Seattle, WA trash pickup schedule
Seattle trash and recycling: who collects, how often, how to find your pickup day, and what changes on holidays in 2026.
Population 784,777 (Census 2025 estimate)Last checked Not affiliated with any city, county or hauler.
Contents10 sections
Quick answer
| Who collects | A private hauler under city contract: Waste Management of Washington (northwest and south Seattle); Recology King County (northeast and central Seattle) Seattle Public Utilities runs the service and bills it on the utility account; collection is performed by two contracted haulers by area. Garbage service is required for single-family homes. Seattle Housing Authority customers do not get SPU garbage/food & yard service. Businesses deal directly with the commercial provider for their area; apartments/condos work with SPU.210111213 |
|---|---|
| How often | Trash weekly, recycling every other week, yard waste weekly2 |
| Set out | carts out by 7:00 a.m. on collection day, lids opening toward the street or alley3 |
| Your pickup day | Address lookup: seattle.gov. App: Recycle It app1 |
| Holidays | No further 2026 holidays are on the city’s list. See the 2026 table. |
Bulk items: On-call pickup: call or book online (details). Drop-off sites: 4 listed (hours and fees).
Seattle holiday trash schedule 2026
| City’s rule | Garbage, recycling and food & yard waste are not collected on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day; if your regular collection day falls on one of these holidays, service is delayed by one day (for the Thursday holidays of 2025-26: Thursday customers collected Friday, Friday customers Saturday, Monday-Wednesday unchanged). Source is SPU's 2025-26 winter notice; the 2026-27 notice is not yet posted. MLK Day: in the Recology area only (Northeast and Central Seattle) collection runs one day late all week (Mon->Tue ... Fri->Sat); Northwest, West and South Seattle unchanged (2026 notice). No other holiday changes are published.11 |
|---|---|
| Official notice | atyourservice.seattle.gov |
| Rule extra |
| Holiday | Date | Pickup | What the city says |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu, Jan 1, 2026 | Delayed one day | Thursday customers collected Friday; Friday customers collected Saturday; Monday-Wednesday unchanged.11 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Mon, Jan 19, 2026 | Changes; see details | Northeast Seattle (east of I-5, north of ship canal) and Central Seattle (north of I-90, south of ship canal): one-day delay Mon Jan 19 - Sat Jan 24 (Monday customers Tuesday ... Friday customers Saturday). Northwest Seattle, West Seattle and South Seattle: normal. Transfer stations open.12 |
| Presidents' Day | Mon, Feb 16, 2026 | No dated list; see the city’s rule | See the city’s rule above |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 25, 2026 | No dated list; see the city’s rule | See the city’s rule above |
| Juneteenth | Fri, Jun 19, 2026 | No dated list; see the city’s rule | See the city’s rule above |
| Independence Day (Fourth of July) | Fri, Jul 3, 2026 (observed) | No dated list; see the city’s rule | See the city’s rule above |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 7, 2026 | No dated list; see the city’s rule | See the city’s rule above |
| Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day | Mon, Oct 12, 2026 | No dated list; see the city’s rule | See the city’s rule above |
| Veterans Day | Wed, Nov 11, 2026 | No dated list; see the city’s rule | See the city’s rule above |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26, 2026 | No dated list; see the city’s rule | See the city’s rule above |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25, 2026 | No dated list; see the city’s rule | See the city’s rule above |
Check your own day for the next three holidays with the holiday delay checker, or download a pickup calendar.
