Yard trimmings are prohibited from garbage containers in King County. Yard trimmings create extra landfill expense, but can provide nutritious compost and mulch if composted.
Options for Disposing of Yard Trimmings:
Compost in your yard (most energy efficient choice!)
Put yard trimmings in a foodyard cart to be collected at the curb
Take yard trimmings to a transfer station that accepts "clean green".
Food Scraps Now Accepted in Yard Carts
Weekly curbside yard/food scrap collection is included with the City of Renton's curbside garbage collection service at no additional charge.
Food scraps and food-soiled paper (like pizza boxes, napkins, and paper towels) make up over 30% of garbage in King County. Putting food scraps in the gray food/yard cart will reduce your garbage. ( Garbage rates are determined by garbage cart size)
Curbside Yard/Food Scrap Collection Yes and No
Food scraps and food-soiled paper go only in the Food / Yard cart provided by Waste Management. Food scraps are not accepted in any other containers.
Kitchen Food Scrap Collection: You can use containers such as:
- The kitchen food scrap bucket delivered with your food/yard cart. Empty into cart & reuse.
- Used paper bags (or)
- A reusable container with a vented lid lined with used paper towel or shredded paper - Empty into Food / Yard cart and reuse (or)
- Cedar Grove-approved compostable bags
Do not put plastic bags or any other plastic in your cart.
More Kitchen Compost Container Options
To avoid odor & fruit flies, you can:
- Empty food scraps into the outside cart daily.
- Rinse kitchen container frequently.
- Line kitchen container with a used paper towel, paper bag, shredded paper, or approved compostable bag*.
- Sprinkle baking soda in kitchen container.
- Rub container lid with vinegar
- Layer food & yard trimmings in your cart.
- Layer shredded paper with food and yard trimmings.
- Contact Waste Management to replace your Food / Yard cart.
Extra Yard Trimmings: There is no charge in Renton for additional units of yard trimmings (no food scraps) beyond the basic service.
* Yard trimmings are not accepted in plastic bags.
Plastic bags are not compostable and cause processing and odor problems at the composting facility.
For yard trimmings that don't fit in your yard cart you may use:
Paper yard bags (available at home and garden stores)
Reusable polywoven yard bags, or
32-gal cans with handles & lids (65 lb limit) labeled "Yard" or
Bundles tied with sisal twine (4'x2' limit)
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Where Does It Go?
Collected yard trimmings and food scraps are processed into compost and sold at home and garden stores.
Visit www.cedar-grove.com for more information.
Turning Seattle's Food Scraps Into Gardening Gold with Cedar Grove Compost - See the video.
