SPOKANE, Wash. — Starting in 2025, Spokane residents who subscribe to curbside yard and food waste collection will have service during the winter months. The city will add one week of additional pickup in January, February and December as part of a response to customer feedback and preparation for future expanded waste disposal requirements.
According to the City of Spokane currently, curbside yard and food waste collection runs weekly from March through November. Beginning in 2025, it will also include the first full weeks of January, February, and December.
“Expanding curbside services for yard debris and food waste has been a common request, and in future years, it will be a requirement,” says Solid Waste Management Director Chris Averyt. “This provides additional service our customers have been asking for and helps everyone adjust to disposing organic waste in the right place.”
The city said that they are also encouraging residents to reduce food waste, especially during the Thanksgiving holiday, and to dispose of food scraps and food-soiled paper in their green carts. Foods such as meat, vegetables, eggshells, and leftovers, along with acceptable paper items like pizza boxes and paper towels, can be placed in green carts for composting.
Residents who subscribe to the optional curbside service are reminded to ensure their green carts are filled with yard waste, such as leaves, grass, and plant trimmings, by Saturday, Nov. 30. Plastic bags are not allowed in yard and food waste carts, and carts must be properly closed to avoid additional charges.
The cost of the expanded service will be $18.01 per month in 2025, with the added winter collection weeks included. Customers can sign up for the service online at Spokane311.org or by calling the city at 311 or (509) 755-2489 for those outside city limits.
For those looking to recycle yard and food waste independently, Spokane’s Waste to Energy (WTE) facility accepts clean green materials year-round. The facility is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a minimum charge of $7.12 for up to 200 pounds of material. A self-haul fee of $2.33 also applies.
