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Food Waste – It’s Not Garbage Any More

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REMINDER to Wallingford residents: Garbage, recycling, and yard waste pickup will be one hour earlier – 6:00 am – this Friday, October 28. The earlier pickup time is in response to the viaduct closure and is only for Seattle residents living north of the Ship Canal and west of I-5.

If you really want to reduce the size of your garbage can, plus make your garbage can less “fragrant,”  put all of your food scraps into your yard/food waste container. Any food item without any plastic or foil wrapping can go in your yard/food waste container. One exception is containers of grease and fat, which must go into the garbage.

YES in food/yard waste:

Any kind of food, including meat, bones, and shells.

Coffee grounds, coffee filters, tea bags

Uncoated – not shiny – paper plates, like the inexpensive thin white ones and Chinet brand

Paper napkins, paper towels, uncoated paper bags, pizza boxes, food-soiled newspaper

Shredded paper – loose, mix with moist stuff

Compostable bags and brown or tan-colored compostable food containers approved by Cedar Grove: see http://www.seattle.gov/util/foodwaste for examples

Waxed paper (but not waxed cardboard products – see below)

NO in food/yard waste:

Biodegradable containers not approved by Cedar Grove

Styrofoam containers

Dirty coated (shiny surface) plates, cups, bowls – clean and recycle

Waxed cardboard items such as milk cartons and ice cream containers – rinse and recycle

Disposable utensils even if they are marked as “compostable” or “biodegradable.” These are compostable only by commercial customers.

Grease and fats in lidded container

Facial or toilet tissue, diapers, pet waste, pet bedding, cat litter

Reduce your garbage – help Wallingford win the Think Green Recycling Challenge: http://www.wmnorthwest.com/seattle/seattlerewards.html

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barbbsea

Barb has lived in south Wallingford since 1992. She's a lady with a lopper as volunteer lead of the Burke-Gilman Trail Urban Orchard Stewards, a group that cares for public fruit trees along the Burke-Gilman Trail between Eastern and where Pacific becomes N 34th. In February 2020 Barb founded the current Friends of Meridian Playground which cares for the fruit trees and grounds of the park and holds weekly volunteer work parties on Wednesday noonish. Friday mornings she joins the Tilth Alliance volunteers to manage the care of the fruit trees at the Good Shepherd learning garden. Barb worked for nonprofit City Fruit for 9 years and still partners with them to teach neighbors to grow good fruit locally. Barb is also accumulating records and photos about the Good Shepherd property for eventual publication online.

This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Ryan October 26, 2011

    Does anyone know where we can recycle wood?

    I know that NewWood in Elma recycles the stuff and turns it into new boards but is there anyone up here?

  2. SJM October 26, 2011

    seems weird that paper napkins and paper towels are ok but facial tissue is not. maybe the concern is the facial tissue that is treated with softeners. if we have facial tissue from seventh generation it seems like that should be acceptable–its just like a paper napkin.

  3. Barb October 28, 2011

    As far as facial tissue, the Public Health department (Seattle-King County) forbids collection of any paper materials that originate in bathrooms and restrooms. This includes used facial tissue, paper towels, and toilet tissue.

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