Federal Way, WA Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)
Key Facts
- What may be composted
- Vegetable waste, ashes, leaves, grass, cuttings
- Where
- On private premises
- No odors
- Site must not create odors
- No exposed food waste
- Food waste must be covered, not exposed
- Nuisance ban
- Nuisance/health-hazard composting is prohibited
Summary
Federal Way allows residents to compost vegetable waste, ashes, leaves, grass and other organic debris on their own property under FWRC 11.20.030, as long as the pile does not create odors, expose food waste, scatter debris or draw pests.
Vegetable wastes, ashes, leaves, grass, plant cuttings and other organic debris may be composted on private premises provided the compost site is maintained so as not to create odors, expose food waste, allow debris to become scattered or increase the risk from pests. Composting any waste that creates a public nuisance or health hazard is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-1049, passed August 11, 2026).
Full Breakdown
030 is Federal Way's composting ordinance, and it is permissive rather than restrictive: vegetable wastes, ashes, leaves, grass, plant cuttings and other organic debris may be composted on private premises. The section attaches four maintenance conditions that keep a compost pile lawful rather than banning composting itself: the site must be maintained so it does not create odors, does not expose food waste, does not allow debris to become scattered, and does not increase the risk from pests. 120 requiring that solid waste and source-separated material not accumulate around a property in a way that becomes a nuisance, whether from volume or odor.
100 requires that yard debris destined for curbside pickup go into yard debris carts or another city-approved method, never mixed with garbage or recyclables. 100.
Violations & Fines
Composting that creates a public nuisance or health hazard is separately prohibited under FWRC 11.20.030 and can be treated as a public nuisance under FWRC 11.20.120. Absent a more specific penalty, a violation of the solid waste division defaults to a misdemeanor under FWRC 1.10.010, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with continuing violations counted separately by day; the city can also pursue civil abatement and monetary penalties under FWRC 1.15.040 and 1.15.080.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I allowed to have a backyard compost pile in Federal Way?
Can my neighbor complain about my compost pile smelling bad?
Do I have to put my yard debris in the city's yard debris cart if I compost it myself?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Federal Way
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Composting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle composting.