Federal Way, WA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Curbside window
- Out by 7:00 a.m., in by 8:00 p.m.
- Recycling bin
- 20-gallon container for nonpaper recyclables
- Recycling cart
- 35, 64 or 96-gallon cart for paper fiber
- Curbside definition
- Within 5 feet of street, not blocking access
- Ownership
- Set-out recyclables belong to the service provider
Summary
Federal Way residents place recyclables in service-provider recycling bins or carts at curbside, and those containers must go out before 7:00 a.m. on collection day and come back in by 8:00 p.m. under FWRC 11.20.110.
Recyclables may be accumulated in recycling bins, recycling carts or recycling containers, or such other collection container approved by the city's current service provider. Service provider-provided containers for recyclables, including recycling bins, recycling carts and recycling containers, shall be placed at curbside, or at such other location agreed to by the service provider pursuant to a service agreement with the city. Containers shall be placed at curbside on a public street or private road prior to 7:00 a.m. on the scheduled collection day, and shall be removed to their proper storage location as soon as possible after collection, but no later than 8:00 p.m.
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
110 governs how residential recyclables are containerized and where they sit for pickup. 010. Those service-provider-supplied containers must be placed at curbside, meaning on the homeowner's property within five feet of the public street without blocking sidewalks, driveways or on-street parking, or at another location the service provider and city agree to under the service agreement. the same day. 010 defines what counts as a recyclable in Federal Way: aluminum cans, corrugated cardboard, glass containers, mixed waste paper, waste motor oil, newspaper, recyclable plastic containers, poly-coated cartons, scrap metal under two feet and 35 pounds, tin cans, and any other material the city designates as recyclable. 010's cross-referenced anti-scavenging provision) transfers ownership to the service provider, making it unlawful for anyone else to take them.
Violations & Fines
The public works director administers and enforces this division under FWRC 11.20.010, and it is unlawful to violate or fail to comply with any provision of the solid waste collection regulations or the director's implementing rules. A general Code violation defaults to a misdemeanor under FWRC 1.10.010, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I put my recycling bin out in Federal Way?
Where exactly counts as curbside for recycling pickup?
Can I take recyclables out of a neighbor's bin after they set it out?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Federal Way
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Recycling Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle recycling requirements.