FOLLOWUP: Where residential garbage, recycling, yard-waste collection stands on catch-up day 3

| Utilities | West Seattle news

That’s a Waste Management truck seen this past hour in Gatewood. We’ve heard from some readers whose neighborhoods have had solid-waste pickup so far this catch-up week and some who haven’t. We asked Seattle Public Utilities this morning for an update on where things stand – here’s the reply we received from spokesperson Sabrina Register:

Waste Management reports they had good success yesterday picking up scheduled garbage, recycling, and yard waste in West Seattle in neighborhoods, with the exception of customers located on hilly, icy streets where it remained unsafe for 25,000-pound trucks to operate. They also collected approximately 50% of ‘off-week’ recycling in West Seattle.

On all of their routes in different Seattle neighborhoods yesterday and operating on the announced one-day delay, they collected waste from 95% of Monday customers.

For customers in West Seattle who were missed both last week and this week, they can take their garbage, recycling and yard/food waste to one of our transfers station at no charge through January 9. They need to let staff at that transfer station know that they have been missed two times consecutively.

Seattle Public Utilities thanks customers for their patience as we and our contractors, Waste Management and Recology, prioritize safety to staff, customers and private property.

Auntie January 5, 2022 (12:17 pm)

Our street is clear today, so no reason they can’t come here. None. If they don’t, I’m going to ask for a refund for at least one week. I have no way to take it to the transfer station.

RoadsRfine January 5, 2022 (9:48 pm)

Agreed. This is infuriating. I cannot believe they’re still claiming the roads are bad. Zero accountability. Infuriating.

Pdx77 January 5, 2022 (12:19 pm)

I get the reasons behind the missed pickups but what about a bill credit? I don’t think it’s right to charge a full month of service and they miss 2 weeks of pickups

My two cents January 5, 2022 (2:04 pm)

Missing a week of garbage pick up doesn’t result in one less load going to a landfill.

Flo B January 5, 2022 (12:22 pm)

Here on Alki-flat part(west of 60th) saw garbage truck in alley on s side of Admiral on Monday but none on north side. Streets and alleys here have been safe for drivers since Monday

Mike January 5, 2022 (1:09 pm)

Here on 48th/Erskine – we have had no recycling pickup since well before Christmas. While we appreciate the offer of taking the stuff (free of charge) to a transfer station, just how the heck are we supposed to make that happen? Both large wheeled bins are stuffed full with more waiting in the garage. If transferring that to the back of my car and hauling all that is the answer, then Thanks but No Thanks…….

Pam January 5, 2022 (5:45 pm)

We are close to you and this is our situation as well!!! Totally crazy!

Eb Crawford January 5, 2022 (1:11 pm)

We love on 36th sw and still no pick up. There message is baloney. 35th has been clear since last week.

H20K9 January 5, 2022 (1:19 pm)

Yet another reminder to SDOT why it is important to keep side-streets clear of snow and ice. What was fluffy easily removed snow on Sunday is solid ice by Tuesday.

Mark B January 5, 2022 (3:30 pm)

Agree that it may speed things along but that’s not part of the City’s plan:
https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/safety-first/winter-weather-response/response-map

“Remember, we do not plow non-arterial streets.”
Lagartija Nick January 5, 2022 (4:25 pm)

Exactly how are snow plows supposed to operate on our very narrow, often one lane, hilly side streets without damaging parked vehicles? Are you willing to not sue the city if they damage your car? Do you honestly think that the several hundred thousand car owners in the city would be willing to forego suing if their cars were damaged? Would you be ok with the city shelling out tens of millions of tax dollars to compensate everyone who’s car was damaged? Additionally, where exactly should they put all of the snow they’d plow from the roads? In a berm blocking your car? Everyone would freak out and complain. In a dump truck? Imagine how much damage one of those would cause on icy, narrow side streets if it lost control. Think about the costs involved in maintaining the fleet of snow plows it would take to clear every residential street in the city for what is, at most, a once a year event. Are you willing to pay for that? Bottom line is it’s incredibly cost prohibitive, nearly logistically impossible, and a major liability issue for the city. They have never and will never plow the side streets.
- momosmom January 5, 2022 (4:51 pm)
  
  Exactly as LagartijaNick says!
- WS Res January 5, 2022 (8:23 pm)
  
  You never know, Nick. There seem to be a lot of experts here on snow removal and municipal waste management. Could be that there’s a whole new way to handle the physics of ice, hills, and garbage trucks that the current experts are just too thick to have thought of!
  - Russell January 6, 2022 (1:24 pm)
    
    There are people here who do actually know how this works because they have lived in places where snow removal happens. Guess what? There are other cities in this country that have snow! And hills! And they remove the snow!!The way you do it is to have smaller pickup trucks with plows on them. That’s what they do in most Mountain West cities. Where they have more snow and (wait for it).. hills! And narrow streets! Who knew?!But maybe you’ve never lived anywhere else before..?

