Kirstin Davis, Communications Manager, kdavis@spokanecity.org
Monday, November 24, 2025 at 3:43 p.m.
City of Spokane reminds subscribed curbside food and yard waste customers that they can have their green carts emptied in the winter months. Based on customer feedback and in preparation for upcoming required expanded services, the City began one week per month winter pick-up last year. The curbside food and yard waste collection service runs weekly from March through November and the first winter pick-up is Dec. 1-5, 2025. The other winter pick-up weeks will be Jan. 5-9, and Feb. 2-6, 2026.
“For a few years now, we have had requests to provide residential services after November, especially when the weather allows for people to do more yard clean up,” says Public Works Director Marlene Feist. “It’s also a way to remind the community to use their green cart for food disposal.”
Holiday feasts can produce significant amounts of food waste. Residents are encouraged to plan ahead to prepare adequately-sized meals to reduce the amount of food that is wasted and suggest guests bring their own “to-go” containers to take leftovers home. If there is food waste, it is best disposed of in green carts with yard waste.
How You Can Help
Stuff Your Green Cart - Residents who subscribe to the food and yard waste green cart service are urged to put as many leaves and yard waste as possible into their green carts between now and Friday, Dec. 5. Never push leaves from the yard into the street. Take the time to make sure there is a clear path for stormwater and snow melt-off to reach the drains in neighborhood streets.
The 90-gallon food and yard waste green cart can be filled with all types of yard waste—leaves, pine needles, grass, pumpkins, pinecones, weeds, vines, thatch, plant trimmings, small amounts of sod, and branches. Please do not overload carts and make sure that the lids are fully closed.
Extra Bag Rules - Plastic bags do not belong in food and yard waste green carts. Green carts with plastic bags are billed as garbage. Paper leaf bags are acceptable in the green cart or left next to the green cart. Food and yard waste collection customers are eligible for a discounted disposal of up to three extra paper bags full of leaves. The leaves are sent to the composting facility. If plastic bags with leaves are left out, there is a larger disposal fee per bag and they go into the trash.
Reduce Food Waste and Put Scraps in Green Carts – Make the most of Thanksgiving leftovers with these tips to reduce food waste. Green cart 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.
Residential customers can add the service by going online at Spokane311.org and submitting a Food and Yard Waste Start Service request or by calling the City at 311 inside City boundaries or if outside (509) 755-2489.
Recyclers and composters can still recycle yard and food waste at the City’s Waste to Energy (WTE) facility. Clean green materials are accepted year-round at WTE, which is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The minimum charge is $7.62 for up to 200 pounds of clean green material. There is also a self-haul fee of $2.49.
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