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About SPU
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Yard System
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History & Overview
Yard Waste Program
Background
When the City of Seattle's last remaining landfill closed in 1986, Seattle began using the King County landfill. As a result, the city’s costs tripled.
Faced with dramatic cost escalations and limited disposal options, the Mayor of Seattle demanded that the Solid Waste Utility (now part of Seattle Public Utilities) start a curbside recycling program. The Mayor felt curbside collection of recyclables was an opportunity to divert materials from the landfill -- a convenient alternative to disposing of garbage at rapidly-increasing rates.
Curbside collection
The descriptions below refer to collection contracts effective April 3, 2000.
Collection contracts
The City of Seattle has contracts with Waste Management and U.S Disposal (affiliated with Allied Waste) for the curbside collection of yard waste. Waste Management collects from residents in the northern half of the City (north of the ship canal) and U. S. Disposal collects from residents in the southern half.
Frequency of collection
Yard waste is now collected every other week, on the same day as your garbage, year round.
Service fee
Yard waste subscribers pay a flat monthly fee for basic yard waste service (up to four units per bi-weekly collection). Additional units are collected for a per unit fee.
This fee structure, implemented in 2000, encourages households to minimize their yardwaste setouts through composting and grasscycling.
Recycling and disposal station service and fees
Residents and businesses can take their yard waste directly to the North or South Recycling and Disposal Stations. Yard waste must be separated and cannot be disposed of as garbage.
Cars and trucks with yard waste only are charged rates which are lower than those charged for vehicles with garbage.
Backyard composting
Residents are encouraged to prevent yard waste from entering the City’s system entirely. Through education and subsidies of composting bins, residents are encouraged to backyard compost and use mulch mowers. The City funds a Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline, formerly the Compost Hotline, at (206) 633-0224, which residents can call for more information on grasscycling, composting, and mulch mowers.
Related links
Evolution of Home-Based Strategies for Residential Organics, from Biocylce Magazine, May 1998 (PDF)
Measuring Backyard Composting Report (PDF)
2000 Home Organics Waste Management Survey (PDF)
Food & Yard Waste at Your Home
Food & Yard Waste Rates
Backyard Composting
Recycling and Disposal Stations
Links to other sites
Biocycle Magazine
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