Recycling Rules in Seattle

From Seattle Public Utilities

"For the past year, garbage haulers and Seattle Public Utilities inspectors have been educating residents and businesses about Seattle's recycling requirements by leaving educational tags when they incorrectly put recycling in the garbage.

Starting January 1, 2006 garbage collectors will not pick up household garbage cans that contain large amounts of recyclable paper, cardboard, as well as aluminum, tin, glass and plastic bottles and jars. They will leave a notice on the can and the resident will need to remove recyclables from the container before the garbage will be collected the following week.

Don't worry if someone accidentally puts a can, newspaper, or bottle in your garbage. Garbage haulers will only 'tag' folks who dump a lot of recycling (more than 10% of the container) in their garbage.

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Apartments, townhouses and condominiums whose garbage containers are filled with more than 10% recyclable paper, cardboard, aluminum and tin cans, as well as glass and plastic bottles and jars will be tagged with warning notices... and after a third notice, a $50 charge will be added to the garbage account.

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Business will receive a $50 fine if large amounts of recycleables are repeatedly found dumped in the can or dumpster."

What a proud resident I am!!