REMINDER: This week’s garbage/recycling plan, plus what to do with Christmas trees (updated Monday evening

SUNDAY NIGHT: As rain finally melts the snow, finally clearing unplowed roads, here’s a reminder of how city garbage/recycling/yard waste pickup will work this week: Everybody will be on their regular collection day, allowed to set out up to double the usual volume. If your collection day last week was supposed to include recycling, you can put that out too, although Seattle Public Utilities cautions that its contractors “will attempt to collect this ‘off-week’ recycling, if possible, but may not be able to collect all.” As for what to use:

-Extra garbage can be set out in bags or a personal can.

-Extra recycling can go out in a cardboard box or paper bag.

-Extra compost shouldn’t contain food and can go in a personal can or paper bag.

As for Christmas trees, you have until January 31st – you can “place up to 2 trees or bundled greens next to your food & yard waste cart on each regular collection day throughout the month of January” – with all decorations removed, and the trees cut into sections no more than 4′ long. Or, you can take up to 3 trees, up to 8′ tall, to transfer stations for free all month long – the nearest one is the South Transfer Station at 130 S. Kenyon (here’s how to get there).

MONDAY EVENING UPDATE: From SPU:

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.

(We’ve also published this separately.)

29 Replies to "REMINDER: This week's garbage/recycling plan, plus what to do with Christmas trees (updated Monday evening"

  • trickycoolj January 3, 2022 (12:32 am)

    Any news from SHA/Impact Property Service? Our cans have been out since our rescheduled date and still haven’t shown up. 

    • WSB January 3, 2022 (12:58 am)

      No, sorry, can’t even find a contact for them. Going to ask SHA today about how to access that info in any such future situations. – TR

    • Jaclyn January 3, 2022 (11:20 am)

      Was also wondering about SHA plans! 

  • Yma January 3, 2022 (7:34 am)

    Anyone know if you can put out garland?garland tends to have wire in it – so I think ‘no’, but would like to if I can.

    • WSB January 3, 2022 (9:17 am)

      If there’s wire in it, that makes it trash, not compost.

  • JK January 3, 2022 (9:04 am)

    Have any idea about the certainty of recycling?  if we put out recycling in paper bags or boxes and its not picked up thats going to make for a messy sidewalk and week ahead (w/ the rain and what it does to paper and all)

    • AMD January 3, 2022 (9:17 am)

      Based on my past experience, if you can hang onto it until next week I would do that.  It’s really hit-or-miss.  

      • WSB January 3, 2022 (9:26 am)

        So far SPU’s reiterated messaging this morning is that they’ll try.

    • momosmom January 3, 2022 (10:49 am)

      How about common sense? If it looks like it’ll turn into a mess then wait until next week.

  • Thomas A Wood January 3, 2022 (10:20 am)

    Waste management had a week where they could have hired temps to ride with drivers. So I find their response as they will try totally disingenuous. They made a ton of money not running last week. They need to be called out to answer for this! Regarding pick up for recycling

    • reed January 3, 2022 (11:37 am)

      Please post a video of yourself hauling a full recycling bin up an icy street to get it to a collection truck that can’t drive down the street. 

      • Thomas A Wood January 3, 2022 (1:06 pm)

        I removed all the snow around my bins to make it easier to get to the truck How about you?

      • Thomas A Wood January 3, 2022 (1:20 pm)

        In my post I also advocated for the drivers to have a helper. In no way was I criticizing the drivers! Please read again I was criticizing Waste Management

        • reed January 3, 2022 (2:11 pm)

          Yes I shovel my sidewalk, and that of my elderly neighbors for two houses on either side of me and across the street. Even if the drivers have a helper, it is still unreasonable to demand that they haul cans up icy roads or sidewalks to a truck. I’m confused as to who you are angry at; Waste Management or your neighbors who don’t shovel their sidewalks? I think this could serve as a good learning moment for people who generate too much waste. If you can’t go a week or two without trash or recycling service, perhaps you need to evaluate how much waste you produce. 

    • AMD January 3, 2022 (1:57 pm)

      Hiring temps to ride with drivers isn’t a fast thing (training is real) and increases the potential for a COVID exposure (because you’re trapping your driver in the truck with a brand new person).  This then increases the chances of a driver shortage in a week or two, putting them right back where they were last week.  Extra people in trucks also doesn’t give them more trucks, which is what you need to do more routes (for extra recycling), nor does it give you extra capacity to receive the refuse at the end of the run.  Saying they will try isn’t disingenuous, it’s honest.  Please, if you’re not willing or able to take a job running Waste Management, let the people who have done this a long time do their jobs.

  • Chasbo January 3, 2022 (11:33 am)

    Any sign of WM or SPU trucks this AM?  Usually they are in Fairmount Part/Seaview early AM Monday on their usual Monday pickup.

  • Stuckonahill January 3, 2022 (1:07 pm)

    On a hill in Admiral, and no service, yet. Also, no mail since before Christmas. Streets are slushy, but smaller vehicles are finally able to drive past my house. A garbage truck should be able to handle the hill. This is feeling eerily similar to a few years ago where the neighborhood didn’t have service for weeks. 

  • Brian January 3, 2022 (2:25 pm)

    In gatewood we’ve just had yard waste picked up but that is all. 

  • THOMAS LAXTON January 3, 2022 (3:26 pm)

    so far they only picked up yard waste they should of picked up garbage first 

    • Thomas A Wood January 3, 2022 (4:08 pm)

      My garbage was picked up this morning, nothing else has been picked up

  • rme January 3, 2022 (3:44 pm)

    No pick up yet on Genesee hill, which is a bit baffling considering our roads are completely clear. Was able to up and drive down our very steep driveway with zero issues this morning. 

    • WSB January 3, 2022 (3:46 pm)

      Story I’m about to publish includes reader video showing a truck in trouble. And that was before this afternoon’s ice-pellet showers put a slippery new layer onto everything for a while.

  • Wolfgang January 3, 2022 (4:48 pm)

    It’s currently 4:45 pm None of my Trash, recycle or yard waste has been picked up. I fear the critters will be out and about scattering litter from all the extra bags being put out. (Not my house but several others I saw while on my walk about)

  • Rebecca January 3, 2022 (5:01 pm)

    None of my stuff has been picked up. :-(

    • Trash customer January 3, 2022 (5:16 pm)

      Me neither. Will they pick up tomorrow or should I bring it in the yard?

      • WSB January 3, 2022 (5:38 pm)

        Don’t bring your cart in yet. The city website has this update time-stamped 5 pm:

        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.

  • Gw January 3, 2022 (5:12 pm)

    Still no pickup here in north admiral…

  • dobro January 3, 2022 (5:33 pm)

    5:31 here in Seaview and no garbage pick up. They got the yard waste this morning. I went ahead and brought my bin back in off the street. Hope they don’t show up now in the dark!

  • JK January 4, 2022 (8:41 am)

    Just a quick note – Yard Waste picked up this AM in seaview.  

Sorry, comment time is over.