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About SPU
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Garbage System
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Garbage Rate Structure
Financing Solid Waste Services
The City’s solid waste programs and operations are self-supporting and receive no subsidy from the City’s general fund.
Revenue
There are four primary sources of revenues to the Solid Waste Fund:
- • residential rates
- • self-haul fees
- • tip fees for disposal of commercial garbage
- • solid waste taxes
Grants and interest provide a small amount of additional revenue.
What the Solid Waste Fund pays for
The Fund pays for garbage collection and disposal, yard waste, and recycling collection and processing, as well as closure of old landfills, moderate risk waste management, litter and graffiti clean up, education and outreach, compost programs, and planning and administration.
Annual solid waste expenses were about $82 million in 1998.
How rates are established
Rates are typically reviewed every two years to ensure they are sufficient to meet the Fund’s specified financial targets for net income, cash balance, and debt service coverage. Rates are proposed by the Mayor and approved by the Mayor and Council. (The rates charged to businesses by franchised haulers are reviewed and approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.)
A typical single family household in Seattle spends about $240 each year on solid waste.
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