Marlene Feist, 509.625.6505
Wednesday, February 19, 2020 at 8:15 a.m.
Have spring fever? Now is nearly the time for the City of Spokane to resume curbside yard and food waste pickup, with the service beginning for the year on Monday, March 2. The optional yard waste service runs from March through November.
The 96-gallon green yard waste cart can be filled with all types of yard waste—grass, leaves, pine needles, pine cones, weeds, vines, thatch, plant trimmings, and small branches. Customers can even cut up and throw in the old Christmas tree that’s been parked in their yards for weeks.
Customers also can dispose of food scraps and food-soiled paper in the carts. Acceptable scraps include meat, poultry, fish, beans, dairy products, fruit, vegetables, breads, grains, pasta, eggshells, nutshells, coffee grounds, tea bags, and leftovers. Acceptable food-soiled papers include greasy pizza boxes, coffee filters, paper towels, paper napkins, uncoated paper plates and cups, paper egg and berry cartons, and paper grocery bags with food scraps.
Yard and food waste carts are collected on the same day as garbage and curbside recycling carts. The material is composted at a local facility. The cost of the service is $17.29 a month, with no charge when the service is suspended for winter. City of Spokane Solid Waste Collection customers can add the service by calling the City at 3-1-1. Yard and food waste also can be recycled at the City’s Waste to Energy facility. The materials are accepted year-round at the facility, which is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Citizens also can learn how to turn yard waste into compost through the Master Composter/Recycler Program. The six-week course includes lecture, discussion and hands-on activities. The next course starts on March 23. Deadline to apply is Friday, March 6.
