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Services > Yard > Food & Yard Waste at Your House > What's Accepted

What’s Accepted as Food & Yard Waste

Food scraps and food-soiled paper can be placed only in your city-provided food and yard waste cart. Do not put food scraps and food-soiled paper in any other yard waste container.



To help get you started with kitchen composting download coupons (PDF) for discounts on compost kitchen kits and other supplies. You can also purchase approved compostable bags to collect food waste in your kitchen at retail stores or order online.

Yes! In Your Food and Yard Waste Cart
Not! In Your Food and Yard Waste Cart

Yes! In Your Food and Yard Waste Cart


Food scraps


  • • Fruit & vegetables

  • • Bread, pasta, grains

  • • Eggshells, nutshells

  • • Coffee grounds & filters

  • • Tea bags

  • • Meat, fish, and chicken

  • • Dairy products (milk, butter, cheese)

  • • Shells and bones
Food-soiled paper

  • • Paper towels & napkins (kitchen only)

  • • Paper plates (uncoated only)

  • • Food-soiled newspaper

  • • Greasy pizza boxes

  • • Shredded paper

  • • Paper bags (uncoated) with food scraps

  • Compostable bags

  • Approved compostable tableware (PDF)
Yard waste

  • • Plant material

  • • Grass

  • • Leaves, branches, twigs (up to 4 inches in diameter and 4 feet in length)

  • • Plant and tree trimmings

  • • House plants (no pots)

  • • Small amounts of sod (less than 60 pounds)

  • • Holiday trees (No tinsel, ornaments, flocking; no longer than 6 feet long and 4 inches in diameter)

  • • Bundles up to 4 feet long and 2 feet in diameter, tied with natural twine

Not! In Your Food and Yard Waste Cart


Garbage can:


  • • Biodegradeable containers unless marked “Approved” by Cedar Grove

  • • Styrofoam containers

  • • Dirty coated paper cups & plates (clean ones can be recycled)

  • • Disposable utensils

  • • Grease and fats (in lidded container)

  • • Facial or toilet tissue

  • • Diapers

  • • Pet waste and litter

  • • Household trash/litter

  • • Hoses

  • • Garden tools

  • • Bundles tied with wire, nylon cording or plastic banding

  • • Loose soil

  • • Rocks/gravel
Recycle cartr - All items must be clean

  • • Plastic shopping, newspaper, and dry cleaner bags (clean, stuffed together) (No produce bags)

  • • Milk, juice & ice cream cartons (rinsed)

  • • Cardboard (unwaxed, flattened)

  • • Plastic bottles, jugs & dairy tubs

  • • Glass bottles and jars

  • • Metal cans

  • • Paper (dry)

  • • Nursery pots

  • • Paper & plastic cups (clean)

  • • Plastic trays and containers
See Special or Hazardous Items for detail about items the require special handling. For waste reduction tips see Reduce, Reuse, Exchange.

Get the picture - see our photo guide (with translations) or view a video of what you can and can’t put in Seattle food and yard waste containers. Translated versions of the video are also available.
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Related Links
Backyard Composting

Where to Buy Compostable Bags

Recycling & Disposal Stations
-Yard Waste Drop-Off