Eileen January 5, 2022 (1:22 pm)

I think they owe us a credit. I agree with the others above that telling us to take it to the transfer station for free is not an option. Our street has been free from ice since Monday and solid waste and yard waste we’re both picked up.

Yasmin January 5, 2022 (1:23 pm)

I live in Gatewood – on SW Holden – and our road has been clear for DAYS… yet still no garbage or recycling pick up.

Gary January 5, 2022 (1:27 pm)

Same story on Gennesse Hill except all but recycling has been collected. The streets are clear….come on SPU.

Buddy January 5, 2022 (2:01 pm)

Ok, not sure who wants to take the time to load up their car with bags of garbage. In reality in doing so we are actually helping out the garbage people who then don’t have to get out of their truck and actually pick up the sacks of garbage. In the olden days garbage people actually got out of their truck to get your garbage cans. Once a garbage man got out of his truck just to put note on my garbage can that it needed to be like 6 more inches to the street and yet didn’t not empty it. We pay tons to have garbage pick up monthly and get charged where I live extra if your garbage lid doesn’t shut all the way. I guess the rats, crows, seagulls, and loose dog, and raccoons will have a lot of fun eating trash for three weeks.

Joe January 5, 2022 (2:06 pm)

Does this mean they will not try any more catch up this week, and I should pull up my uncollected garbage until next week?

WSB January 5, 2022 (4:45 pm)

They’re running on a one-day delay all week. If you are a Monday customer, I don’t know if you’re completely out of luck but will be asking SPU.
- Sam January 5, 2022 (6:57 pm)
  
  Thanks for checking! I am a Tuesday customer with no pickup
  - Sam January 5, 2022 (7:57 pm)
    
    Just got picked up, hope they are getting OT!
- rme January 5, 2022 (10:20 pm)
  
  Monday customer here with off week recycling that still hasn’t been picked up.

Tha Management January 5, 2022 (2:11 pm)

Yes, carry your stinking, rotten food from three weeks ago in your vehicle to one of our transfer stations because we do not feel like driving on bare and wet pavement. In the meantime, please pay your bill and we are not giving any credits.

Flo B January 5, 2022 (2:22 pm)

Note: It’s NOT the drivers fault!!. WM Managers and city leaders get the lump of coal. Wonder if their garbage and recycling has been picked up………..

Chuck January 5, 2022 (2:22 pm)

Here at 37th/Cambridge St. we got recycles and compost pickup. No trash yet.

mem January 5, 2022 (2:24 pm)

In South Delridge- my garbage is usually at beginning of route and all picked up by 9:30 but have not seen ANY trucks in the area.

trickycoolj January 5, 2022 (2:43 pm)

Seattle Housing Authority’s Impact Property Service is just getting ridiculous at this point. Garbage has been out since last Thursday and it’s overflowing at the rental properties and the non-rentals are risking fines from the HOA for leaving the cans out for 7 days now. Last email reply from SHA might as well have been a shrug emoji. https://www.seattlehousing.org/homeowners

Roms January 5, 2022 (3:59 pm)

I guess you live in the new High Point? It’s unlikely you’ll get fined for anything out of your control. HOAs at times make the right decision 😅

AH Folks January 5, 2022 (2:58 pm)

Good News!!! All of our pickups have now happened today, one day after our usual pickup Tuesday, for garbage, yard waste and recycle! We are grateful and happy campers here in Arbor Heights! If they have not yet been able to come to your home for pickup, SPU will be adding extra pickups this week in West Seattle, according to their website and text messages. Hope they can get caught up with everyone very soon!

bill January 5, 2022 (3:15 pm)

I was out on my bike today for a few hours, which means I was on many side streets not normally traveled by cars. Not all streets are clear! Just because your very own street has been clear since five minutes after the snow stopped does not mean the trucks can get to you. I expect the drivers follow their normal routes as closely as possible so SPU has some idea of which areas have been serviced. Garbage collection is a big operation; it needs to be done systematically.