Bulk trash pickup in Seattle
| How it works | On-call pickup: call or book online6 |
|---|---|
| How to request | Utility account holder schedules online (SPU account > Special Item Pickup) or calls (206) 684-3000 M-F 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; renters/apartment residents go through the property manager/owner. Items are collected on the next regular garbage day after scheduling, set out where carts normally go, by 7:00 a.m.; do not leave items out without confirmation.6 |
| Limits | Large items up to 300 lb, 8 ft tall, 4 ft diameter; items covered on rainy days6 |
| Fees | $31 per large item (furniture, appliances, mattresses, TVs and electronics larger than 2x2x2 ft); $39.25 per CFC item (fridges/freezers made before 2005); household batteries and Special Item Box: one free pickup each per year since April 1, 2026, then $5 (batteries) / $20 (box); CFLs $5 per pickup; small propane canisters $5 per pickup (max 4); foam blocks free; used cooking/motor oil free at the curb on collection day (max two 1-gal sealed jugs). Charges appear on the utility bill.6 |
| Not accepted | |
| Booking extra | |
| Fees extra |
Recycling in Seattle
| Pickup | every other week2 |
|---|---|
| Type | single-stream5 |
| Glass | accepted in cart (bottles and jars)5 |
| Plastics | bottles, containers and tubs; no bags or film5 |
Accepted
Programs
- Recycling included in garbage rate; extra recycling free (1 extra 96-gal unit per collection day); second recycling container free4
Yard waste, food scraps and seasonal pickups
| Yard waste pickup | yes - food & yard waste (compost) service required for households of 1-4 units (exemption available if you compost at home: call (206) 684-3000)7 |
|---|---|
| Season | year-round2 |
| How often | weekly2 |
| Rules | Yard debris banned from garbage; extra yard waste (no food) $7.50 per unit: 32-gal can, kraft paper or approved compostable bag, or bundle up to 4 ft x 2 ft tied with fiber twine; 60 lb max4 |
| Food scraps | yes - food scraps incl. meat, bones, dairy, fish and compostable-labeled packaging in the compost cart7 |
| Offered extra |
|
| Christmas trees | 2025-26 season (latest published): trees and greens composted free Dec 26 - Jan 31, decorations removed, cut to 4-ft sections, next to the Food & Yard Waste cart on collection day; or drop off up to 3 trees under 8 ft at a transfer station11 |
| Leaf collection | November 2026: food & yard waste customers may set out up to 10 extra bags of leaves each collection day free (paper or certified compostable lawn/leaf bags, not plastic, or a reusable container with lid)14 |
Drop-off sites: landfill, recycling and hazardous waste
North Transfer Station
| Type | Transfer station |
|---|---|
| Run by | city (SPU) |
| Address | 1350 North 34th Street, Seattle 98103 · Map8 |
| Hours | 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily; 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. first Wednesday of the month; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and July 48 |
| Fees | Rates from April 1, 2026: recyclables only free; garbage $37 minimum per trip ($174/ton above 420 lb); clean yard waste $25 minimum ($132/ton); clean wood $25 minimum ($132/ton); tires $16 per load (max 4); appliances $34 each (max 2); unsecured load fee extra. Cash, check, Visa, MasterCard.815 |
| Who can use it | Seattle residents8 |
South Transfer Station
| Type | Transfer station |
|---|---|
| Run by | city (SPU) |
| Address | 130 South Kenyon Street, Seattle 98108 · Map8 |
| Hours | 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily; 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. first Wednesday of the month; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day (the July 4 closure applies to North only)8 |
| Fees | Rates from April 1, 2026: recyclables only free; garbage $37 minimum per trip ($174/ton above 420 lb); clean yard waste $25 minimum ($132/ton); clean wood $25 minimum ($132/ton); tires $16 per load (max 4); appliances $34 each (max 2); unsecured load fee extra. Cash, check, Visa, MasterCard.815 |
| Who can use it | Seattle residents8 |
North Household Hazardous Waste Facility
| Type | Household hazardous waste |
|---|---|
| Run by | city (SPU) |
| Address | 12550 Stone Avenue North, Seattle 98133 · Map9 |
| Hours | Sun, Mon, Tue 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day9 |
| Fees | free9 |
| Who can use it | all King County residents9 |
South Household Hazardous Waste Facility
| Type | Household hazardous waste |
|---|---|
| Run by | city (SPU) |
| Address | 8100 2nd Ave S, Seattle 98108 · Map9 |
| Hours | Thu, Fri, Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day9 |
| Fees | free9 |
| Who can use it | all King County residents9 |
Item guides: Mattress · Couch and furniture · Appliances · Paint · Batteries · Electronics · Tires · Motor oil · Christmas tree.
