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Trash & Recycling in Washington (2026)

309 rules on the books across Washington, 47 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.

Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Trash and recycling collection days, what time to put bins out, and rules about sorting materials for curbside pickup.

Bellingham

Significant Restrictions

Only the city's contracted hauler may collect garbage or refuse in Bellingham: anyone else picking up trash without a…

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Thurston County

Significant Restrictions

Thurston County designates its own transfer stations and drop-box facilities as the only lawful places to dispose of…

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Auburn

Some Restrictions

Auburn requires garbage, recycling and compostables carts to be at the curb by the hauler's scheduled start time and…

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Benton County

Some Restrictions

Benton County runs disposal, not curbside pickup. Kennewick uses Waste Management, Richland runs its own utility, and…

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Bothell

Some Restrictions

In the City of Bothell, Washington, single-family homes get one pickup per week covering garbage, recyclables and yard…

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Burien

Some Restrictions

In the City of Burien, Washington, commercial businesses in the downtown collection area must lock every solid waste…

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Chelan County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Chelan County runs no municipal curbside pickup of its own; instead, Chelan County Code § 4.04.020 bans…

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Clark County

Some Restrictions

Curbside garbage and recycling in unincorporated Clark County is provided by WUTC-certificated haulers. Recycling is…

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Cowlitz County

Some Restrictions

Containers used to store or collect solid waste in unincorporated Cowlitz County must be rigid, corrosion-resistant…

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Edmonds

Some Restrictions

Edmonds requires curbside recyclables to be set out on your hauler's designated collection day under Edmonds City Code…

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Federal Way

Some Restrictions

Only service providers holding a current Federal Way service agreement or franchise may collect and haul garbage in the…

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Grays Harbor County

Some Restrictions

Collection companies serving unincorporated Grays Harbor County must offer every-other-week curbside recycling pickup…

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Island County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Island County doesn't run its own curbside pickup route; instead, section 13.02A.100 puts the job on…

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Kent

Some Restrictions

Kent requires every person and property to use the city's contracted solid waste collection system under KCC 7.03.020…

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King County

Some Restrictions

Certificated haulers serving unincorporated King County must collect recyclable materials from every single-family home…

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Kirkland

Some Restrictions

Kirkland single-family residents may set garbage, recycling and yard waste carts out no earlier than 24 hours before…

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Kitsap County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated Kitsap County, the WUTC-regulated solid waste company can refuse to pick up a recycling or…

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Lacey

Some Restrictions

In the City of Lacey, Washington, all persons, associations and corporations must dispose of garbage and refuse through…

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Lakewood

Some Restrictions

Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington sets the ground rules for how residential garbage must be presented for pickup: it…

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Lynnwood

Some Restrictions

Lynnwood, Washington, a Snohomish County city, requires every property owner and entity to obtain garbage collection…

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Marysville

Some Restrictions

Marysville's utility department collects residential garbage at least once a week under Marysville Municipal Code…

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Olympia

Some Restrictions

In the City of Olympia, Washington, Olympia Municipal Code § 13.12.110 requires every occupant to keep suitable cans…

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Pasco

Some Restrictions

PMC 8.05.210 sets minimum pickup frequency: residential solid waste must be collected at least once a week, public food…

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Pierce County

Some Restrictions

Pierce County Code Chapter 8.30 establishes a county solid waste handling system for all unincorporated areas, but…

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Port Townsend

Some Restrictions

Port Townsend requires curbside solid waste collection at least once a week for homes, arranged through the city's…

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Puyallup

Some Restrictions

Puyallup requires every commercial and residential property owner to deposit all solid waste in an approved container…

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Renton

Some Restrictions

Renton sets garbage collection for single-family homes and duplexes once weekly, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through…

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Richland

Some Restrictions

In the City of Richland, Washington, basic residential service includes a gray household cart and a green yard waste…

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Seattle

Some Restrictions

Seattle requires every residence to keep a sufficient number of garbage containers under SMC 21.36.050, with at least…

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Shoreline

Some Restrictions

The City of Shoreline caps how much a garbage receptacle can weigh once filled and requires clear access for pickup…

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Snohomish County

Some Restrictions

SCC 7.42.040(2) sets the garbage pickup menu haulers must offer in the county's recycling service zone: weekly mini-can…

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Spokane County

Some Restrictions

Spokane County runs a mandatory regional solid-waste system. Solid waste generated in unincorporated areas must go to a…

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Tacoma

Some Restrictions

Tacoma bars overloading trash and recycling carts beyond their rated capacity when it would damage trucks, create…

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Walla Walla County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Walla Walla County runs no curbside trash pickup; residents self-haul to county drop box sites, and…

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Whatcom County

Some Restrictions

Whatcom County doesn't run collection trucks itself; UTC-certificated private haulers do, led by Sanitary Service…

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Yakima

Some Restrictions

Yakima residents must carry enough weekly pickups or containers so refuse never overfills; overfilled carts draw fines…

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Yakima County

Some Restrictions

Yakima County itself runs no curbside collection. In unincorporated areas, UTC-certificated private haulers like Yakima…

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Everett

Light Restrictions

Everett's franchised recycling haulers must service multifamily recycling containers on a regular schedule, clean up…

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Lewis County

Light Restrictions

In unincorporated Lewis County, curbside recycling under RSA-1 collects recyclables every other week, per Lewis County…

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Bin Placement Rules

Where to position trash and recycling carts, when they may go to the curb and must come back, and the screening or enclosure rules for where bins live between pickups.

