Seattle Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling & Compost 2026
Find your SPU collection day, recycling week, food & yard waste rules, special item pickup, and holiday delays for Seattle.
City of Seattle · Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) · Updated March 2026
Find Your Seattle Collection Day
Select your regular collection day below to instantly see your full schedule — garbage, recycling week, food & yard waste, and 2026 holiday impacts.
👈 Select your day above to see your complete Seattle collection schedule.
⚠ Don’t know your day? Use SPU’s official Collection Day Lookup or call (206) 684-3000. All contact options ↓
Seattle Waste Collection — Quick Facts
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) provides three-cart curbside collection to single-family homes and multi-family buildings throughout the City of Seattle. Garbage and food & yard waste are collected weekly; recycling is collected every other week. All three services are address-based and collected on the same weekday.
Seattle’s Three Carts — What Goes Where
Every SPU-served home has three color-coded carts collected on the same weekday. Recycling alternates every other week (your address is on Week 1 or Week 2). Food & yard waste and garbage are weekly. All materials must be placed loose in carts — never in plastic bags. Place carts at your regular collection point by 7:00 a.m. on collection day.
Black Cart — Garbage
Non-recyclable, non-compostable waste only. No food, no yard debris, no plastic bags, no batteries (banned since 2024).
Weekly • Rate-basedBlue Cart — Recycling
Paper, cardboard, cans, glass, rigid plastic. Loose only, never in bags. Every other week on your Week 1 or 2 schedule.
Biweekly • FreeGreen Cart — Food & Yard Waste
All food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard trimmings. No plastic bags. Mandatory by Seattle Municipal Code.
Weekly • Mandatory⏰ Set-Out Rules
- Place carts at your regular collection point (curb, alley, or shared pad) by 7:00 a.m. on collection day.
- Bring carts back within a reasonable time after collection.
- Cart lids must be fully closed. Overfilled carts (lid open more than 12 inches) may be tagged and not collected.
- Place carts so the lid opens toward the street and the cart arrow points toward the street.
- Keep carts at least 3 feet from cars, mailboxes, and obstacles.
- Recyclables must be placed loose in the blue cart — never in plastic bags of any kind.
Seattle Holiday Trash Collection Schedule 2026
SPU observes three holidays with a one-day delay in 2026: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Additionally, MLK Day causes a partial delay for some routes due to the Recology and Teamsters labor agreement recognizing it as a non-service day. All other federal holidays are normal collection days.
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Day | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Jan 1 | Thursday | 1-Day Delay Thu → Fri | Fri → Sat | Mon–Wed: normal |
| MLK Day | Jan 19 | Monday | Partial Delay Some Mon routes delayed to Tue per Recology/Teamsters agreement. Check SPU blog for your route. |
| Presidents’ Day | Feb 16 | Monday | Normal SPU collects. No delay. |
| Memorial Day | May 25 | Monday | Normal SPU collects. No delay. |
| Independence Day | Sat, Jul 4 | Saturday | Normal Falls on Saturday — no weekday impact. |
| Labor Day | Sep 7 | Monday | Normal SPU collects. No delay. |
| Veterans Day | Nov 11 | Wednesday | Normal SPU collects. No delay. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Nov 26 | Thursday | 1-Day Delay Thu → Fri | Fri → Sat | Mon–Wed: normal |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25 | Friday | 1-Day Delay Fri → Sat | Mon–Thu: normal that week |
Seattle Recycling — What Goes in the Blue Cart
Seattle uses single-stream recycling in the blue cart, collected every other week on the same day as your trash. Your address is on either Week 1 or Week 2. All recyclables must be empty, clean, dry, and placed loose in the cart — never in plastic bags, never boxed. When in doubt, use SPU’s Where Does It Go? tool.
