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Solid Waste Collection, Recycling, and Disposal

This page outlines Washington State's solid waste management system, including local government responsibilities, planning requirements, collection service options, and regulations for both traditional waste and organic materials.

Overview

RCW 70A.205.010 establishes a statewide program for solid waste handling, recovery, and/or recycling to prevent pollution and conserve resources of this state. The Washington State Legislature assigns primary responsibility for solid waste handling and planning to local governments while “reserving to the state…those functions necessary to assure effective programs.”

While Washington cities, towns, and counties have primary responsibility for managing solid waste collection and disposal, they are not required to directly provide those services (see RCW 35.21.120, RCW 35.21.130, and RCW 36.58.040). Moreover, the relevant statutes do not mandate that all residents and businesses have trash collected by any public or private hauler.

The State Solid and Hazardous Waste Plan created by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) guides the management of waste and materials in the state, helping local governments stay in compliance with the statewide purposes, goals, and rules that establish minimum functional standards for solid waste handling in Chapter 70A.205 RCW.

Statutes

Counties and Cities

Cities and Towns

  • RCW 35.21.120-35.21.158 – Solid waste disposal.
  • RCW 35.92.020 – Grants city authority to acquire and operate solid waste systems and facilities.
  • RCW 35.13.280 – Authorizes cities to cancel existing service franchises upon annexation; protects service providers during annexations by requiring new franchises and restricting competition.
  • RCW 35.02.160 – Grants cities authority to regulate service providers in newly incorporated areas while maintaining required franchise agreements until city-operated services can be established.

Code Cities

  • RCW 35A.21.060 – Garbage Ordinance – Lien – Foreclosure
  • RCW 35A.14.900 – Grants code cities control over public services in annexed territories while temporarily protecting existing utility providers' rights.
  • RCW 35A.21.152 – Solid Waste Collection – Rate Increase Notice.
  • RCW 35A.21.153 – Solid Waste Collection Curbside Recycling – Reduced Rate

Counties

Solid Waste Collection Districts

Solid Waste Collection Companies

Solid Waste Management Plans (SWMPs)

RCW 70A.205.040 requires each county within the state, in cooperation with the cities and towns within that county, to prepare a coordinated, comprehensive solid waste management plan (SWMP). State law requires comprehensive solid waste management plans be reviewed and updated every five years (RCW 70A.205.075).

The plan must include the following items listed in RCW 70A.205.045:

  • An inventory of all existing solid waste handling facilities and their deficiencies;
  • A list of long-range needs for solid waste handling facilities;
  • A waste reduction and recycling element; and
  • Ecology's Contamination and Reduction and Outreach Plan (CROP) for counties of over 25,000 people. The statute encourages incorporation of food waste reduction strategies consistent with the department's Use Food Well Washington Plan (2022).

For more guidance on developing a SWMP, see the Recommended Resources section of this page.

Examples of SWMPs

Solid Waste Collection and Recycling Service Options

Cities and counties have the following options regarding solid waste collection, including recycling:

Option 1: Local Government Provides Collection Service

Many local governments in Washington require all individuals to sign up for solid waste collection. Others provide municipal collection service but do not require participation. Below are examples of cities requiring universal, compulsory collection.

Option 2: Municipality Contracts with Other Municipalities

Under the Washington State Interlocal Cooperation Act (Ch. 39.34 RCW), a municipality can contract with another local agency, city, or county for solid waste collection services. Examples of cities utilizing interlocal agreements for solid waste collection services include:

Option 3: Municipality Contracts with Private Firm While Still Controlling Billings and Rates

Municipalities may enter into contracts with waste haulers for collection and recycling services, but continue to provide billing and control rates. Below are selected code provisions that have adopted this approach; also see the examples of solid waste collection contracts and solicitations later on this page.

Option 4: Municipality Contracts with Private Firm with Municipality Only Controlling Rates

A municipality can contract with a private waste hauler for collection and recycling services, including billing, while the municipality controls rates. Below are selected examples of these code provisions.

