FAQ

Tips & Guidelines
Food Scraps & Yard Debris service is now included in residential garbage service! These scraps and debris create a valuable product to use in parks and gardens and help keep this material out of the landfill. When you keep food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard debris separate from your garbage you extend the life of our landfill and conserve resources.

Your Food Scraps & Yard Debris cart is collected every week on your garbage collection day. Login to your account to learn more about your collection schedule.

Questions?  Call Recology CleanScapes at 206.763.4444.

Materials Collected

Do not put plastic, glass, metal, or recalled food in the Food Scraps & Yard Debris container.

• King County Yard Waste Tips on keeping containers clean, collecting food scraps in the kitchen and information about the financial and environmental benefits of composting.

• King County Backyard Food Composting Guide on composting food and yard waste in your own backyard.

Download the Food Scraps & Yard Debris Poster

English

Watch the Kitchen Composting 101 video below for tips.

More videos from King County: Love Your Leftovers | Shop Smart | Store It Right

If you can’t reduce, recycle!
If you have more materials than will fit, place additional recyclables in clearly labeled sturdy bins or boxes next to the recycling cart.

The materials listed below are accepted in your recycling cart or bin in Shoreline. All containers must be clean and empty.

Recyclable Materials List

For items that are recyclable but require special handling, please see the Special Item Recycling page.

Download the Recycling Poster

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Recology CleanScapes provides free curbside collection for Shoreline residential and apartment/condo customers.

• Put oil in a leak free, one-gallon milk jug with screw-top lid.
• Must be labeled with name and address.
• Limit 2 gallons per collection.

For quantities greater than 2 gallons, or commercial customers, see Hazardous Waste Drop-off Centers.

Large amounts of powerful medicines go unused or expire and the way we dispose of them makes a difference for our waters and our environment. For years, the advice was to flush our drugs or mix them with kitty litter and throw them in the garbage. Flushing drugs sends them directly into our waters, harming the environment.  Drugs thrown in the garbage are available for others to take and use, and can still get into the environment.

Returning medicines to a take-back program is the only environmentally sound method for disposing of unused medicines (www.takebackyourmeds.org).

Visit the Take Back Your Meds for locations of drop-off centers.  Additionally, Shoreline’s Police Headquarters serves as a drop off location for unused medications and pharmaceuticals.

Please follow these instructions when disposing of latex paint cans:

Metal cans or plastic buckets containing latex paint must be dried out and then put in the garbage. Cans or buckets containing wet paint are NOT allowed in the garbage.

• To dry out small amounts of latex paint (less than 1-inch), leave the lid off for several days until the contents are dry.
• To dry out large amounts of latex paint or to dry it quickly, mix 50/50 with kitty litter or a commercial paint hardener such as “Waste Away.” Allow the mixture to dry in the can.
• Put dried out paint cans in your garbage with the lid off so drivers can see that the can contains only dried paint.

Please follow these instructions when disposing of oil-based paint cans:

• Empty oil-based paint cans are allowed in the garbage
• If oil-based paint can is not empty, please dispose of at your local Hazardous Waste Collection Facility.

Recology CleanScapes will collect empty, small, disposable, camping-style propane cylinders or cans when pick up is requested. Please schedule a Special Recycling Item Collection or call 206.763.4444 to request collection.

Residential customers may also drop off empty camping-style cylinders at The Recology Store Shoreline.

We do not accept large propane tanks. If you have refillable propane tanks for your barbeque, make sure to reuse them or drop them off at a certified take-back facility. You can find local facilities by searching online.

Single-family Residential Customers:
Recology CleanScapes provides free curbside collection of motor oil for single-family residential customers.

Please fill out a Special Item Recycling Collection Form by selecting your city below to let us know you’d like a pick-up:

Motor oil must be:

• Free from contaminants.
• Sealed in a leak-free, clear plastic jug with screw-top lid.
• Labeled with name and address.
• Placed next to recycle cart on your collection day.
• Limited to 3 gallons per collection.