✅ Accepted in the Blue Cart
- Paper: newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, office paper, paper bags
- Flattened cardboard — extra pieces can go beside the cart
- Cartons: milk, juice, soup, broth
- Aluminum and steel cans, empty aerosol cans
- Glass bottles and jars (all colors, rinsed)
- Rigid plastic bottles, jugs, tubs, cups, clamshells — rinsed and dry
- Plastic produce, deli, and bakery trays
🚫 Never in the Blue Cart
- Plastic bags or film (any type) → grocery store drop-off
- Styrofoam → Special Item Pickup (loose foam blocks only)
- Food or food-soiled items → green cart
- Batteries → Special Item Pickup or Transfer Station (banned from garbage)
- Electronics → ecyclewa.org sites or Special Item Pickup
- Tanglers: hoses, cords, wire hangers
- Ceramics, mirrors, window glass
- “Compostable” plastics → check Where Does It Go? (most go in garbage)
Seattle Food & Yard Waste — Required by City Law
Seattle Municipal Code (SMC 21.36.082–083) requires all households to separate food and yard waste from garbage. Since 2015, it is illegal to put food scraps, food-soiled paper, or yard debris in the garbage cart. This applies to all 1–4 unit households and all multi-family buildings.
✅ Accepted in the Green Cart
- All food scraps: fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, bones, shellfish
- Dairy, eggs, and eggshells
- Coffee grounds and paper filters
- Tea bags (paper/unbleached)
- Food-soiled paper: napkins, towels, pizza boxes, paper plates, paper bags
- Yard trimmings: grass, leaves, branches (max 4 ft long, bundled)
- Houseplants and cut flowers
🚫 Not in the Green Cart
- Plastic bags — including “compostable” or “biodegradable” bags
- “Compostable” plastics (most go in garbage — check Where Does It Go?)
- Pet waste or cat litter → black garbage cart
- Diapers → black garbage cart
- Soil, rocks, or dirt
- Fats, oils, grease in large quantities
- Treated or painted wood
🎄 Christmas Tree Composting — Free Dec 26 – Jan 31
SPU collects Christmas trees and holiday greens curbside for free from December 26 through January 31. Remove all decorations, lights, tinsel, and stands. Cut the tree into sections no more than 4 feet long and place beside (not inside) the green cart on your regular collection day. Apartment residents may place up to two trees next to each food & yard waste cart. You can also drop off up to 3 trees under 8 feet at either SPU Transfer Station.
🌿 Free Compost Giveaway Events
SPU hosts free compost giveaway events throughout the year for Seattle residents. Check the Beyond the Cart page at seattle.gov for current 2026 event dates and locations near you.
Special Item Pickup — One Free Annual Pickup Starting April 1, 2026
Starting April 1, 2026, every SPU residential customer receives one free Special Item Pickup per year, which includes a one-gallon bag of household batteries plus a Special Item Box (up to 2 cubic feet, max 60 lbs). Additional pickups after the free annual one are charged at the normal rate ($5 for batteries, $20 per Special Item Box).
📅 How to Schedule Special Item Pickup
- Log in to your SPU account at seattle.gov/utilities and select “Special Item Pickup,” or call (206) 684-3000 Mon–Fri, 7:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
- Choose your pickup type: batteries bag, Special Item Box (small electronics, propane canisters, CFLs), Styrofoam blocks, large furniture, large appliances, TVs, or mattresses. Review costs if beyond your free annual pickup.
- Place items at your regular collection point on the scheduled date. Do not set out items early — items left without a scheduled appointment are considered illegal dumping.
- For apartment buildings: coordinate the set-out location with your building manager. The driver does not carry keys or fobs.
✅ Special Item Pickup Accepts
- Batteries: all types — alkaline, lithium, rechargeable, car
- Small electronics: phones, tablets, headphones, keyboards
- Large electronics: TVs, computers, monitors
- Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and fluorescent tubes
- Styrofoam blocks and forms (not packing peanuts)
- Small propane canisters (up to 4 under 1 lb each)
- Large furniture: sofas, chairs, tables, dressers
- Large appliances: fridges, washers, dryers, ACs
- Mattresses and box springs
🚫 Not Accepted via Special Item
- Hazardous chemicals, pesticides, paint → hazwastehelp.org
- Motor oil, antifreeze → hazwastehelp.org or Transfer Stations
- Construction debris
- Tires → Transfer Stations (fees may apply)
- More than the scheduled limit per pickup
Beyond the Cart — HHW, Electronics & Hard-to-Recycle Drop-Off Events
SPU hosts six Beyond the Cart events per year at community locations across Seattle where residents can drop off items that cannot go in home recycling carts. Events are free and open to all Seattle residents. No appointment required.
