If you’re a Monday customer but your garbage/recycling/yard waste hasn’t been picked up yet …

| Utilities | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(Photo by Jeremy Barton)

As shown in our previous story, Waste Management trucks were still having a tough time in some neighborhoods. So here’s an update from Seattle Public Utilities:

Collection contractors attempted residential collections today, Monday January 3, and determined there are still unsafe road conditions in neighborhoods that has delayed some collections. This will have impacts throughout the week and there will be delays in residential garbage, recycling, or food/yard waste pickup for some customers.

Customers should set out their Garbage, Recycling, and Food/Yard Waste on their regular collection day and leave it out the following day if not collected. Friday customers, if missed, should keep their carts out on Saturday. Customers should be sure to have their containers out by 7 a.m. to ensure collection.

Residential customers are permitted to set out double their normal amount of garbage, recycling, and compost this week for no additional charge. This includes recycling collection, even if it’s not your typical week for collection. Contractors will attempt to collect this ‘off-week’ recycling, if possible, but may not be able to collect all. Customers can call 206-684-3000 for additional support if needed.

Lola January 3, 2022 (6:59 pm)

We have our carts out for the second week in a row. No p/u. But some unsuspecting neighbor or a drive by person decided to leave their bagged styrofoam next to our carts today. Please have some self respect and don’t leave your trash for me to have to dispose of.

Peter January 3, 2022 (7:28 pm)

Bins out, fingers crossed. I big thank you to the truck drivers who do a dirty and sometimes dangerous job at the best of times.

Piled up January 3, 2022 (8:08 pm)

This really really needs to be addressed. I realize it’s possible (though a bit unlikely) for there to be a few locations where there’s still some slush but the vast majority of trash can and should be picked up immediately. This is the worst week of the year to be doing this Same exact and identical trash trucks, even identical tires, are used in cities with snow on the road all the time. Like boulder CO. I realize the drivers there are more experienced with snow but look outside today!Someone needs to get this going. Now.

wsres January 3, 2022 (9:20 pm)

Or consider moving back to CO. Not that big of a deal. Many of the drivers don’t live in seattle and had icy roads in rural areas or the suburbs to be able to get to their jobs today.

aa January 3, 2022 (9:47 pm)

Driving around Seattle today I saw a lot of overfilled dumpsters. Maybe the frustrated residents can remember that these folks are most likely working overtime and digging through piles of overflowing commercial and residential garbage to catch up. Its not just the streets, it doesn’t just automatically go back to normal, storm recovery takes time. What if for a moment you practice patience and trust that they are doing their best and working hard to get schedules back on track. And yes, some areas outside of Seattle got more snow today. Many people who work in Seattle can’t afford to live here so some may still be stuck at home because of the weather. There is also the option, if you must have this resolved ‘now’ to take your garbage to the dump yourself. Like Piled up says, the weather is fine. A great time for a ride to the transfer station!

Sara January 3, 2022 (10:03 pm)

Agreed. I’d say, if holding on to your extra garbage for a few more days is your biggest problem, then you are in good shape! I was driving around Seattle in a van today and slipped and skidded several times, so I can only imagine how scary it must be to drive one of those huge trucks around some of our icy hills.
WS Res January 4, 2022 (8:48 am)

Hear, hear. Instead of convincing yourself that someone else (inevitably someone doing a hard job at low wages) is getting it over on you, recognize that there’s challenges out there you just don’t know personally, and practice some compassion and friendliness.

MW January 3, 2022 (10:00 pm)

It Didnt used to be like this. Yes collections were sometimes missed for a day or two because of extreme snowfall, but the trucks used to get right back into picking up trash for the majority of customers, it would be much sooner than they’re doing now. There’s a new “snowflake” attitude hitting this industry, lol. ALSO, SDOT used to plow the streets, after snowstorms, more than they do now. Nickels lost his mayoral seat due to poor plowing by SDOT and that changed with his successor. But SDOT has lapsed back into their old ways, if garbage trucks now can’t get through, despite this snowfall not being much in comparison, and after an entire week has passed, it seems SDOT has stopped doing their job clearing the streets properly.

Admyrl Byrd January 4, 2022 (8:35 am)

In fairness to SPU and their contractors, this was a reasonably heavy snow with an extended period of cold, instead of the usual turnover to rain and wash it away. Since SDOT seems to hav abandoned the concept of plowing anything other than major arterials, we’re screwed. Our alley was not safe until yesterday after that snow, so I don’t blame the trucks for not wanting/getting through. Don’t like it, and other Northern cities would be crippled for months, but “this is one way to approach it”.
Brian January 4, 2022 (8:42 am)

SDOT has never once, in the history of my house existing, plowed my street. Further, there’s no way any cars could navigate my street much less a giant garbage truck. You’re not making any sense.
AMD January 4, 2022 (9:09 am)

Please don’t forget how many people have COVID or have been exposed and are isolating as recommended to reduce the spread. Staffing issues from COVID are part of every regional response issue from trash, to roads, to transit, to mail and not just here, but across the country. It’s not all they mayor’s doing. There are a lot of moving pieces that can contribute to service issues.

Marie January 3, 2022 (10:27 pm)

My take on this today was looking at how much trash people accumulate in just TWO WEEKS. We all need to cut down on the amount of stuff we throw away.

