Trash & Recycling in Kennewick, WA (2026)
6 verified trash & recycling rules for Kennewick, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Kennewick residential customers receive weekly curbside garbage and recycling collection from Waste Management (WM Northwest) under the exclusive franchise authorized by KMC 9.04. Carts must be at the curb by 5:00 a.m. (June-September) or 6:00 a.m. (October-May). Holiday rules: WM collects on all holidays except Christmas Day and New Year's Day; when a service day is missed for a holiday, all collections that week shift one day later. Bagged-leaf yard waste collection happens during the first full week of November, December, and January.
Weekly Curbside Garbage and Recycling by WM Northwest Under KMC 9.04 Franchise
Some RestrictionsBin Placement Rules
Waste Management's published Kennewick cart-placement rules require carts to be placed at the curb with the wheels and handle facing the house, the lid-arrow pointing at the street, and at least three feet of clearance from parked cars, mailboxes, utility poles, fences, low branches, and other carts so the automated truck arm can grab them. Carts must not block the sidewalk. Recycling and garbage carts should be set side-by-side with the required three-foot spacing rather than touching.
WM Northwest Cart Placement Rules: Wheels Toward House, 3-Foot Clearance, Off the Sidewalk
Few RestrictionsBulk Item Disposal
Bulky items - mattresses, furniture, large appliances - are not collected on the regular curbside route in Kennewick. Customers schedule a special bulk pickup by appointment with Waste Management (WM Northwest) for a per-item fee. The Benton County alternative is self-haul to the WM Kennewick Transfer Station at 2627 S Ely St (a permitted solid-waste handling facility under WAC Chapter 173-350). White goods containing CFC refrigerants require certified refrigerant recovery before disposal under federal Clean Air Act Section 608.
Bulk Items by Appointment Through WM Northwest; Self-Haul to Kennewick Transfer Station
Few RestrictionsRecycling Requirements
Kennewick residential single-stream recycling is collected weekly by Waste Management (WM Northwest) and accepts paper, cardboard, plastic bottles/cups/jugs/tubs, and aluminum/steel/tin food and beverage cans. Glass is NOT accepted in curbside recycling. Plastic bags are NOT accepted. Materials must be clean and empty. Mandatory subscription to franchised collection under KMC 9.04 covers both garbage and recycling.
Weekly Single-Stream Recycling: No Glass, No Plastic Bags, Clean and Empty (WM Northwest)
Few RestrictionsIllegal Dumping
Illegal dumping inside Kennewick is enforceable under the Washington statewide statute RCW 70A.205.195, which tiers penalties by volume: a class 3 civil infraction for less than 1 cubic foot, a misdemeanor for 1 cubic foot to less than 1 cubic yard, and a gross misdemeanor (plus mandatory litter-cleanup restitution) for 1 cubic yard or more. Local enforcement is by Kennewick Police and Code Enforcement; on private property the city pursues remediation under KMC 9.48 nuisance authority and may bill cleanup costs via RCW 35A.21.405.
Illegal Dumping Penalties Scale by Volume Under RCW 70A.205.195 (Civil Infraction to Gross Misdemeanor)
Heavy RestrictionsYard Waste Collection
Kennewick does not have a year-round curbside yard-waste cart program. WM Northwest collects bagged leaves on the regular garbage day during the first full week of November, December, and January (three weeks total per season). Outside that window, yard waste goes in the garbage cart (within weight limits), self-haul to the WM Kennewick Transfer Station, or backyard composting. Outdoor burning of yard waste is regulated by the Washington Department of Ecology and the Benton Clean Air Agency; burning is generally prohibited inside urban growth areas where alternatives exist.
Bagged-Leaf Curbside Collection 3 Weeks Per Winter; Year-Round Outdoor Burning Restricted
Some RestrictionsLooking for Benton County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Kennewick city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Benton County →