📅 2026 Beyond the Cart Event Schedule
- Saturday, March 21 • 9 a.m.–12 p.m. • South Seattle College South Parking Lot, 6000 16th Ave SW, 98106
- Saturday, April 18 • 9 a.m.–1 p.m. • Phinney Community Center Lower Parking Lot, 6532 Phinney Ave N, 98103
- Saturday, May 30 • 9 a.m.–1 p.m. • St. Joseph Parish, 732 18th Ave E, 98112
- Saturday, August 22 • 9 a.m.–1 p.m. • Maple Leaf Lutheran Church, 10005 32nd Ave NE, 98125
- Saturday, September 12 • 9 a.m.–1 p.m. • Wood Technology Center, 2310 S Lane St, 98144
- Saturday, October 17 • 10 a.m.–1 p.m. • Rainier Community Center Parking Lot, 4600 38th Ave S, 98118
✅ Accepted at Beyond the Cart Events
- All types of batteries
- Electronics: TVs, computers, phones, tablets
- Fluorescent bulbs and CFLs
- Styrofoam blocks
- Small propane canisters
- Textiles and clothing (some events)
🚫 For These Items, Go Elsewhere
- Household hazardous waste (pesticides, chemicals, paint) → hazwastehelp.org
- Paint → paintcare.org
- Medications → medtakebackwashington.org
- Sharps/syringes → seattle.gov/utilities/sharps
SPU Transfer Stations — Self-Haul Drop-Off for Seattle Residents
SPU operates two Transfer Stations where Seattle residents and businesses can drop off garbage, recycling, and special items directly. Bring proof of Seattle residency. Fees apply for garbage; some items like batteries are accepted free. Note: Benning Road Transfer Station (DC) and other non-SPU facilities do not apply here.
🚩 North Transfer Station
1350 N. 34th Street, Seattle, WA 98103
Visit seattle.gov/utilities/transferstations or call (206) 684-8400 for current hours and accepted items. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
🚩 South Transfer Station
130 S. Kenyon Street, Seattle, WA 98108
Same hours and policies as the North Station. Both stations accept batteries, Styrofoam, and yard waste in addition to general garbage and recycling. Tires accepted (fees may apply).
Apartments & Multi-Family Buildings in Seattle
Unlike many US cities, SPU serves both single-family homes and multi-family buildings (apartments, condos, HOAs). Multi-family buildings have shared dumpsters or carts for garbage, recycling, and compost. Collection frequency varies by building size and container volume.
🚚 Multi-Family Collection Rules
- Recycling containers are collected once a week (or up to twice per week for larger buildings).
- Food & yard waste (compost) is normally collected once a week.
- By Seattle law, all multi-family residents must have access to recycling and compost collection services (SMC 21.40).
- Food waste, yard waste, and recyclables are not allowed in garbage dumpsters (SMC 21.36.082–083).
- Contact your building manager for your building’s specific collection days and container locations.
- Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) customers do not receive garbage or food & yard waste service from SPU — contact SHA separately.
What to Do If Your Trash Wasn’t Collected in Seattle
- Confirm your collection day and recycling week — use SPU’s Collection Day Lookup or call (206) 684-3000. Verify you are on Week 1 or 2 for recycling.
- Check for a holiday delay. Thanksgiving (Nov 26), Christmas (Dec 25), and New Year’s Day (Jan 1, 2026) cause 1-day delays. MLK Day (Jan 19) may affect some Monday routes.
- Check for weather delays. Snow and ice frequently cause collection delays in Seattle. Check the At Your Service blog — the online calendar does NOT update for weather.
- Verify cart placement: out by 7:00 a.m., lid closed (not open more than 12 inches), lid and arrow facing the street, 3 feet from obstacles.