Auburn

Some Restrictions

Auburn requires every single-family customer to keep at least one rigid, service-provider cart as the primary garbage…

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Bellingham

Some Restrictions

Bellingham owners, occupants, and tenants must keep garbage in covered containers; if it's left to pile up, the city…

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Bothell

Some Restrictions

In the City of Bothell, Washington, carts go two feet apart and at least three feet from cars, trees, mailboxes and…

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Clark County

Some Restrictions

For automated pickup, Clark County directs residents to place carts and bins at least 5 feet from obstructions with 3…

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Cowlitz County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated Cowlitz County it's unlawful to store solid waste where it can blow away, be dragged off, or be…

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Edmonds

Some Restrictions

Edmonds City Code Section 7.80.030(D) requires nonmultifamily homes to be given a recycling container for curbside…

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Everett

Some Restrictions

Recycle bins for Everett multifamily properties can't sit in the front-yard setback or the corner-lot street-side…

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Federal Way

Some Restrictions

Federal Way businesses that must set a container or extra unit on a sidewalk or alley for pickup cannot put it out…

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Kennewick

Some Restrictions

Kennewick requires every occupied property to keep sufficient, sanitary cans or receptacles for its solid waste, and…

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Kent

Some Restrictions

Kent requires garbage, recycling, and yard waste containers to sit at curbside for residential pickups, with commercial…

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King County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated King County requires trash and recycling containers to be sturdy, rodent-proof and kept where your…

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Kirkland

Some Restrictions

Kirkland requires garbage, recycling, and yard waste carts to be stored out of public view between collection days…

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Lacey

Some Restrictions

In the City of Lacey, Washington, commercial design guidelines require every refuse container to be screened by a…

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Lakewood

Some Restrictions

Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington requires residents on automated routes to set carts at the curb or alley edge by…

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Lewis County

Some Restrictions

LCC § 8.15.230 requires anyone in charge of a building, dwelling or business in unincorporated Lewis County to keep an…

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Marysville

Some Restrictions

Marysville requires garbage, recycling and yard waste carts to be set at the curb no more than 24 hours before pickup…

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Mason County

Some Restrictions

In the Belfair Urban Growth Area of unincorporated Mason County, garbage and recycling collection areas visible from a…

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Olympia

Some Restrictions

In the City of Olympia, Washington, Olympia Municipal Code § 13.12.110(B) requires each garbage can to be located…

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Pasco

Some Restrictions

PMC 8.05.090 confines residential trash cans to the rear of the front yard setback line the rest of the week. Carts may…

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Port Townsend

Some Restrictions

Port Townsend requires garbage, recycling, and yard-waste containers to sit at the curbside for collection, without…

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Puyallup

Some Restrictions

Puyallup's can-service containers must be insect-proof, capped at 32 gallons, fitted with two handles and a tight lid…

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Renton

Some Restrictions

Single-family Renton households can put garbage, recycling and yard-waste carts at the curb no earlier than 24 hours…

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Richland

Some Restrictions

In the City of Richland, Washington, curbside refuse containers must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day with…

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Sammamish

Some Restrictions

Sammamish requires every dwelling to keep an approved leakproof, covered outside garbage container and bars any…

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Seattle

Some Restrictions

SMC 21.36.080 tells Seattle residents exactly where to put garbage containers for pickup and how long they can sit…

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Shoreline

Some Restrictions

Shoreline tells residents exactly where to set garbage carts for pickup. Shoreline Municipal Code § 13.14.080 requires…

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Snohomish County

Some Restrictions

Collection containers must be kept on private property, never in the public right-of-way. Set them out no sooner than…

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Spokane County

Some Restrictions

Certificated haulers provide the containers, and materials are collected 'on the improved public road nearest to the…

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Spokane Valley

Some Restrictions

Spokane Valley makes it a public nuisance to store garbage or recyclables without a receptacle that has a tight-fitting…

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Thurston County

Some Restrictions

In Thurston County's Mixed Use corridor zone, trash and recycling containers must be screened and can't sit between the…

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Whatcom County

Some Restrictions

Any trash or garbage collection storage area in unincorporated Whatcom County must be screened behind a solid fence or…

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Yakima

Some Restrictions

Yakima requires garbage carts at the curb by 6 a.m. on collection day and kept on private property the rest of the…

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Tacoma

Light Restrictions

Tacoma bars storing goods, wares, or containers on a public sidewalk, alley, or street, but carves out an exception…

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Pierce County

Few Restrictions

Pierce County Code sets no countywide curb setout time, so cart placement in unincorporated areas follows the…

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Bulk Item Disposal

How to dispose of large items like furniture, appliances, and mattresses, including scheduled pickups and drop-off locations.