Missed pickup and contacts
| Missed pickup form | seattle.gov Report after 6:00 p.m. on collection day and within two business days; pickup rescheduled within 24 hours of the report.217 |
|---|---|
| Phone | SPU Customer Service (206) 684-30001 |
| 311 | Not published by the city (official page) |
| Official website | seattle.gov |
| Transfer stations | (206) 684-8400 (transfer station rates, hours, accepted materials)8 |
Nearby cities
- Bellevue, WA9 miles · A private hauler under city contract
- Renton, WA12 miles · A private hauler under city contract
- Kent, WA17 miles · A private hauler under city contract
- Federal Way, WA21 miles · A private hauler under city contract
- Tacoma, WA26 miles · The city collects
- Vancouver, WA137 miles · A private hauler under city contract
Other cities served by WM (formerly Waste Management)
- Fort Worth, TXWaste Management (WM)
- Oklahoma City, OKWM (Waste Management)
- Detroit, MIWaste Management (west side north of I-94); Priority Waste (east side and southwest Detroit south of I-94)
- Portland, ORNine City-franchised private haulers, each with its own exclusive area: Arrow Sanitary, Portland Disposal & Recycling, Waste Management of Oregon, Heiberg Garbage Service, City Sanitary, Wacker Sanitary, Walker Garbage Service, Republic Services of Lake Oswego and Recology Clackamas (per the City hauler-area layer)
- Long Beach, CACity of Long Beach Energy and Environmental Services (trash and organics); Waste Management (recycling, under city contract)
- Oakland, CAWaste Management of Alameda County, Inc. (trash, compost, bulky); California Waste Solutions (recycling, household batteries, used motor oil)
- Stockton, CARepublic Services or WM (Waste Management) - two franchised haulers, each serving part of the city
- Irvine, CAWM (Waste Management of Orange County)
- Reno, NVWaste Management (WM)
- Moreno Valley, CAWaste Management of the Inland Empire (WM)
- Little Rock, ARWM (curbside recycling only)
- Providence, RIWM (Waste Management)
- Fort Lauderdale, FLWM (Waste Management)
- Oceanside, CAWM (Waste Management of North County)
- Lancaster, CAWM (Waste Management)
- Palmdale, CAWM (Waste Management)
- Corona, CAWM (Waste Management / USA Waste of California) under a franchise agreement with the City of Corona
- Kansas City, KSWM (Waste Management of Kansas City, Inc.)
- Hayward, CAWaste Management of Alameda County (WM); curbside recycling by Tri-CED Community Recycling
- Joliet, ILWM (Waste Management)
- Simi Valley, CAWM (Waste Management)
- Lowell, MAWM (Waste Management)
- Menifee, CAWaste Management (WM) of the Inland Empire
- Rio Rancho, NMWM (Waste Management of New Mexico)
- Murrieta, CAWM (Waste Management)
- Sparks, NVWM (Waste Management)
- Gresham, ORFive City-franchised haulers by area: Arrow Sanitary, Gresham Sanitary Service, Hoodview Disposal, Rockwood Solid Waste, Waste Management (WM)
- Hillsboro, ORSeveral City-franchised haulers by area, incl. Hillsboro Garbage Disposal, WM, Garbarino Disposal, Evergreen Disposal, Pride Disposal & Recycling (list from Metro's official address lookup and hauler pages)
- Spokane Valley, WAWM (formerly Waste Management)
- Chico, CAWaste Management (North Valley Waste Management)
- Federal Way, WAWM (Waste Management)
Other cities served by Recology
- San Francisco, CARecology (Recology Sunset Scavenger, Recology Golden Gate, Recology San Francisco)
- Portland, ORNine City-franchised private haulers, each with its own exclusive area: Arrow Sanitary, Portland Disposal & Recycling, Waste Management of Oregon, Heiberg Garbage Service, City Sanitary, Wacker Sanitary, Walker Garbage Service, Republic Services of Lake Oswego and Recology Clackamas (per the City hauler-area layer)
- Santa Rosa, CARecology Sonoma Marin
- Santa Clara, CAMission Trail Waste Systems (garbage and yard trimmings); Recology South Bay (recycling)
- Vallejo, CARecology Vallejo
- Vacaville, CARecology Vacaville Solano
- San Mateo, CARecology San Mateo County
All Washington cities: Washington trash pickup schedules.