RoadsRfine January 5, 2022 (10:00 pm)

If FedEx, UPS, massive lumber delivery trucks, concrete trucks, and every kind of delivery vehicle in existence have been doing their job flawlessly all week the really really can come pick up the trash and recycling!
- Not so flawlesss January 6, 2022 (12:23 am)
  
  Why do you think those services are flawless? Fedex has scanned my package as being on a truck for delivery from tacoma almost every morning since Christmas and I still don’t have it.

MW January 5, 2022 (3:29 pm)

Tell SPU to buy me a pickup truck if I’m supposed to take my garbage carts full of trash to the dump. What a bunch of bs artists they are.

AH Resident January 5, 2022 (3:33 pm)

This statement from WM is not 100% truthful. Most of Arbor Heights was not collected on our usual day yesterday, and there was not a snowy or icy patch in sight anywhere. Just be honest and say that drivers are having a hard time catching up. I’m very appreciative that everything was finally picked up today, but I don’t appreciate being gaslighted AND charged for a week of no service.

Duffy January 5, 2022 (3:42 pm)

City encourages people to not drive cars…then expects you to rent a U-Haul to take your trash to the transfer station. Go Seattle!

MEH January 5, 2022 (3:46 pm)

SPU Via Twitter about an hour ago, they confirmed anyone missed 2x consecutively can set out triple next week OR take to transfer station for free. https://mobile.twitter.com/SeattleSPU/status/1478853162924605440

AH Barnster January 5, 2022 (3:49 pm)

Arbor Heights: Tues is our pickup day, they just picked up all three cans in last few hours (2 week’s worth) – 98th and 37th. Yay!

WSB January 5, 2022 (3:56 pm)

There are still trucks out there – on our Tuesday street in Upper Fauntleroy, two more a few minutes ago, after garbage came through earlier. (Don’t know whether recycling and/or yard waste but will be checking.)

SuzD January 5, 2022 (4:22 pm)

Thank you Waste Mgmt for putting safety of drivers & collectors (essential workers) as the priority. These people often work on their own & driving is just part of the job. It was very slick out there. Not having your garbage, recycling, & yard waste picked up for 2 weeks is a very small price for you to keep people safe. Just take a breath & get some perspective.

K to the F January 5, 2022 (4:40 pm)

Crews were by today (usual pickup is Tues) to get garbage and yard but recycling is still here. Hoping they’re able to come by for that, too. Much love to the crews busting their butts and shame on the higher ups/comms folks blaming it solely on the street conditions.

Russ January 5, 2022 (5:10 pm)

On Delridge they haven’t done anything. Those trucks could have picked up garbage last week on major routes if they’d bothered to try. Our sidewalk is strewn with garbage that will remain their indefinitely.Waste Management is a joke. Always has been. Also, maybe if SDOT hadn’t made it almost impossible for large vehicles to drive down Delridge because they spent 18 months changing the lanes for no reason at all they still could have picked up last week.Do we even have a City Council representative at this point?

Russ January 5, 2022 (5:11 pm)

To follow up, do they realize that most of this garbage will end up in people’s yards, in the street, in the sewers, and on the sidewalks?

Reed January 5, 2022 (5:37 pm)

The solution here is really simple folks; generate less waste! We haven’t had our trash picked up in two weeks, and there is still room in our can. And to head off the incoming comments, no I have never spent a single cent at Amazon.

RoadsRfine January 5, 2022 (10:04 pm)

Oh yes Reed. Next Xmas I’ll tell my two small children that Santa cannot bring a bunch of presents because we should not be recycling all the boxes. Brilliant. Maybe everyone in not as wasteful as you accuse.
- reed January 6, 2022 (8:47 am)
  
  That is your choice. My kids get one nice thing to open, a few practical things (socks, underwear, etc) in their stockings, and a sum of money to donate to a charity of their choice. It is on you if you want to shower your kids with a bunch of junk and its packaging that will end up in a landfill. Stop the complaining or change your habits!

Arben Kullojka January 5, 2022 (5:44 pm)

In Mukilteo, they missed twice the garbage pick up. The neighborhood road completely clear. I emailed them twice with no response. Tried to call to find out when are they going to pick up, it says the waiting time to speak with customer service is 30 minutes. 45 minutes later still on hold. All neighborhood trash cans and extra trash still piled up In front of the houses. At least Inform customers of the delay. This is unacceptable! Terrible service, terrible company!!