For businesses and apartment customers, or to dispose of quantities greater than 3 gallons, please see Hazardous Waste Drop-off Centers.

Hazardous waste items are NOT allowed in the garbage. For information on disposing hazardous wastes from your business, please visit the King County Hazardous Waste website.  Find out if your small business is eligible to receive free hazardous waste disposal.  Find additional information on the flyer below.

Download the Small Business Hazardous Waste Disposal flyer.

Recology CleanScapes provides free on-call collection of fluorescent tubes and bulbs (CFLs) for residential customers. Call our customer service team to arrange a pick-up of these materials. For commercial, apartment and condominium customers, service must be requested by the bill payer on record.

Fluorescent lights contain small amounts of hazardous substances and must be recycled separately from all other recyclables. Please DO NOT put them inside your recycling cart.

Please follow these instructions to recycle fluorescent tubes and bulbs:

• Schedule a Special Item Recycling Collection:
  

  Bothell Burien Carnation Des Moines		Issaquah Maple Valley SeaTac Shoreline

• Wrap tubes in several layers of newspaper, secure with tape.
• Put bulbs in plastic bag tied closed (or Ziploc® style bag).
• Set bulbs on top of recycle cart (not inside).
• Place well-wrapped tubes next to your recycling cart. Tubes longer than 4 feet will not be collected.
• Limit: 2 tubes/bulbs per collection, 10 tubes/bulbs per year.

Drop off
Customers may also drop off tubes and bulbs at the nearest Recology Store:

• Recology Store Bothell
• Recology Store Shoreline 
• Recology Store Issaquah
• Recology Store Highline

LightCycle
Additionally, LightRecycle Washington is a program that allows individuals and businesses in Washington to recycle up to 10 mercury-containing lights per day for FREE. You can recycle straight and curved fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and High Intensity Discharge Lights (HIDs) at authorized LightRecycle collection sites. Visit LightRecycle.org to find a collection site near you.

Putting loose sharps into the garbage is a health risk for solid waste workers.  The best ways to dispose of sharps generated in the home is through a local pharmacy, a mail-in program, at your doctor’s office, or at a designated drop-off location.

If the options above are not available, syringes may be disposed of in the garbage if placed in puncture resistant container such as a number two (2) PET pop bottle, with a tight fitting or taped lid and labeled “SHARPS, DO NOT RECYCLE.”  King County information is available at King County Local Hazardous Waste Management Program website or by calling the King County Household Hazards line at 206-296-4692; or by emailing haz.waste@kingcounty.gov.

Contact your local pharmacy and ask about their “sharps” collection services.  Many Bartell Drugs stores offer sharps disposal containers and will dispose of sharps/needles for a fee.  Contact your local Bartell Drugs store for more information.

Purchase a postage paid, mail-in container.  For more information on where to purchase, search for “sharps mail in programs” on your computer, ask your doctor, or contact the following companies:

BioMedical Waste Solutions
www.biomedicalwastesolutions.com
1-877-974-1300

GRP & Associates, Inc
www.sharpsdisposal.com
1-800-207-0976

Medasend
www.medasend.com
1-800-200-3581

Source: King County Local Hazardous Waste Management Program

All batteries must be taken to specified drop-off locations or returned to retailers, depending on battery type. Lead acid, rechargable, and button batteries contain toxic materials and are particularly hazardous to human and environmental health. For more information, visit www.hazwastehelp.org.

Batteries that must be taken to a drop-off center:

• Alkaline – These are the common brand name batteries such as Duracell or Energizer
• Lithium Ion (Li-ion) – Rechargeable batteries for laptops, cell phones, and MP3 players
• Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) – Rechargeable batteries for portable electronics and power tools
• Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) – Common brand name rechargeable batteries
• Zinc-Air and Silver Oxide batteries – Button type batteries found in watches, calculators, and hearing aids

Batteries that are not accepted at drop-off centers:

• Lead-Acid – Car batteries; these must be taken to auto parts/repair stores
• Shoreline residential customers may also drop off household batteries at The Recology Store Shoreline.

