Ban Ordinance on Recyclables in Garbage
City of Seattle Ordinance #121372 effective January 1, 2005 prohibits the disposal of certain recyclables from residential, commercial and self-haul garbage.
Prohibition of Recyclables in Garbage (pdf) (Administrative Rule SPU-DR-01-04) details how the City ordinance is to be carried out.
Why did the Mayor and City Council enact this ordinance?
Around 25% of Seattle’s garbage is made up of paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, plastic bottles and yard debris that could have been recycled or composted. Seattle’s recycling ordinance aims to save residents and businesses as much as $2 million a year and keep future garbage costs low.
How do the prohibitions under Administrative Rule SPU-DR-01-04 apply to residential and commercial customers?
- Residential
Both single-family and multi-family residential residents are prohibited from putting significant amounts of paper, cardboard, glass and plastic bottles and jars as well as aluminum and tin cans in their garbage containers as of January 1, 2005. Yard debris has been prohibited from residential garbage since 1989.
Exception:- Contaminated and food soiled paper.
- Commercial
Businesses are prohibited from disposing of significant amounts of paper, cardboard and yard debris in the garbage as of January 1, 2005.
Exceptions:- Commercial or multifamily customers without adequate space for recycling as determined by SPU inspection.
- Garbage dumpsters that receive waste from the public.
- Contaminated and food soiled paper.
- Self-Haul Customers at the City’s Recycling and Disposal Station
All self-haul customers are prohibited from disposing of significant amounts of recyclable paper, cardboard and yard debris in the garbage pit.
What is considered “significant amounts of recyclables?"
Significant amounts of recyclables is defined under Administrative Rule SPU-DR-01-04 as "more than 10% by volume of container, dumpster or self-haul vehicle's load based on visual inspection by a Seattle Public Utilities inspector, contractor or transfer station worker."
How does the City enforce these bans?
- Single-Family Residents
The City’s contractors will not pick up garbage cans that have significant amounts of recyclables. A notice (pdf) will be left on the can instructing the customer to separate out the recyclables and place the container out at the curb for collection the following week. - Apartment Owners or Property Managers
City inspectors will mail to the garbage account holder up to two warning notices before a $50 surcharge is added to the apartment building’s garbage bill. - Business Owners or Property Managers
City inspectors will mail to the garbage account holder up to two warning notices (pdf) before a $50 fine is imposed. - Recycling and Disposal Station Customers
Self-haul customers will be asked to separate out recyclable paper and cardboard as well as yard debris from their loads and not to dispose of such material in the garbage pit.
What resources are available to help residents and businesses comply?
- All single-family households have a free, curbside recycling service.
- Apartments are also eligible for the City’s free recycling service.
- The City’s Recycling and Disposal Stations accept recyclables for free and yard trimmings for a fee that is less than garbage.
- Interested businesses can sign up to receive the City’s free, biweekly curbside recycling service.
- Businesses can contact Resource Venture to obtain information on other private commercial recycling services where the pickup service is more frequent and revenue might be received for large quantities of recyclables, such as office paper.