Thurston County

Significant Restrictions

Unincorporated Thurston County has no curbside bulky-item pickup: residents self-haul large items and bulky waste to…

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Benton County

Some Restrictions

Benton County bars depositing car bodies, large trees and limbs, and similar oversized items at any public disposal…

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Chelan County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Chelan County has no curbside bulk pickup; residents self-haul brush, appliances and scrap metal to…

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Clark County

Some Restrictions

Bulky items like furniture, mattresses, appliances, and electronics are not put in curbside carts. Clark County…

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Federal Way

Some Restrictions

Federal Way has no separate city bulk pickup program; overflow and bulky trash goes out as an 'extra unit' next to your…

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Kennewick

Some Restrictions

Kennewick doesn't offer curbside bulk-item pickup; instead the city's franchised collector must give residential…

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Kent

Some Restrictions

Kent requires its contracted collection companies to run a semiannual residential cleanup each spring and fall for…

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King County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated King County has no curbside bulky-item pickup in its code; residents self-haul large items and…

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Kirkland

Some Restrictions

Kirkland handles large items like appliances, furniture and mattresses through On-Call Bulky Waste Collection, a…

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Lakewood

Some Restrictions

Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington does not include bulky items such as furniture, appliances, tires, concrete or tree…

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Lewis County

Some Restrictions

Lewis County defines "bulky waste" (appliances, furniture, trees and stumps, demolition debris, and other oversized…

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Marysville

Some Restrictions

Marysville has no curbside bulk pickup; residents request a temporary container from the city utility department for…

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Mason County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Mason County has no curbside bulk pickup; residents haul large items to a transfer station instead…

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Port Townsend

Some Restrictions

Port Townsend's solid waste contractor collects bundled brush and yard waste every other week, but branches over four…

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Puyallup

Some Restrictions

Puyallup does not run a year-round bulk-item curbside pickup. Instead, the city's solid waste contractor holds a…

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Renton

Some Restrictions

Large items like furniture, appliances, and junk vehicles are "bulky waste" under RMC 8-1-2 and can't be stored or…

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Seattle

Some Restrictions

Seattle provides bulky item collection through Seattle Public Utilities and operates transfer stations for large items…

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Shoreline

Some Restrictions

In the City of Shoreline, large appliances and bulky items are collected for a fee by the authorized garbage hauler…

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Snohomish County

Some Restrictions

SCC 7.42.040(4)(a) requires every licensed hauler serving unincorporated Snohomish County to offer bulky materials…

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Spokane County

Some Restrictions

Bulky and 'problem' wastes go to county transfer stations under set rules. SCC 8.56.220 limits loose tires to five per…

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Tacoma

Some Restrictions

Tacoma single-family and duplex ratepayers get two free Call-2-Haul bulk pickups a year, capped at three large items…

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Walla Walla County

Some Restrictions

Walla Walla County's resident drop box sites will not take every load: Section 8.08.020 bars dumping trees, limbs, and…

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Whatcom County

Some Restrictions

No active landfill operates in Whatcom County. Large items go out through hauler bulky-item pickup by appointment, or…

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Yakima

Some Restrictions

Bulky items like appliances, furniture and tree limbs don't go in regular Yakima carts: each bulk refuse collection…

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Grays Harbor County

Light Restrictions

Grays Harbor County Code § 8.32.040 makes bulky item pickup an optional, fee-based add-on: any resident who already…

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Island County

Light Restrictions

Large items like appliances, furniture and other oversize refuse that won't fit in a regular garbage can are "bulky…

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Richland

Light Restrictions

In the City of Richland, Washington, large cleanouts go through the city's voluntary roll-off container program rather…

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Pierce County

Few Restrictions

Pierce County residents dispose of bulky items, appliances and extra debris either through their WUTC-certificated…

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Recycling Requirements

Mandatory recycling rules including which materials must be separated, contamination penalties, and composting requirements.

Washington: statewide

StatewideSome Restrictions

Washington requires curbside recycling availability in urban areas under RCW 70A.205 and mandates organics collection…

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Auburn

Significant Restrictions

Auburn's contracted haulers are the city's exclusive agents for collecting recyclables citywide, though residents may…

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Kirkland

Significant Restrictions

Kirkland requires multifamily and commercial properties to participate in recycling collection of at least newspapers…

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Seattle

Significant Restrictions

Seattle requires every resident in a single-family home, multifamily building, or mixed-use structure to separate…

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Bellevue

Some Restrictions

Bellevue Municipal Code designates eight material categories that count as recyclable under city law: newspaper, mixed…

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Bellingham

Some Restrictions

Bellingham makes it unlawful to collect baled paper, cardboard, aluminum or other recyclable material from any premises…

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Benton County

Some Restrictions

Washington does not force households to recycle, but state law (RCW 70A.205) requires Benton County's solid-waste plan…

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Bothell

Some Restrictions

In the City of Bothell, Washington, residential and commercial customers must use contractor-provided wheeled carts for…

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Burien

Some Restrictions

In the City of Burien, Washington, every business with a physical location in the city, other than a home occupation…

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Clark County

Some Restrictions

Curbside recycling is available to all Clark County residents and is mandatory in some cities and urban growth areas…

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Edmonds

Some Restrictions

Every waste collector serving Edmonds must make curbside recycling services available under Edmonds City Code Section…

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Federal Way

Some Restrictions

Federal Way residents place recyclables in service-provider recycling bins or carts at curbside, and those containers…