Option 5: Municipality Licenses or Franchises to Private Firm

Municipalities may grant a franchise or license to a waste hauler or haulers, with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) controlling billing and rates. Below are selected examples of these code provisions.

Option 6: UTC Sets Rates and Service Area

Although the state requires counties and cities to plan for solid waste management and gives them the authority to provide solid waste collection services (or contract for the service), they are not required to provide collection services. If a municipality chooses this option, the UTC sets the service area and the rates to be charged by private firms that serve the municipality.

Below is information from the UTC on companies they regulate:

In case of an annexation, a city is required to grant a franchise to the UTC-regulated solid waste collector that served the annexed area for at least seven years after it notifies the UTC of its intent to provide or regulate collection services inside the city (RCW 35A.14.900 (code cities) and RCW 35.13.280 (other cities and towns)). RCW 35.02.160 is a similar provision for newly incorporated cities and towns.

Below is an example of post-annexation franchise agreements granting UTC-regulated solid waste companies continued authority to provide collection services:

Examples of Solid Waste Collection Contracts & Solicitations

Cities and towns have two options for soliciting solid waste collection vendors. The first option is to follow the locally-adopted process for entering into purchase service contracts. As explored on MRSC’s page Purchased Services Contracts, cities have no statutory requirements for soliciting purchased service contracts and have flexibility in determining competitive requirements.

The second option is to follow the process set forth in RCW 35.21.156, which includes the following:

  • Publishing a notice seeking qualification statements or proposals. The statute requires numerous provisions be set forth in the notice, including the general scope and nature of the service and the criteria established by the legislative authority to select vendors. Notice must be published in the official newspaper of the city or town at least once a week for two weeks at least 60 days before the submission date for qualifications statements or proposals.
  • Establishing a process for evaluating the submittals, with a recommendation to be made to the city or town council for the best qualified vendor.
  • Holding a public hearing on the recommended vendor’s proposal, with the city council making written findings about entering into a contract with the selected vendor.

Below are selected examples of solicitation documents and contracts for private firms to collect and dispose of solid waste such as garbage, recycling, compostables, and yard waste.

Solicitations

Contracts

Setting Garbage Rates

Municipalities often utilize rate studies to establish garbage rates and increases. Rate studies account for operations and maintenance, debt service, and future capital costs. There is no cap on solid waste rate increases; utility (enterprise) funds are intended to be self-supporting, meaning rates should cover all expected expenditures.

Public hearings discussing these rate increases are not required. However, notices must be mailed to affected ratepayers or published in newspapers of general circulation once a week for two consecutive weeks at least 45 days before the increase takes effect (RCW 35.21.157 and RCW 35A.21.152).

Below are examples of notices of solid waste rate increases and ordinances approving increased fees, as well as an example of a contractual provision requiring the contractor provide notice to customers of rate increases.

Collection of Overdue Accounts

MRSC’s page on Collection Practices for Delinquent Utility Accounts provides information on collecting overdue accounts, including utilizing collection agencies and payment plans. Unlike discontinuing water and electricity utility services, state law does not provide limitations on when solid waste collection may be discontinued for nonpayment.

One available option for cities is to file a lien for garbage collection and disposal services on properties (RCW 35A.21.060 and RCW 35.21.140). Counties that have established solid waste collection districts and use private haulers have a lien option under RCW 36.58A.040.

Solid Waste Utility Taxes

MRSC’s webpage on Utility Taxes provides general information on utility taxes on a solid waste utility. Remember that the local government has the option to impose a utility tax (also known as a business and occupation, or B&O, tax) on the income of the public or private solid waste utility providing services within the city or town boundaries (even a municipally-owned utility). The tax is imposed on the utility business itself, and not the individual utility customers. There is no maximum tax rate for utility taxes on a solid waste utility. While municipally owned utilities are required to disclose the utility tax on the gross revenue of water, sewer/wastewater, and stormwater utilities, they are not required to disclose the utility tax for solid waste utilities (RCW 35.92.460).