- Check for a contamination tag. If prohibited items were found in your cart, SPU may have left a warning tag instead of collecting. Remove offending items.
- Report the missed pickup at seattle.gov/utilities or by calling (206) 684-3000.
Seattle Trash & Recycling Tips Every Resident Should Know
🏠 New to Seattle?
Use SPU’s Collection Day Lookup or call (206) 684-3000 to find your day and recycling week (1 or 2). All three carts should already be at your address. If missing, contact SPU to request containers. Seattle housing authority residents should contact SHA separately for services.
🌨 Winter Weather — Check the Blog, Not the Calendar
Seattle’s online collection calendar does NOT update automatically for snow or ice delays. During winter weather, always check the At Your Service blog before setting out carts. Collection trucks weigh 30 tons and cannot navigate icy streets safely.
🚫 5 Common Mistakes Seattle Residents Make
- Putting batteries in the garbage — banned since January 2024; use Special Item Pickup or Transfer Stations
- Forgetting recycling is every other week — always verify your Week 1 or Week 2 before assuming it’s recycling day
- Using plastic bags in the green or blue cart — both carts require materials placed loose (or in paper bags for the green cart)
- Putting food or yard waste in the garbage cart — illegal in Seattle since 2015, can result in a warning tag or collection refusal
- Assuming the online calendar reflects weather delays — it doesn’t; always check the At Your Service blog during winter
Contact SPU & Seattle Waste Services
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| SPU Customer Service | 📞 (206) 684-3000 — Mon–Fri, 7:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. — collection day lookup, missed pickups, container requests, Special Item Pickup scheduling |
| Collection Day Lookup | seattle.gov collection day lookup — enter your address for your exact trash day, recycling week (1 or 2), and collection calendar |
| SPU Main Website | seattle.gov/utilities — all services, account login, Special Item Pickup scheduling, container size changes |
| At Your Service Blog | atyourservice.seattle.gov — real-time holiday and weather delay updates — check this first when conditions change |
| Where Does It Go? Tool | seattle.gov/utilities/WhereDoesItGo — look up any item to find out whether it’s garbage, recycling, compost, or special disposal |
| Transfer Stations | North: 1350 N. 34th St, Seattle, 98103 • South: 130 S. Kenyon St, Seattle, 98108 • seattle.gov/utilities/transferstations • (206) 684-8400 |
| Hazardous Waste (HHW) | hazwastehelp.org — King County HHW facilities for Seattle residents (chemicals, paint, motor oil, pesticides) |
| SPU Email | SPUCustomerService@seattle.gov |
Frequently Asked Questions — Seattle Trash Pickup
Still Can’t Find Your Collection Day?
Use SPU’s official address-based lookup tool to confirm your exact trash day, recycling week (Week 1 or 2), food & yard waste day, and the SPU holiday collection calendar for your address.
🔍 Official SPU Lookup & Contact Options
All of the following are free and will confirm your exact schedule:
🔍 Open SPU Collection Day Lookup 📞 Call (206) 684-3000| SPU Collection Day Lookup | seattle.gov collection day lookup — enter your address to see your garbage day, recycling week (1 or 2), and full collection calendar. |
| SPU Customer Service | (206) 684-3000 — Mon–Fri, 7:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. — missed pickups, container requests, Special Item Pickup, service confirmation. |
| At Your Service Blog | atyourservice.seattle.gov — real-time holiday and weather delay updates. Check here before collection day in winter. |
| SPU Main Website | seattle.gov/utilities — account management, Special Item Pickup, cart size changes, Transfer Station info. |
| Where Does It Go? Tool | seattle.gov/utilities/WhereDoesItGo — search any item to find out whether it goes in garbage, recycling, compost, or requires special disposal. |
You will leave this website when using any of the links above. SPU’s Collection Day Lookup is the most accurate source for address-based schedule information in Seattle.
Trash & Recycling Schedules for Other US Cities
Looking for waste collection information in another city? Here are cities we’ve already covered with full schedules, recycling rules, and bulk pickup guides: