Edmonds, WA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)

Section 7.80.010 states the purpose of the chapter is to define levels of citywide recycling service available to every residential dwelling and commercial establishment in areas served by WUTC-certificated waste haulers operating in Edmonds. Section 7.80.020(A) then defines who those haulers are: corporate entities currently, or in the future, certified by the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission to collect trash in the city. The code's original 1990 text names three haulers active at that time, Lynnwood Disposal, Sound Disposal and Northwest Garbage Company, Inc., though certification and ownership can change over the decades since that ordinance was written, so residents should confirm their current provider's WUTC certification rather than relying on the 1990s roster.

The chapter distinguishes nonmultifamily residences (four units or fewer) from multifamily residences (five units or more) and commercial establishments in Section 7.80.020, because the services required, container options, and rate structures differ by customer class under the more detailed service standards in Section 7.80.030. The city council reserved the right to formally review both haulers' recycling programs after roughly a year of operation under Section 7.80.070, and it can adjust how recycling services are provided based on participation rates, customer satisfaction and comparative rates.