Curbside Yard & Food Waste

Seattle Municipal Code prohibits putting yard waste in the garbage.

You can dispose of yard trimmings by:

Composting in your yard
Putting yard trimmings in a 96-gallon yard waste cart provided by Waste Management to be collected at the curb (Sign up for yard waste collection) or
Taking yard trimmings to a transfer station that accepts "clean green".


Food Waste Accepted in Yard Cart!

Put vegetative food scraps (no meat or dairy) and food-soiled paper in your yard waste cart with yard trimmings. Food waste is not accepted in any containers except the city-provided Yard & Food waste cart.

Kitchen food waste container options

More about food waste collection




Every Other Week Collection: Yard and food waste is collected from subscribers every other week on opposite weeks from recycling on garbage day. Collection Schedule


Kitchen Food Scrap Collection: You can use containers such as:

• Used paper bags (or)
• A reusable container with a vented lid lined with used paper towel or shredded paper - Empty into Food / Yard cart and reuse (or)
• Cedar Grove-approved compostable bags
  
  Do not put plastic in your cart.

More Kitchen Compost Container Options



To avoid odor & fruit flies, you can:

• Empty food scraps into the outside cart daily.
• Rinse kitchen container frequently.
• Line kitchen container with a used paper towel, paper bag, shredded paper, or approved compostable bag*.
• Sprinkle baking soda in kitchen container.
• Rub container lid with vinegar
• Layer food & yard trimmings in your cart.
• Layer shredded paper with food and yard trimmings.
• Contact Waste Management to replace your Food / Yard cart.

Extra Yard Trimmings: There is a charge for additional units of yard trimmings (no food scraps) beyond the basic service. * Yard trimmings are not accepted in plastic bags. Plastic bags are not compostable and cause processing and odor problems at the composting facility. For yard trimmings that don't fit in your yard cart you may use: Paper yard bags (available at home and garden stores) Reusable polywoven yard bags, or 32-gal cans with handles & lids (65 lb limit) labeled "Yard" or Bundles tied with sisal twine (4'x2' limit)

Where Does It Go?

Collected yard trimmings and food scraps are processed into compost and sold at home and garden stores.

Visit www.cedar-grove.com for more information.

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BioCycle's 2007 nationwide survey identified 42 communities and/or counties with source separated residential organics collection programs in the U.S. There are 17 programs in California, 1 in Michigan, 7 in Minnesota and 17 in Washington State (all in King County). More