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Grays Harbor County

Some Restrictions

Grays Harbor County Code § 8.32.030(A)-(B) requires certificated haulers to offer every-other-week, single-stream…

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King County

Some Restrictions

Certificated haulers in unincorporated King County must offer curbside recycling to every single-family home and…

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Kitsap County

Some Restrictions

Curbside recycling is not opt-in for most Kitsap County households: if a single-family customer already gets garbage…

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Lakewood

Some Restrictions

Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington requires the City's licensed contractor to provide curbside commingled recycling to…

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Marysville

Some Restrictions

New multifamily, office, and institutional developments in Marysville must build dedicated recyclables storage space…

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Mason County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Mason County requires every certificated hauler to offer every-other-week single-stream curbside…

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Pierce County

Some Restrictions

Pierce County Code 8.29.030 requires certificated haulers to offer every-other-week, single-stream curbside recycling…

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Port Townsend

Some Restrictions

Port Townsend requires curbside recyclables in contractor-approved containers, and every developed property must…

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Puyallup

Some Restrictions

Puyallup's contractor supplies a city-approved recycling container to any single-family or multifamily property whose…

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Richland

Some Restrictions

In the City of Richland, Washington, the blue recycling cart accepts only cardboard, plastic, newspaper, aluminum and…

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Sammamish

Some Restrictions

Sammamish's adopted building code requires every new building to include dedicated storage space for recycled…

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Snohomish County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated Snohomish County, garbage service can't be sold without recycling collection bundled in. SCC…

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Spokane County

Some Restrictions

In urban unincorporated Spokane County, certified haulers must collect co-mingled recyclables from every eligible…

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Tacoma

Some Restrictions

Tacoma treats a recycling or yard waste cart contaminated with garbage as ordinary trash, billing it as an extra reload…

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Thurston County

Some Restrictions

Thurston County sets the minimum recycling collection service every unincorporated household must receive under Code…

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Whatcom County

Some Restrictions

Anyone with garbage service in unincorporated Whatcom County must also get recycling pickup under WCC § 8.10.050: at…

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Yakima County

Some Restrictions

Washington does not force households to recycle, but state law (RCW 70A.205) requires Yakima County's solid-waste plan…

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Kennewick

Light Restrictions

Kennewick sets no blanket curbside recycling mandate: city code lets the City Manager order residents to segregate…

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Lynnwood

Light Restrictions

Lynnwood, Washington, does not fix recycling details in its municipal code; LMC 7.15.010 has the director of public…

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Olympia

Light Restrictions

In the City of Olympia, Washington, Olympia Municipal Code § 13.12.130 does not order residents to recycle. It gives a…

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Pasco

Light Restrictions

PMC 8.05.190 gives Pasco the option, not a standing mandate, to require households and businesses to separate paper…

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Renton

Light Restrictions

Recycling collection is voluntary in Renton, but once recyclables are placed at the curb under RMC 8-1-3(E), only the…

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Shoreline

Light Restrictions

Shoreline runs its recycling program through curbside carts rather than a mandatory sign-up. Shoreline Municipal Code §…

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Island County

Few Restrictions

Unincorporated Island County has no mandatory curbside recycling program written into its code today. The county did…

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Lewis County

Few Restrictions

In unincorporated Lewis County (RSA-1), the county has adopted a curbside recycling program under LCC § 8.10.020 that…

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Illegal Dumping

Penalties and enforcement for dumping trash, debris, or hazardous materials on private or public property without authorization.

Cowlitz County

Heavy Restrictions

Dumping solid waste anywhere but a county-approved disposal site, or into someone else's collection container without…

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Edmonds

Heavy Restrictions

Dumping solid waste in Edmonds outside the state-adopted disposal rules is a crime under Edmonds City Code Section…

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Everett

Heavy Restrictions

Dumping garbage, refuse or waste anywhere in Everett outside the authorized disposal system is a criminal offense…

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Grays Harbor County

Heavy Restrictions

Dumping solid waste outside the county's designated disposal sites is unlawful in unincorporated Grays Harbor County…

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Island County

Heavy Restrictions

Dumping solid waste anywhere in unincorporated Island County outside a permitted disposal facility is a public-nuisance…

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King County

Heavy Restrictions

Dumping solid waste anywhere but an approved receptacle or official disposal facility is unlawful in unincorporated…

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Kirkland

Heavy Restrictions

KMC 11.64.040 bans dumping litter, garbage, or debris on public property or on private property you don't own…

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Kitsap County

Heavy Restrictions

Dumping any waste on public or private property that isn't a designated legal dump site is a public nuisance in…

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Lynnwood

Heavy Restrictions

Lynnwood, Washington, in Snohomish County, bans illegal dumping through LMC 7.14.070, which adopts RCW 70.95.240…

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Marysville

Heavy Restrictions

Dumping garbage or refuse on any street, alley, or public or private property without the receptacle owner's consent is…

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Pierce County

Heavy Restrictions

Dumping garbage, sewage or debris on any street, public property or private property without the owner's consent is a…

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Port Townsend

Heavy Restrictions

Port Townsend bans dumping refuse or garbage on property you don't own, public or private, unless the owner gives prior…

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Renton

Heavy Restrictions

Dumping garbage, recyclables, or yard waste on a street, alley, or someone else's property in Renton violates RMC…