Wren January 5, 2022 (5:55 pm)

Y’all want a weeks credit because waste management got behind due to unsafe roads which still existed Monday? That makes no sense. They are still going to take all your trash, just late. They will start with the folks who are latest and get to you all when it’s your turn. “My streets been clear since…” is not how their routes work. The route is the route and they will get to you when they are caught up. More trash = takes longer & more trucks/people. First world problem, folks. Please relax.

MW January 5, 2022 (8:14 pm)

Based on that logic why not have this “service” pick up your garbage just once a month…but still charge you the same amount. I mean, they’ll STILL be picking up ALL your garbage, right? The service is just about the garbage amount, not the frequency of collection, right? Oh I forgot… I can’t complain until we are at 3rd world conditions, per your definition of 3rd world. Ok, then.
JAG January 5, 2022 (8:36 pm)

That’s not true. Our regular garbage day is Tuesday I live on a main arterial street that’s been clear since last Friday. We have not had service for over 2 weeks on garbage or recycle. I don’t understand how they are choosing whose garbage to pick up and whose to skip. Does that mean I will not have pickup until next Tuesday week 3 of this garbage piling up?

High Point January 5, 2022 (6:06 pm)

Isn’t it always free to bring recycling to the transfer station?

Chasbo January 5, 2022 (6:30 pm)

Yes, recycle is free. And the South Transfer station is on my route off of WS island.

deb January 5, 2022 (6:37 pm)

Question: Is wet wet cardboard still considered recyclable? After a week in the snow/thaw/rain, I wonder.

Anne January 5, 2022 (6:44 pm)

Just watched a news story re:slow pickup. Workers themselves telling what it’s like -because of the sheer amount of garbage -they’re having to go & dump their trucks several times a day-taking much longer than usual. I actually watched out our condo window today – as the garbage was collected-our buildings garbage-like everyone else’s overflowing . They had to fill the dumpster by hand shoveling because of that overflow. My first thoughts -oh my – I would hate having to do that-& appreciation for those that do -especially in extreme circumstances like these. They deserve every cent they make & more & they deserve patience from us. Thank you to everyone of them.

MW January 5, 2022 (7:55 pm)

Ah yes, the sheer volume of garbage – which surely is the fault of the homeowner! Yet the city continues to permit the building of more and more stack-n-packs in WS. In the name of “densifying”. And of course that DIDN’T mean a lot more garbage would be generated, in the exact same geographical space where less garbage was generated before. Ah, the excuses that are deemed acceptable, and the silence from those who created this problem.
- k January 5, 2022 (8:28 pm)
  
  By “those who created this problem” you are referring to major companies that sell us a lot of “stuff” and leave the end product and packaging for others to deal with, or the consumer who willingly buys it? Both? Not every topic has to be about how dreadful those non-single family, non-Craftsman homes are. Goodness.
- Jort January 5, 2022 (9:18 pm)
  
  Actually, dense housing makes it easier and more efficient to pick up trash because it’s concentrated in specific areas, like dumpsters. Did you know that there are cities even more densely populated with people than Seattle and — get this — they are able to remove trash, too?!?!?! Seriously! It’s true! But if you want to take your anti-density argument and apply it to a weather-related trash pickup delay, sure, I guess, you know, you do you.
  - MW January 6, 2022 (1:21 pm)
    
    By your “logic”, the garbage collectors surely should not have been complaining to the media about so much garbage being the problem (per comment above) and also per the comment above, someone looking out their condo window should not have seen packed dumpsters so bad they said it delayed the collectors who had to hand shovel those overflowing dumpsters. Stack-n-pack should have made this a better garbage collection after snowstorm experience than previous years. Soon stack-n-packs will have made missed collections a thing of the past. Got it

Kelsey January 5, 2022 (8:14 pm)

Ours was not picked up which is now two weeks of garbage, compost and for this week two full bins of recycle. Definitely asking for a credit if they aren’t picking up. Seems a bit ridiculous. We can’t fit a majority of that in our car to take to transfer station.

Denden January 6, 2022 (7:27 am)

I just looked at my most recent billing. Oct 1st – Nov 30th. $81.90 Garbage & $20.40 Food/yard waste. $0 for recycling, $102.30 total for 9 pickups. 102.30/9=$11.37. When everyone talks about the dirty rotten stuff just remember that for $11.37 someone is coming to your house and picking it up and hauling it away. You have the time and energy to file a complaint and ask for a REFUND of $11.37. We spend more than that on cigarettes and coffee. $11.37, chill out folks we had everyone’s dream a White Christmas.

Sorry, comment time is over.