Garbage and recycling for customers who have Thursday and Friday collection days will be a day late due to the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays. Reminder! Carts need to be at the curb by 6 am on your collection day. See more information regarding other City closures.

Winter City Curbside Collections Available

Kirstin Davis, Communications Manager, kdavis@spokanecity.org

Monday, December 29, 2025 at 4:23 p.m.

Now that the gifts have been opened, it’s time to clean up and the City is ready to help you. Residents have several options to recycle their trees, and here are tips on disposing of paper, bows, ribbons, and boxes.

A reminder for Food and Yard Waste customers, put your green cart out on your normal collection day the week of Jan. 5-9, and again Feb. 2-6 and City of Spokane will collect your food scraps and yard waste this winter. It’s a great opportunity to have those small branches and tree debris taken away.

The City’s Solid Waste Collection Department will offer free curbside fresh-cut Christmas tree pickup for its customers a week later this year due to customer feedback. Beginning Monday, Jan. 5, and through Friday, Jan. 16, customers can place their fresh-cut tree out on the curb for pickup on their normal collection day.  Here’s what to do:

  • Remove all the decorations and lights, because they will be chipped and composted.
  • Trunks no bigger than three inches in diameter and if it is taller than six feet, cut it in half. Loose branches may be bundled next to the tree not to exceed six feet in length.
  • Place at least three feet away from the garbage and recycling carts on their regularly scheduled pickup days.
  • No artificial or flocked trees are accepted through this service.

For more information, call Spokane 311 (or 509.755.2489 if calling outside the City).

City and County residents also can take their undecorated, unflocked trees for disposal to:

  • Waste to Energy Facility, 2900 S. Geiger Blvd. Open 7: 30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
  • Spokane Valley Transfer Station, 3941 N. Sullivan Road. Open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends.
  • North County Transfer Station, 22123 Elk-Chattaroy Road. Open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends.

Again, trees taller than six feet should be cut in half. Trees taken to these facilities are subject to the minimum charge for clean green disposal; they will be composted. For more information, call the Recycling Hotline at 509.477.6800. The facilities are closed Thursday, Jan. 1.

Residents also should watch for opportunities to dispose of trees and help a good cause. Scouts, school groups, and other charitable organizations will dispose of trees for a donation.

Meanwhile, some holiday packaging material is recyclable and can go into blue recycling carts. Gift wrap, except for metallic foil paper and cellophane, is recyclable, along with cardboard boxes and wrapping paper rolls. Styrofoam, plastic bags, plastic wrap, gift bags, and tissue paper should go in the garbage cart.

Reminder, garbage and recycling collection will be a day late following the New Year’s Day holiday. Residents with regular Friday services will have service on Saturday. The Waste to Energy facility and transfer stations will be closed on Thursday, Jan. 1.

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