Encampment Garbage

Part of the City of Seattle’s Clean City Initiative, the Encampment Trash Program, or Purple Bag program, mitigates the environmental and public health risks of encampments and provides consistent and dependable trash removal services for people living unhoused. 

City staff work closely with outreach partners to distribute purple trash bags to up to 30 documented encampments located on public property.* In addition to providing outreach services, our partners ask individuals living in these encampments to place full bags at a designated drop site (20 feet away from the nearest dwelling) one to two times per week for collection.  

Purple bags should be placed in designated drop sites. If you encounter purple bags on a sidewalk, on public property, or in the public right of way, please report it using the Find It Fix It app.

*This excludes property owned and maintained by Seattle Parks and Recreation, Washington State Department of Transportation, or any private transit agency. Each of these entities provide separate, parallel services to individuals living unsheltered on their property.