Trash & Recycling in Bothell, WA (2026)
9 verified trash & recycling rules for Bothell, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
In the City of Bothell, Washington, single-family homes get one pickup per week covering garbage, recyclables and yard debris in contractor-provided wheeled carts. Residential collections run between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with Saturday allowed for make-up, holiday and inclement weather collections.
Bothell Residential Trash Pickup Days and Hours
Some RestrictionsBothell Municipal Code § 8.20.080
The contractor shall collect all garbage, recyclables and organics placed at curbside for disposal by residential customers in contractor-provided wheeled carts. ... A. Residential single-family, one pickup per week, everything placed for pickup by resident to include solid waste, recyclables and yard debris. ... B. All collections in residential areas (including both single-family and multifam...
Bin Placement Rules
In the City of Bothell, Washington, carts go two feet apart and at least three feet from cars, trees, mailboxes and fences, with wheels as close to the curb as possible and lids opening toward the street. Each article of refuse is capped at 65 pounds, and larger carts at 200 pounds.
Bothell Cart Placement and Spacing at the Curb
Some RestrictionsBothell Municipal Code § 8.20.080
The variable cart rate is based upon carts, bins and refuse material being placed two feet apart, at least three feet from cars, trees, mailboxes, and fences. Cart wheels shall be placed as close to the curb as possible with cart lids opening towards the street. Total weight of each article of refuse is not to exceed 65 pounds/32-gallon capacity. Larger carts are lifted mechanically and are lim...
Recycling Requirements
In the City of Bothell, Washington, residential and commercial customers must use contractor-provided wheeled carts for garbage, recycling or organics, with at least one rigid container as the primary garbage container. Overflow can go in a customer-provided approved container, which cannot be the primary container.
Bothell Curbside Recycling Cart Requirements
Some RestrictionsBothell Municipal Code § 8.20.160
As provided in the contract with the solid waste hauler, the contractor shall provide: A. The available container sizes for the respective level of garbage, recycling or organics collection as well as multifamily/commercial recyclables collection and yard debris collection shall be established in the contract with the solid waste hauler. The list of containers is available on the contracted hau...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
In the City of Bothell, Washington, the city-contracted collector must provide every customer three carts: garbage, recycling, and organics for yard debris or food scraps. Only the Public Works director or designee can exempt a customer from recycling or organics service, and only for space limits, persistent contamination, or similar unusual circumstances.
Bothell Organics Cart Requirement for Every Customer
Some RestrictionsBothell Municipal Code § 8.20.020
A. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person other than a city-contracted collector may engage in the business of solid waste collection within the city. B. The city-contracted collector is required to provide every customer three carts: one for solid waste (garbage); one for recycling; and one for organics (yard debris or food scraps); provided, that the public works director or ...
Illegal Dumping
In the City of Bothell, Washington, dumping litter in public or on someone else's private property is a civil infraction: a Class 3 infraction with a maximum of $50.00 for up to one cubic foot, and a Class 1 infraction with a maximum of $250.00 above that, plus a $25.00 per cubic foot clean up fee.
Bothell Illegal Dumping and Litter Penalties
Some RestrictionsBothell Municipal Code § 8.44.270
A. Any person violating the provisions of BMC 8.44.040 is guilty of a civil infraction, which penalty shall be assessed as follows: 1. The penalty shall be a Class 3 civil infraction which involves a maximum penalty and default amount of $50.00, not including statutory assessments, for a person who litters in an amount less than or equal to one cubic foot. 2. The penalty shall be a Class 1 civi...
Yard Waste Collection
In the City of Bothell, Washington, yard debris means leaves, grass, and clippings of woody and fleshy plants. Material larger than four inches in diameter or four feet in length is excluded, and bundles up to two feet by two feet by four feet must be tied with degradable string or twine.
Bothell Yard Debris Collection Size and Bundling Rules
Some RestrictionsBothell Municipal Code § 8.20.010
K. “Organics” means all separately or combined yard debris and food waste/scraps. ... N. ... “Yard debris” means leaves, grass, and clippings of woody as well as fleshy plants. Unflocked whole holiday trees are acceptable. Materials larger than four inches in diameter or four feet in length are excluded. Bundles of yard debris up to two feet by two feet by four feet in dimension shall be allowe...
Dumpster Rules
In the City of Bothell, Washington, every development other than single-family residential must provide storage space for garbage and recyclables, sized per 1,000 square feet of floor area. Outdoor collection points stay out of required setbacks, sit inside a seven-foot wall or fence with a gate, stay out of view from the street, and keep container lids closed (BMC § 12.14.155).
Dumpster and Garbage Collection Point Rules in Bothell, Washington
Some RestrictionsBothell Municipal Code § 12.14.155
All development other than single-family residential development shall provide storage space for the collection of recyclables and garbage as follows: ... C. The storage space for nonresidential development shall be apportioned and located in collection points as follows: ... 2. Outdoor collection points shall not be located in any required setback areas. ... 4. A seven-foot wall or fence with ...
Collection Schedule
In the City of Bothell, Washington, every person is required to use a city-licensed solid waste hauler, or the city's own service. Failing to maintain service is a civil infraction at twenty-five dollars per day per container for residential customers and two hundred fifty dollars per day per container for commercial or multifamily customers.
Bothell Mandatory Garbage Service and Daily Fines
Significant RestrictionsBothell Municipal Code § 8.20.280
A. All persons shall be entitled and required to utilize the services of a solid waste hauler licensed by the city, or services of the city in the event it elects to be the collector, using such schedule and routes as shall be determined and approved by the city and filed with the city clerk, public works director or designee. B. The city may contact the city-contracted collector to confirm ser...
Recycling Rules
In the City of Bothell, Washington, a recycling or organics cart with visible contamination gets a notification tag and can be rejected or dumped as garbage. The customer can be charged a return trip fee or a city contamination fee, and recurrent offenders can have the cart removed by order of the public works director.
Bothell Recycling Contamination Rules and Fees
Some RestrictionsBothell Municipal Code § 8.20.191
A. To prevent contamination of recycling and organics at processing facilities, the city and city-contracted collector will identify recycling and organic collection containers with visible contamination. For any contaminated container, the collector shall place in a prominent location a notification tag that identifies the specific problem(s) and may reject the materials for collection or have...
Looking for King County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Bothell city rules.
Trash & Recycling in King County →