Lewis County, WA Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Recycling frequency
- Every other week
- Recycling cart
- 95-gallon, hauler-owned
- Garbage can options
- 65 or 95-gallon
- Garbage frequency choices
- Weekly, biweekly, or monthly
- Service area
- RSA-1, all unincorporated Lewis County
- Rate authority
- Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
Summary
In unincorporated Lewis County, curbside recycling under RSA-1 collects recyclables every other week, per Lewis County Code § 8.10.080. Any customer subscribing to garbage collection through the franchised hauler gets a 95-gallon recycling cart under § 8.10.070, and can choose weekly, every-other-week, or monthly garbage pickup with a 65-gallon or 95-gallon can under § 8.10.100.
§ 8.10.070. Collection bins. (1) One 95-gallon rolling recycling container will be provided to each participant in the program by the hauler. The hauler will recoup the capital investment through the rates established by the WUTC. ... ... § 8.10.080. Collection frequency. Recyclables will be collected every other week. Upon signing up for the program, the hauler will provide the participant with written information about the recyclables to be collected, proper preparation of the materials, responsibilities of the participant, and a calendar indicating the pickup dates.
Full Breakdown
10 of the Lewis County Code, administered through the county's franchised garbage hauler and regulated by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC). 030, covers every unincorporated area of the county. 070; the cart remains hauler property and must be returned if a customer withdraws from the program. 080, and the hauler must give each participant a written pickup calendar and preparation instructions. 090 lists what belongs in the cart: newspaper, cardboard, aluminum cans, magazines, paperboard, tin cans, plastic bottles and jugs, and mixed waste paper; the county and hauler can add or drop items with at least 30 days' written notice by can tag or bill insert.
100 lets residents pick a 65-gallon or 95-gallon can collected weekly, every other week, or once a month, or request occasional 32-gallon bag pickup, all meant to encourage lower garbage volumes and more recycling. 110, not by county resolution. 130.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 8.10 sets no citation or fine for residents; recycling participation is enforced through the hauler's service terms, not code enforcement. Customers who decline the program still pay the monthly recycling availability fee unless they subscribe to once-a-month garbage service or occasional-use bags, per § 8.10.050(3). Failing to return the 95-gallon cart when leaving the program can trigger a replacement charge from the hauler under § 8.10.070(2).
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is recycling picked up in unincorporated Lewis County?
Do I have to pay for the recycling cart?
Can I choose a smaller garbage can or less frequent pickup?
What can I put in the recycling cart?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lewis County
Compare Lewis County to another location·View the Washington trash & recycling overview
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