MW January 4, 2022 (4:10 am)

You think the quantity might have something to do with online shopping? I do. All that packaging material that wasn’t needed when we shopped at real stores and I’d imagine there’s even more garbage generated from so many online purchases that, when they arrived and were seen/felt didn’t fit and had to be returned. That’s another thing that didn’t happen to me, when I was able to shop at actual stores and see/try what I was buying, BEFORE I bought it.
- nonni January 4, 2022 (8:35 am)
  
  Ah, the good old days, when the actual stores did the dirty work of disposing of all that packaging material, so you didn’t have to. (did you think it arrived at the receiving dock unwrapped and ready to go on the shelf?)
  - ME January 4, 2022 (1:20 pm)
    
    Ah, did you presume todays online warehousing system does not have a ton of packaging THEY dispose of before they repackage your single item into yet MORE new packaging, adding bubble wrap and sealing in a cardboard box …to ship to you.?
Reed January 4, 2022 (6:42 am)

Spot on.
Bronson January 4, 2022 (6:58 am)

Normally, I would agree, but come on, these pickups were missed immediately after Christmas and we all know how many boxes, wrapping paper, extra food, etc. that is tossed out then.
Shut your gob January 4, 2022 (9:25 am)

All of us commenting on this forum, including yourself Marie, live in a capitalist, consumerist society which requires us to consume, consume, and consume some more to keep the economy going particularly at the holidays. Even you are personally guilty if you’ve ever ordered a single item from Amazon or purchased anything in your life. The holidays produce a lot of waste and probably the most waste producing time of the entire year. I personally enjoy living in a society where trash and recycling are picked up regularly and my neighborhood is kept neat and clean.

Marcus January 4, 2022 (4:48 am)

Too many complainers here. The roads are icy, at least until this morning. These guys have to drive to each house, get out and, grab a heavy wheeled cart and roll it to their bin and then set it back in the near original position. All on an icy surface???? Have a bit of sympathy. Bag up your garbage securely and just wait.

Yep January 4, 2022 (9:58 am)

Yep. It’s as if we don’t have a global pandemic going on effecting pretty much all occupations….and we didn’t have multiple snow dumpings then icing over, then rain to make it extra slick….maybe the complainers could help out by applying for road maintenance jobs and paying for more sand and salt to be purchased, instead of boohooing behind their screens. :)

Kathy January 4, 2022 (9:07 am)

These missed pickups didn’t bother me nearly as much as the one at the end of June that was skipped due to extreme (100 degree) heat. That was a public health issue. I agree we should all try to reduce our solid waste. That might mean separating out your plastic film and bubble wrap, cleaning it and taking it to collection points like Admiral Safeway or subscribing to have Ridwell pick it up. Instead of buying beauty and cleaning products in plastic bottles, shampoo and conditioner can be purchased in bars like hand soap. Businesses like Public Goods on California Avenue allow you to buy many products in bulk and refill your containers. Grocery stores should start allowing people to use their personal containers again for bulk goods.

AlkiBean January 4, 2022 (9:08 am)

I can understand missing last week but our road is clear of snow and they still missed our pickup this week. Our recycle and trash bins are already overflowing…waiting even one more week will make the neighborhood raccoons, crows, seagulls and rats very happy.

Trash Customer January 4, 2022 (9:53 am)

Recycling was picked up before 8am. Trash was picked up at 9. I’m a Monday customer.

KCrest January 4, 2022 (10:03 am)

Another big thank you to the drivers Waste Management teams who have to navigate narrow alleys, tight streets, and curvy hills around West Seattle on a good day!!! The added ice, slush, and awkward parking around the neighborhoods make the job even tougher – and dangerous – right now. Hoping we can all have a little extra patience when things are inconvenient.

Lola January 4, 2022 (10:04 am)

Husband is taking ours to the dump today now that some nice neighbor decided that their garbage should now become ours. Plus he said he already had to clean up when the wind tipped our over the two carts yesterday. It becomes a matter of not wanting to go out and have to pick it up every time the wind decides to blow, since they did tell us to put it out again yesterday. I am just tired of being taken advantage of by out City and how it is run.

Donna January 4, 2022 (11:51 am)

Ok, double check my math here. Since recycling is collected every other week, half the city gets their recycling collected each week. One week it’s routes A, the next it’s routes B. So each week there are enough trucks and drivers to cover half the city. Last week routes A recycling didn’t get collected. This week routes B recycling is the regularly scheduled half of the city. So WM is now trying to collect last week’s routes A as well as this week’s routes B because if they delay routes B then it will just continue the problem. So it seems to me that in order to do both A and B this week requires twice as many trucks and drivers as usual. Where are they supposed to get all the extra trucks and drivers? Catching up on the weekly garbage collection is relatively less difficult (barring the impacts of road conditions and sick employees) because they are already staffed to cover the whole city during the week. Am I missing something?

Peter January 4, 2022 (6:10 pm)

As they have stated repeatedly and clearly, missed recycling will be picked up if possible, no guarantees, no promises.
- Leon S Kennedy January 5, 2022 (3:08 pm)
  
  Lol Where have you been? We all know what “if possible, no guarantees, no promises” means…

Christine Livingston January 4, 2022 (2:02 pm)

Whenever I would complain about a minor or major inconvenience, my grandson would say to me, “Grandma, you know, this is a first world problem.” We have all been inconvenienced by the weather. But remember this, much of the world does not have access to clean drinking water, let alone regular garbage pick-up. Be grateful that we live where we live and have what we have. Isn’t that the message of Christmas?