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Seattle

Heavy Restrictions

Dumping solid waste anywhere in Seattle without authorization is unlawful under SMC 21.36.420. Anything over 1 cubic…

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Skagit County

Heavy Restrictions

Dumping any solid waste in unincorporated Skagit County outside a permitted facility violates SCC 12.16.080. The Health…

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Walla Walla County

Heavy Restrictions

Illegal dumping in unincorporated Walla Walla County covers more than trash: Section 8.08.020 bars dumping dead…

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Federal Way

Significant Restrictions

Dumping solid waste or source-separated material on any street, public place or private property in Federal Way outside…

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Kennewick

Significant Restrictions

Kennewick declares it a public nuisance to throw, deposit, or dump garbage, waste, refuse, litter, or debris in any…

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Kent

Significant Restrictions

Dumping solid waste in Kent without a permit is unlawful under RCW 70A.205.195, adopted into Kent City Code 9.02.535…

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Lewis County

Significant Restrictions

Dumping solid waste anywhere in unincorporated Lewis County besides a designated transfer station, landfill, or exempt…

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Mason County

Significant Restrictions

Dumping solid waste illegally in unincorporated Mason County draws a two hundred fifty dollar fine per offense under…

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Richland

Significant Restrictions

The City of Richland, Washington makes it a misdemeanor under Richland Municipal Code § 9.12.055 to bury, burn, dump…

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Shoreline

Significant Restrictions

In the City of Shoreline, dumping, throwing or placing garbage on public or private property outside an authorized…

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Tacoma

Significant Restrictions

Dumping litter or waste on public or private property in Tacoma is a civil infraction for small amounts and escalates…

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Auburn

Some Restrictions

Dumping or dropping litter anywhere in Auburn outside an approved container is unlawful under ACC 8.16.030, a civil…

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Bellevue

Some Restrictions

Bellevue's Anti-Litter Code, BCC 9.11.030, bans throwing or depositing litter on streets, sidewalks, private property…

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Bellingham

Some Restrictions

Bellingham Municipal Code § 9.04.050 bars dumping or depositing manure, garbage, offal, or any vegetable or animal…

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Benton County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Benton County bans dumping garbage, offal or manure into any ditch, ravine, river, stream, lake, pond or…

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Bothell

Some Restrictions

In the City of Bothell, Washington, dumping litter in public or on someone else's private property is a civil…

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Burien

Some Restrictions

In the City of Burien, Washington, BMC 8.45.020(5)(c)(viii) treats dumping of any type on public or private property…

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Chelan County

Some Restrictions

Dumping litter or garbage on a street, alley, sidewalk, waterway or someone else's property in unincorporated Chelan…

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Clark County

Some Restrictions

Dumping trash on public or private land in Clark County is prohibited by CCC Chapter 9.28 littering and state law RCW…

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Franklin County

Some Restrictions

Throwing, dropping or depositing litter on any road, street, alley, sidewalk, other property or waters in…

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Grant County

Some Restrictions

Grant County Code 8.28.030 makes it unlawful to throw, drop or otherwise dispose of litter on any road, other public…

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Lacey

Some Restrictions

In the City of Lacey, Washington, dumping trash on public property or on someone else's private property is littering…

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Lakewood

Some Restrictions

Dumping or allowing materials to remain on Lakewood streets, rights-of-way or adjoining property is a civil infraction…

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Olympia

Some Restrictions

In the City of Olympia, Washington, Olympia Municipal Code § 12.24.040 bars anyone from throwing, depositing or…

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Pasco

Some Restrictions

Pasco's solid waste code makes it a violation to transport solid waste over city streets and alleys and dump it…

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Puyallup

Some Restrictions

Dumping, burying or burning solid waste on any Puyallup street, alley, public place or private property is a…

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Sammamish

Some Restrictions

Sammamish Municipal Code 12.05.050 adopts King County Code 12.36.010, which prohibits dumping trash in waterways, as…

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Snohomish County

Some Restrictions

Dumping solid waste anywhere except a permitted site is unlawful. Under SCC 7.35.120, littering up to one cubic foot is…

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Spokane County

Some Restrictions

Dumping litter or solid waste on any public or private land in unincorporated Spokane County is prohibited by SCC…

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Spokane Valley

Some Restrictions

Spokane Valley prosecutes illegal dumping as littering under SVMC § 8.30.030, which adopts the state litter statute…

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Thurston County

Some Restrictions

Dumping solid waste anywhere except a designated county transfer station or drop-box facility is unlawful, and Thurston…

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Yakima

Some Restrictions

Yakima Municipal Code Section 4.16.025 makes it unlawful to throw, place or scatter refuse in or upon a refuse…

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Yakima County

Some Restrictions

Yakima County's Property Maintenance Code makes illegal dumping a nuisance violation: dumping of any kind on public or…

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Yard Waste Collection

Rules for separating grass clippings, leaves, branches, and other yard waste from regular trash, including pickup days and bag/bin requirements.

