Seattle does a pretty good job of recycling, whether its our old milk containers or food wastes. According to the City, the average Seattle single-family residence recycles/composts about 70% of its waste, which is up 20% from 25 years ago. However, the City spends more than $150 million a year to dealing with our waste.
So, in an effort to boost recycling/composting and save the City about $6.4 million a year, Seattle Public Utilities is implementing a test pilot project called “One Less Truck.” Under the test pilot project, 10 blocks of Wedgwood will have their waste pick up go from once a week to every other week. The 10 blocks in question include those (east to west) 30th Ave NE to 35th Ave NE and (north to south) NE 85th Street to NE 90th Street. Wedgwood is 1 of 4 neighborhoods in the City included in the test pilot.
As a result of the reduced collection frequency, those residences included in the test pilot project will receive a one-time payment of $100 and reduced rates. The test pilot project runs from July 1st – December 31st. The every-other-week schedule for pick up can be found HERE.
The every-other-week test pilot project, which is being implemented following a City Council directive, has been successfully adopted in other nearby cities, including Renton, Olympia, and Portland. Seattle Public Utilities will be hosting an Open House for the project at the NE Branch Library on Thursday, June 14th, beginning at 6:30.
If you have questions on the project, check out this Q&A. Any other questions can be directed to OneLessTruck@seattle.gov or (206) 684-7665, press #1.