Weather stalls garbage collection in King County cities

  • BY Wire Service
  • Friday, December 26, 2008 2:07pm
  • News

Waste Management has postponed residential curbside collection throughout Snohomish county and in most of King County, including Seattle, Burien, Renton and all East King County areas.

Limited curbside garbage collection (no recycling or food/yard waste) is proceeding as access allows in Federal Way, Auburn, Kent, Algona and Pacific.

Holiday Schedule: If a resident’s regularly scheduled collection falls on or in the week after a holiday, Waste Management collects one day late in most areas. For example, because of the Christmas holiday, most Thursday customers will be serviced on Friday and Friday customers will be serviced on Saturday unless otherwise notified. The same schedule will apply next week for New Year’s Day on Thursday, Jan 1.

For up-to-the-minute collection updates, go to: www.wmnorthwest.com/weatherboard.html.

Residents and businesses should check www.wmnorthwest.com for specific collection schedules in their areas. Waste Management will also attempt to notify customers by phone when service is delayed.

Residential curbside customers whose collection is delayed may set out up to three times their regular amount of garbage, recycling and/or yard waste on the next regularly scheduled collection day for each container. Please locate containers so that they are accessible from the street. Avoid shoveling snow against containers and clear storm drains to prevent flooding.

Consecutive Misses: Waste Management recognizes that the extremely unusual duration of unsafe road conditions has resulted in some customers’ having been missed two weeks in a row. Waste Management officials say they’ll get material collected as soon as safely possible.

“We will notify residents at www.wmnorthwest.com/weatherboard and by phone if conditions allow us to collect sooner than the next regularly scheduled day,” a statement from a Waste Management press release read.

Waste Management suggests that residents use the following options for storing and setting out extra materials:

Extra garbage: Place next to garbage container in:

• Securely tied plastic bags labeled “Garbage” or

• 32-gal can with handle and lid (65 lb limit) labeled “Garbage”

Extra recycling: Place next to recycling cart in:

• Plastic recycling bins or

• Cardboard boxes (2x2x2 ft. limit) labeled “Recycling”

• No recycling in plastic bags

Extra yard trimmings (No food scraps or plastic): Place next to yard cart in:

• Heavy paper yard bags (available at hardware stores) or

• Reusable polywoven yard bags (available at hardware stores) or

• 32-gal cans with handles & lids (65 lb limit) labeled “Yard” or

• Bundles tied with sisal twine (4’x2′ limit)

Commercial customers are being serviced as soon as conditions allow safe collection. Priority service is given to locations such as hospitals and restaurants, where public health is a concern. Please keep storm drains clear and container access areas free of plowed snow accumulation.

Waste Management is committed to providing reliable collection for all customers. However, in the extremely unusually prolonged weather-related delays of the past two weeks, we appreciate customer understanding and cooperation as we manage collection on emergency scheduling as safe collections procedures allow.


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