Another West Seattle trash and recycling pickup-catchup update

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Just heard back from our Seattle Public Utilities contact, Andy Ryan, answering the question we sent last night — what if you have Friday pickup, which therefore meant you were supposed to be picked up YESTERDAY (Saturday) because of the New Year’s schedule, but they missed you? Answer: The call center is open 1-5 PM TODAY – 684-3000 – call!!!! Also important: As some people are all too well aware, Andy acknowledges that they have not caught up on recycling, but hope to have THAT all caught up by end of day tomorrow, so also be sure to call if you had trash picked up but not recycling – and ***keep your recycling out*** since they’re still making catch-up runs. Last but not least: What about yard waste? Seattle Public Utilities says it will be picked up on your regularly scheduled day. Lost track of when that is? We did too. So here’s the online link to your calendar – put in your address, it’ll give you the answer. Yard waste for us, which means the Christmas tree too, so out it goes — yard waste includes holiday greenery through mid-month; here’s our recent report with details on the rules for that. Hope this info helps, but if not, again, (206) 684-3000, 1-5 pm today. (Reminder: If you want to let your elected representatives know what you think about how this all played out – the hearings/briefings we mentioned previously are starting this week – here’s the full city lineup.) ADDED 12:35 PM: As a followup to this update, the city has also issued an official news release on where yard waste/trash/recycling stands – says the same thing, but click ahead if you want to read it in its entirety:

Yard waste service — including Christmas tree pickup — will resume Monday on a normal schedule for Seattle residential customers. Check your schedule for your next yard waste pickup date. Extra yard waste will be collected at no additional charge, through Friday, Jan. 16.

Christmas trees and holiday greens can also be recycled at no charge at Seattle’s Recycling and Disposal Stations. through January 16. The stations are open today (Sunday, Jan. 4) on a normal schedule, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Most of Seattle’s garbage that was missed due to the unprecedented winter storm has now been collected. If your garbage has still not been collected, please call Seattle Public Utilities’ (SPU) Call Center, at 206-684-3000. The Call Center, normally closed Sundays, will be open today, from 1 to 5 p.m.

Most uncollected recycling is expected to be picked up by the end of tomorrow (Monday, Jan. 5).

SPU’s Web site (www.seattle.gov/util) and Call Center (206-684-3000) will be updated with the most current collection information. Customers can also sign-up for CurbWaste E-News service alerts at www.seattle.gov/lists.

Kathy January 4, 2009 (12:26 pm)

Ok, so my 1st scheduled yard waste pick up date since Christmas is Jan. 12th, but the rules state that the last day they will take trees is Jan 11th. My recycling was picked up last Monday out of the regular scheduled sequence. This Monday the 5th is my scheduled day for recyling, so I assume it will be picked up. I’m hopefully assuming if I put my tree out on the 12th it will be picked up. Does that sound right? I still plan to put out both yard waste and recycling on my day, just as I have for the last several weeks.

WSB January 4, 2009 (12:38 pm)

According to the city’s latest statement (we just added the official news release that came out half an hour after SPU answered our inquiry directly), yes.

HighlandParkster January 4, 2009 (2:24 pm)

I really HATE that we all just have to leave our overflowing trash and recycling bins out for an indefinite period of time. The crows and seagulls are invading. The wind is blowing. It’s raining on bound cardboard recyclables. South West Seattle is turning into a giant landfill!!! Will the trash EVER get picked up?

Shell Marr January 4, 2009 (3:45 pm)

We are usually Friday p/u and Sat this last couple of weeks due to the holidays. We put ours out on Saturday but it was not taken. Come to find out…they came on Friday when we were at work????? I called today about 1pm and spoke to a nice lady after holding about 25 minutes. She told me it would be picked up on Monday. (Crossing fingers)

WSB January 4, 2009 (3:54 pm)

I hate to add insult to injury but should note here too that wind is in the forecast for tonight … so secure the left-out recyclables and trash … just like last week, sigh.

Sue January 4, 2009 (4:17 pm)

I think everyone is just so confused as to what they’re doing at this point. We have Monday pickup, so tonight we are supposed to put our stuff out (along with recycling this week … which they picked up last week). A quick walk down my alley shows that half the alley has recycling out, and half has yard waste out. One house has both.

Ken January 4, 2009 (4:26 pm)

And in other news, I spotted a trash truck “catching up” a neighbors recycling by dumping the missed glass only bin into the trash front loader.

I suspect some corners might be cut in some places.

Everyone else on the block got recycle picked up at 7:15 Sat and trash at around 9.

emily January 4, 2009 (6:29 pm)

To keep crows and other birds out of your trash bags, you can mix a small amount of bleach with water in a spray bottle and spray lightly on the bags. Just spray a bit, you don’t want it running down the bag or pooling on the ground! We used to do this back east and it worked well.

Brian January 5, 2009 (4:53 pm)

I live in Gatewood and today was our yard waste day. While our trash was collected, the yard waste was NOT. I called Seattle Public Utilities to ask why and I was assured that it should’ve been picked up, but “they just haven’t gotten to it yet.” She told me to give it a little more time, but it’s almost 5:00pm and I’m willing to bet some big money that we won’t see them today. Ay carumba!