Auburn

Some Restrictions

Auburn defines yard debris narrowly under ACC 8.08.030: leaves and grass or plant clippings only, capped at four inches…

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Bellevue

Some Restrictions

Bellevue bars residents from mixing yard waste into garbage or recycling containers. Yard debris (grass, leaves, weeds…

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Bothell

Some Restrictions

In the City of Bothell, Washington, yard debris means leaves, grass, and clippings of woody and fleshy plants. Material…

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Edmonds

Some Restrictions

Edmonds requires biweekly yard waste collection for nonmultifamily homes from March through November under Edmonds City…

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Everett

Some Restrictions

Everett requires franchised haulers to offer yard debris pickup to apartment buildings, condos, and trailer parks with…

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Federal Way

Some Restrictions

Federal Way bans mixing yard debris with garbage or recyclables. Only yard debris from residents enrolled in the city's…

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Grant County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Grant County treats yard waste, trees, shrubs and grass clippings as regulated natural vegetation under…

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Kennewick

Some Restrictions

Kennewick lets residents bundle shrubs, trees under six inches in diameter, small limbs, and lumber for pickup, but…

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Kent

Some Restrictions

Kent bans mixing yard waste into a garbage or recycling container under KCC 7.03.045(C). Yard waste must go in a…

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King County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated King County requires yard waste to be kept out of the garbage can. Certificated haulers won't empty a…

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Kirkland

Some Restrictions

Kirkland gives every residential collection customer one free gray yard waste cart alongside the blue recycling cart…

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Kitsap County

Some Restrictions

Yard waste in unincorporated Kitsap County goes out with compostable organics collection, not loose at the curb without…

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Lakewood

Some Restrictions

Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington provides residential yard waste collection under LMC 13.06.110(B) every other week…

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Lynnwood

Some Restrictions

Lynnwood, Washington, in Snohomish County, bars mixing yard waste with garbage under LMC 7.15.060. Once yard waste or…

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Pasco

Some Restrictions

PMC 8.05.160 lets Pasco residents bundle boxes, shrubs, and small tree limbs under six inches in diameter for…

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Port Townsend

Some Restrictions

Port Townsend's solid waste contractor collects yard waste biweekly, alternating with recycling, with strict bundle and…

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Puyallup

Some Restrictions

Puyallup's contracted hauler must offer biweekly curbside yard waste pickup year-round, on the same week as recycling…

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Richland

Some Restrictions

In the City of Richland, Washington, the green yard waste cart is limited to grass clippings, prunings and woody…

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Seattle

Some Restrictions

Seattle bars mixing yardwaste with garbage, refuse or rubbish. Curbside compostable waste must be set apart so…

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Shoreline

Some Restrictions

In the City of Shoreline, yard debris goes out for curbside pickup in a 32-, 64- or 96-gallon cart from the authorized…

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Snohomish County

Some Restrictions

Within the county's designated yard debris service zone, haulers must pick up bundled or containerized yard debris at…

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Tacoma

Some Restrictions

Tacoma defines yard waste as ordinary yard-maintenance vegetation and gives residents two free 90-gallon carts for it…

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Thurston County

Some Restrictions

Thurston County accepts yard and garden trimmings at the Waste and Recovery Center in Lacey for a per-ton fee…

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Yakima

Some Restrictions

Yakima's seasonal yard waste carts take only grass, leaves and plant trimmings under three inches thick; larger…

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Chelan County

Light Restrictions

Unincorporated Chelan County residents can drop brush and yard waste at the Leavenworth Quarantine Area Brush Recycling…

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Grays Harbor County

Light Restrictions

Dumping brush, grass clippings or other yard and landscaping waste anywhere in unincorporated Grays Harbor County…

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Olympia

Light Restrictions

In the City of Olympia, Washington, Olympia Municipal Code § 13.12.070 gives the City's solid waste section the…

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Renton

Light Restrictions

Yard waste pickup is voluntary in Renton but, once carts go to the curb, only the City's contractor may collect them…

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Marysville

Few Restrictions

Yard waste pickup in Marysville is opt-in curbside service through the city's contractor, not a mandatory part of…

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Whatcom County

Few Restrictions

Unincorporated Whatcom County runs no curbside yard waste program. WCC § 8.10.050(C)(1)(g) lists yard waste among…

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Dumpster Rules

Permits and placement rules for residential or construction dumpsters, including how long they can stay and ROW obstruction limits.

Tacoma

Significant Restrictions

Placing a trash dumpster, storage container, or construction trailer in a Tacoma street or sidewalk right-of-way…

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Auburn

Some Restrictions

Multiplex, multifamily and commercial dumpsters, trash compactors and recycling bins in Auburn must be fully screened…

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Bellevue

Some Restrictions

BCC 9.11.060 requires every dumpster and drop box in Bellevue to carry a lid that stays closed to keep out animals and…

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Bellingham

Some Restrictions

Commercial developments in Bellingham, Washington must screen dumpsters and recycling storage from arterial streets…

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Bothell

Some Restrictions

In the City of Bothell, Washington, every development other than single-family residential must provide storage space…

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Burien

Some Restrictions

In the City of Burien, Washington, anyone in possession, charge or control of a dwelling, apartment house, restaurant…

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Edmonds

Some Restrictions

In Edmonds's CG General Commercial zone, a loading zone or trash compactor area next to a residential lot must be…

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Federal Way

Some Restrictions

Federal Way requires commercial and multifamily dumpster enclosures to give collectors direct, in-line access: 18 feet…

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Grant County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated Grant County, non-residential buildings of 10,000 square feet or more must provide off-street loading…

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Kennewick

Some Restrictions

Kennewick requires garbage cans, bins, and dumpsters in commercial, industrial, and multi-family zones to sit inside a…

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Kent

Some Restrictions

Kent subjects commercial, industrial, and multifamily dumpster locations to fire department inspection under KCC…

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Kirkland

Some Restrictions

Kirkland commercial and multifamily properties can only store refuse in authorized garbage cans or detachable…

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Lacey

Some Restrictions

In the City of Lacey, Washington, a commercial refuse container must be screened at least as high as the container and…

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Lakewood

Some Restrictions

A commercial dumpster, recycling area or small storage yard under 200 square feet in Lakewood must sit behind a 5-foot…

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Lynnwood

Some Restrictions

Lynnwood requires every commercial or multifamily refuse and recycling collection area to sit at least 25 feet from a…

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Marysville

Some Restrictions

Marysville requires dumpsters and other trash/recycling collection areas to be screened from view of neighbors and the…

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Olympia

Some Restrictions

In the City of Olympia, Washington, Olympia Municipal Code § 18.36.060(I) requires dumpsters, carts, drop boxes and…

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Pasco

Some Restrictions

Pasco requires trash collection areas in commercial and industrial zones to be screened from residential property under…

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Pierce County

Some Restrictions

New civic, commercial, and industrial developments in unincorporated Pierce County must hide outdoor garbage and…

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Port Townsend

Some Restrictions

Port Townsend requires commercial dumpsters and drop boxes (roll-offs) to sit on the customer's own property, never in…

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Renton

Some Restrictions

Renton requires commercial and industrial refuse and recycling deposit areas to sit at least 50 feet from residentially…

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Richland

Some Restrictions

RMC § 23.22.020(B)(7)(g) requires any commercial dumpster or recycling collection area in the City of Richland…

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Seattle

Some Restrictions

SMC 23.54.040 sets exact placement, paving, and access standards for commercial dumpsters and roll-off containers at…

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Shoreline

Some Restrictions

Every nonresidential property in the City of Shoreline, from a shop to a commercial building, must keep enough garbage…

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Snohomish County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Snohomish County requires every outdoor dumpster, recycling, or storage area to be screened under SCC…

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Spokane County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated Spokane County's Commercial zones, every outdoor trash, garbage and refuse storage area, including…

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Spokane Valley

Some Restrictions

Spokane Valley requires every dumpster serving a multifamily or nonresidential property to sit inside a six-foot-high…

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Thurston County

Some Restrictions

Thurston County's Light Industrial District zoning code requires refuse containers to be screened by landscaping or…

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Whatcom County

Some Restrictions

Commercial and institutional trash and dumpster storage areas in unincorporated Whatcom County must be screened from…

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Yakima

Some Restrictions

Yakima requires business-class drop-off bins of 1.5 cubic yards or more to sit at least five feet from combustible…

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Collection Schedule

Day-of-week pickup schedules by neighborhood, set-out and take-back time windows, and where to find your specific block's schedule.

Richland

Heavy Restrictions

In the City of Richland, Washington, every dwelling or structure that generates waste must take the city's refuse…

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Tacoma

Heavy Restrictions

Tacoma collects residential solid waste once every two weeks through mandatory, compulsory city-run service: residents…

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Bothell

Significant Restrictions

In the City of Bothell, Washington, every person is required to use a city-licensed solid waste hauler, or the city's…

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Kent

Significant Restrictions

Kent requires nearly every household and business to subscribe to city-contracted solid waste service, with residential…

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Pasco

Significant Restrictions

Pasco Municipal Code 8.05.050 makes trash collection compulsory: no one but the City's contracted hauler may collect…

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Auburn

Some Restrictions

Auburn requires its contracted solid waste service providers to collect garbage from every single-family, multifamily…

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Bellingham

Some Restrictions

Bellingham Municipal Code § 9.12.040(B) makes garbage collection and disposal service compulsory for every…

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Cowlitz County

Some Restrictions

The county can require a property owner or occupant in unincorporated Cowlitz County to sign up for regularly scheduled…

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Edmonds

Some Restrictions

All solid waste generated inside Edmonds city limits must go through the Snohomish County disposal system under Edmonds…

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Federal Way

Some Restrictions

Federal Way requires garbage containers to stay hidden or behind the front building line except on pickup day, and…

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Kennewick

Some Restrictions

Kennewick Municipal Code § 9.04.040 requires every residence, commercial establishment and multi-family property to…

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King County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated King County, certificated garbage haulers must pick up recyclables at least twice a month and put…

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Kitsap County

Some Restrictions

Recycling in unincorporated Kitsap County runs on a fixed biweekly clock tied to garbage day. Kitsap County Code…

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Lakewood

Some Restrictions

In Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington, every dwelling, apartment house and business that generates garbage or trash…

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Marysville

Some Restrictions

Marysville requires every occupied property to use the city's garbage collection service, with a narrow exemption for…

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Mason County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated Mason County, curbside recycling must run on the same day as garbage collection under Mason County…

