Food & Yard
Food & yard waste (or compost) service, is required for every home and business in Seattle. It's an important part of sorting your waste that helps the environment and cuts down on your waste costs.
- What can I compost? Fruit and vegetables, yard trimmings, meat, dairy, and fish are all accepted, but what else goes in your food and yard waste cart? Watch this video about items to compost. (Translations: Mandarin | Cantonese | Spanish | Vietnamese)
- When in doubt: Look things up in the Where Does it Go? tool.
- Sorting it out: View kitchen storage ideas to make it easier to sort your compost at home.
- How much does it cost? Food & yard waste service costs less than garbage. Putting all compostables in your compost cart saves you money.
For Business &
Commercial Customers:
Businesses that generate food waste or compostable paper must subscribe to a composting service or self-haul their food waste to a transfer station for processing. They can also save money and reduce waste through the City of Seattle's Commercial Compost Collection. Learn more about business & commercial composting.
Composting food and yard waste at your house is part of daily life.
Since 2012, food and yard waste service has been required for all households of 1-4 units, and since 2015, you can no longer put food and compostable paper, including food-soiled pizza boxes, paper napkins, and paper towels, in the garbage. Yard debris such as leaves, grass, and plant trimmings are not allowed in your garbage, either.
The most common items in the food & yard waste carts are food scraps (meat, bones, shells, dairy, fish and moldy leftovers), leaves, branches, plants, and approved food packaging that says "Compostable." Check out the Where Does it Go? flyer or use the Where Does it Go? lookup tool.
Choosing and managing your food & yard (compost) service:
- View rates for each container option.
- Request an exemption if you compost at home by calling (206) 684-3000.
- Sign up for food & yard waste service online or by calling (206) 684-3000.
- Find your collection day by using the online lookup calendar, by downloading the Recycle It App for weekly reminders on your smart phone, or by calling (206) 684-3000.
- Learn how to set out your containers at the curb or alley. You can also set out extra yard waste on your collection day.
- Change your cart size or report a missing or damaged container.