cooperative effort between the Bremerton-Kitsap County Health District, Public Works and Waste Management — does not accept computers and TVs, or household appliances and hazardous waste.

Aside from those caveats, residents are encouraged to donate — not dump — furniture that is still useable and in decent shape.

Furniture Amnesty goers are also encouraged to cover their loads somehow; for instance, with a tarp, to prevent spills.

“Last year, people were so appreciative of the program, saying this was the greatest thing we’ve ever done,” Olsen said.

The landfill is scheduled to close Thursday, July 26, with the new transfer station to officially open for business the following day.

Olsen said the feasibility of the program will have to be determined in the future, because the garbage won’t be dumped here, but transferred by rail to a landfill in Oregon after July 27.

For more information call the county’s open line at 337-5777.