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Olympia

Some Restrictions

In the City of Olympia, Washington, Olympia Municipal Code § 13.12.100 requires the solid waste section to collect all…

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Port Townsend

Some Restrictions

Port Townsend requires every developed property and business to subscribe to the city's contracted solid waste service…

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Puyallup

Some Restrictions

Every property inside Puyallup city limits must carry solid waste collection service through the city's contracted…

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Renton

Some Restrictions

Garbage collection is compulsory for every person and property in Renton under RMC 8-1-1; RMC 8-1-8 sets residential…

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Seattle

Some Restrictions

Seattle Public Utilities runs residential garbage collection on a fixed once-a-week schedule under SMC 21.40.050…

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Shoreline

Some Restrictions

Every residential property in the City of Shoreline is billed for at least the minimum level of solid waste collection…

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Snohomish County

Some Restrictions

SCC 7.42.040(2)(b) sets the pickup cadence in the county's recycling service zone: weekly recycling collection for…

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Thurston County

Some Restrictions

Thurston County assigns its residential recycling collection program to five certificated solid waste haulers rather…

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Whatcom County

Some Restrictions

Certified haulers must collect residential garbage in unincorporated Whatcom County on a schedule set by WCC §…

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Yakima

Some Restrictions

Residential trash service is compulsory in Yakima: every household must be assessed a refuse fee and put carts at the…

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Franklin County

Light Restrictions

Unincorporated Franklin County does not fix collection days by ordinance: Franklin County Code § 8.36.020 leaves the…

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Lewis County

Few Restrictions

Unincorporated Lewis County does not mandate trash service: LCC § 8.10.040(1) makes it voluntary, and residents in…

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Recycling Rules

Which items can and cannot go in residential single-stream recycling bins, contamination penalties, and rules for hazardous-waste drop-off.

Lakewood

Significant Restrictions

Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington bars anyone other than the City's licensed garbage contractor from collecting…

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Pasco

Significant Restrictions

PMC 8.05.130 makes it unlawful for anyone except City or contractor agents to scavenge or salvage solid waste or…

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Seattle

Significant Restrictions

Every commercial establishment in Seattle, including self-haulers, must separate paper, cardboard, glass and plastic…

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Auburn

Some Restrictions

Auburn makes it unlawful to place nonrecyclable solid waste into any container, curb spot, or drop-off site designated…

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Bellevue

Some Restrictions

Bellevue designates eight materials, including newspaper, mixed paper, aluminum, glass, PET bottles, and yard waste, as…

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Bothell

Some Restrictions

In the City of Bothell, Washington, a recycling or organics cart with visible contamination gets a notification tag and…

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Cowlitz County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated Cowlitz County, high-volume sellers of lubricating oil and vehicle oil filters must post a used oil…

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Edmonds

Some Restrictions

Edmonds City Code Chapter 7.80 defines the citywide recycling services WUTC-certificated haulers must offer in Edmonds…

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Federal Way

Some Restrictions

Federal Way requires multifamily, nonresidential and mixed-use occupants to separate recyclables like newspapers, mixed…

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Grays Harbor County

Some Restrictions

Grays Harbor County Code § 8.32.030(D) sets the minimum list of materials a certificated hauler must accept in every…

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Kent

Some Restrictions

Kent requires collection companies to pick up recyclables at no extra charge for residential and commercial multifamily…

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Kitsap County

Some Restrictions

Kitsap County standardizes recycling carts by lid color: unincorporated households sort by container, not by bagging…

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Mason County

Some Restrictions

Mason County Code Section 13.30.030(D) sets a minimum list of recyclables every certificated hauler must accept…

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Port Townsend

Some Restrictions

Port Townsend residents and businesses must set recyclables out in the solid waste contractor's approved recycling…

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Puyallup

Some Restrictions

Puyallup can drop a customer from recycling service if recyclable materials keep turning up in the regular trash…

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Renton

Some Restrictions

Anyone can collect residential recyclables in Renton up until they're set at the curb; after that, ownership transfers…

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Shoreline

Some Restrictions

Only specific materials may go into a Shoreline recycling cart. Shoreline Municipal Code § 13.14.010 defines recyclable…

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Skagit County

Some Restrictions

Skagit County requires solid waste generated in the unincorporated area to go to a designated disposal site under SCC…

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Snohomish County

Some Restrictions

Snohomish County won't let a hauler sell garbage-only service in the recycling zone: SCC 7.42.040(2)(a) requires…

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Spokane County

Some Restrictions

Certified haulers serving unincorporated Spokane County's urban areas must collect a defined list of recyclables under…

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Island County

Light Restrictions

Unincorporated Island County's solid waste code doesn't ban or discourage recycling: section 13.02A.080 says nothing in…

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Lewis County

Light Restrictions

Unincorporated Lewis County runs curbside recycling through Recycling Service Area RSA-1, which under Lewis County Code…

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Olympia

Light Restrictions

In the City of Olympia, Washington, Olympia Municipal Code § 13.12.135 says recycle containers are issued to customers…

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Richland

Light Restrictions

In the City of Richland, Washington, curbside recycling is an optional, request-only service. RMC § 15.03.050(D)…

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Thurston County

Light Restrictions

Thurston County's solid waste code does not stand in the way of recycling: Section 8.34.050 confirms the chapter never…

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