Organic Waste Management

In recent years, the Washington State Legislature has adopted laws addressing organic materials management, with the goal of reducing and diverting organic waste from landfills. The Department of Ecology aims to cut the amount of organic material sent to landfills by 75% by 2030, using 2015 levels as a baseline. Additionally, it seeks to decrease the disposal of edible food in landfills by 20% by 2025.

Below is a summary of state law requirements impacting local governments; however, Ecology’s Organic and Food Waste division includes more comprehensive resources on this subject.

Compost Procurement Ordinances

Composting organic waste such as food scraps and yard waste provides a number of benefits, including reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills or incinerators, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, and providing soil benefits for the users of the finished compost.

Counties and cities with populations greater than 25,000 must adopt compost procurement ordinances (RCW 43.19A.150). This requirement also applies to all cities and counties, regardless of population, that provide organic material collection services under Chapter 70A.205 RCW. The purpose of the compost procurement requirements is to strengthen markets for the increasing amount of compost generated statewide by requiring local governments to plan for the use of compost in landscaping projects, construction and postconstruction soil amendments, and other projects.

Any jurisdiction required to adopt compost procurement ordinances must also develop strategies to inform residents about the value of compost and how the jurisdiction uses compost. Jurisdictions must submit annual reports to Ecology by March 31 of each year on the previous year's compost procurement activities.

For more information, see MRSC’s blog The Breakdown of Compost Product Purchasing (2023) and Ecology’s Resources on Compost Procurement Ordinances.

Examples of Compost Procurement Ordinances

Siting of Organic Materials Management Facilities

Any development regulations to implement comprehensive plans under Chapter 36.70A RCW (Growth Management Act) or Chapter 36.70 RCW (Planning Enabling Act) that are developed, updated, or amended after January 1, 2025, must allow for the siting of organic materials management facilities in the areas identified in RCW 70A.205.040(3)(a)(i), which puts priority areas in industrial zones, agricultural zones, or rural zones (see RCW 36.70A.142 and RCW 36.70.330).

Organic Waste Collection Requirements

Beginning April 1, 2027, in each jurisdiction that implements a local solid waste plan under RCW 70A.205.040, year-round, source-separated organic solid waste collection services are required to be provided to all residential customers (except multifamily residences) and all non-residential customers who create more than .25 cubic yards of organic waste per week. See RCW 70A.205.540.

RCW 70A.205.540 includes several exceptions to its applicability that account for factors such as total population, solid waste generation levels, population density, urban growth area boundaries, and availability of organic waste processing facilities. Cities and counties that already had organics collection service as of January 1, 2024 are not required to provide year-round service as long as weekly service is provided at least 26 times per year.

By April 1, 2030, the source-separated organic solid waste must be provided on a nonelective basis unless a customer manages that waste on-site or self-hauls the material. Also, all jurisdictions’ source-separated organic solid waste collection services must include the year-round acceptance of food waste, either separate from or commingled with other organic materials.

For more information on the recent legislative changes impacting organic materials collection and management, see the Ecology pages on Compost and Organics Management Law.

Grant Programs for Organic Waste Diversion and Food Waste Reduction

The 2024 legislative session established a new grant program related to food waste reduction and organic material management policy implementation. These grants will be administered by the Washington Center for Sustainable Food Management (“the Food Center”), which was established in RCW 70A.207.020. The priority areas for funding are for programs and policies that:

  • Prevent the creation of unsold and uneaten food from food businesses, and/or improve their food donations process;
  • Improve transportation and cold storage in the rescued food supply chain;
  • Support the creation and expansion of food waste reduction programs to benefit vulnerable communities;
  • Invest in food waste tracking and data analytics pilot strategies; and
  • Support the implementation of Washington’s organics management laws.

Recommended Resources 


Last Modified: April 15, 2025