Seattle trash pickup FAQ
What day is trash picked up in Seattle?
Trash is collected weekly. Seattle does not use one citywide day: your day depends on your address. Look it up with the city’s address lookup (seattle.gov) or the Recycle It app app.
Is trash picked up on New Year's Day 2026 in Seattle?
New Year's Day falls on Thu, Jan 1, 2026. Delayed one day: Thursday customers collected Friday; Friday customers collected Saturday; Monday-Wednesday unchanged.
How do I get rid of bulky items in Seattle?
On-call pickup: call or book online. Utility account holder schedules online (SPU account > Special Item Pickup) or calls (206) 684-3000 M-F 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; renters/apartment residents go through the property manager/owner. Items are collected on the next regular garbage day after scheduling, set out where carts normally go, by 7:00 a.m.; do not leave items out without confirmation. Fees: $31 per large item (furniture, appliances, mattresses, TVs and electronics larger than 2x2x2 ft); $39.25 per CFC item (fridges/freezers made before 2005); household batteries and Special Item Box: one free pickup each per year since April 1, 2026, then $5 (batteries) / $20 (box); CFLs $5 per pickup; small propane canisters $5 per pickup (max 4); foam blocks free; used cooking/motor oil free at the curb on collection day (max two 1-gal sealed jugs). Charges appear on the utility bill.
Does Seattle recycle glass?
Glass: accepted in cart (bottles and jars).
How do I report a missed trash pickup in Seattle?
Use the city’s online form (seattle.gov) or call SPU Customer Service (206) 684-3000.
Sources
- 1 Garbage - Utilitiescity (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 2 Your Collection Daycity (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 3 Setting Out Waste for Collectioncity (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 4 Extra Garbage, Food/Yard Waste, and Recyclingcity (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 5 Recycle Right. It Matters.city (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 6 Special Item Pickupcity (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 7 Food & Yardcity (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 8 Transfer Stations (Dumps/Landfills)city (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 9 Where to Dispose of Household Hazardous Wastecity (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 10 Solid Waste Contracts (marked historical content)city (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 11 2025 Winter Holiday Waste Collection Schedule (SPU At Your Service blog, Nov 21, 2025)city (Seattle Public Utilities) · atyourservice.seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 12 MLK Day Collections Schedule (SPU At Your Service blog, Jan 13, 2026)city (Seattle Public Utilities) · atyourservice.seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 13 Seattle Public Utilities and WM award 2026 ReThink Waste Grants (SPU blog, Oct 20, 2026)city (Seattle Public Utilities) · atyourservice.seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 14 It's drainy season! Rake leaves, reduce flooding (SPU blog, Oct 26, 2026)city (Seattle Public Utilities) · atyourservice.seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 15 Transfer Station Ratescity (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 16 Look Up Collection Daycity (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
- 17 Report Missed Collectioncity (Seattle Public Utilities) · seattle.gov · checked October 30, 2026
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Second-pass verification against every source: October 30, 2026. Not affiliated with any city, county or hauler.