Drop-Off Centers in Shoreline:

• Bartell Drugs – Photo Center, 18420 Aurora Ave N
• Walgreens – Photo Center, 14510 Aurora Ave N, 17524 Aurora Ave N, 17518 15th Ave NE
• City Hall lobby – 17500 Midvale Ave N
• Shoreline Police Station – 1206 N 185th St

Although you can put cooking oil and grease in the garbage, you now have a better choice. Support the renewable bio-fuel movement by recycling your kitchen oil at Central Market Shoreline!

15505 Westminster Way N
Shoreline, WA 98133
206.363.9226

Recology CleanScapes provides free curbside collection of small appliances for single-family residential customers in Shoreline.

Single-family Residential Customers
Please follow the instructions below to recycle small appliances:

• Items must be 2’x2’x2’ or smaller and less than 35 lbs
• Place items on top of your blue recycling cart
• Limit 2 per collection

Small appliances are also accepted from residential and multi-family customers at The Recology Store in Shoreline.

Large Items: For larger items, submit a Bulky Item Collection Form or call customer service to schedule collection. Fees may apply.

Electronic waste, or e-waste, including computers, monitors, and televisions, are not allowed in the garbage because they contain toxic materials that can be hazardous to human health and the environment. There are several options for safe disposal of these items.

Recology CleanScapes offers free curbside collection of small electronics for single-family residential customers.

Single-family Residential Customers
Please follow the instructions below to recycle small electronics:

• • Submit a Special Item Recycling Request Form to schedule a pick-up.
  • Items must be 2’ x 2’ x 2’ or smaller and weigh less than 60 lbs.
  • Place items in a clear plastic bag and set on top of or next to the recycle cart.

The Recology Store Shoreline also accepts e-waste and electronics for reuse and recycling. Items dropped off at the store are collected by Electronic Recyclers International. ERI is both R2 and e-Steward certified and responsibly recycles or refurbishes all e-waste received. ERI also performs data destruction in accordance with Department of Defense and National Institute of Standard and Technology protocol to ensure 100 percent data destruction.

Residents of the state of Washington can call 1.800.RECYCLE or visit the E-Cycle Washington website for E-Waste disposal information.

The Take It Back Network also provides information on how to dispose of all unwanted electronics.

Responsible Purchasing
The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool will help you find desktops and laptops that are manufactured environmentally responsibly and have a long user life.

Bulky Item Collection
Recology CleanScapes offers on-call removal of large items, such as furniture or appliances, for a fee. Schedule a special pick-up for any of your large items or appliances by submitting a Bulky Item Request Form or calling 206.763.4444

To locate a drop-off location visit King County’s “What Do I Do With?” page.

Recology CleanScapes will collect natural, undecorated, unflocked trees in 4-foot lengths from customers who subscribe to every-other-week food scraps & yard debris collection. No special arrangements are necessary; just put your tree curbside on your regular food scraps & yard debris collection day.

Flocked trees are not accepted in food scraps & yard debris collection. The flocking can often contain non-compostable materials including adhesives, flame retardant, or additives to make the flocking glitter and shine. Flocked trees are considered garbage, and are not accepted at tree recycling facilities.

Recology CleanScapes offers free curbside collection of dry, clean clothing and household textiles (sheets, towels, table cloths, etc.) from residential customers in Shoreline on an on-call basis. Textiles must:

• Be placed in clear, tied plastic bags
• Be set next to your recycling cart on the pre-arranged collection day

To request a textiles collection, please submit a Special Item Recycling Request Form or call Customer Service at 206.763.4444.

Recology CleanScapes also accepts clean clothing and household textiles for recycling at The Recology Store Shoreline. Residents may also drop off clothing, boots, shoes, curtains, fabric, linens and many other household textiles at the Shoreline Transfer Station. 

Shoreline residents can drop off Styrofoam™ blocks  (polystyrene foam blocks and coolers) for recycling at the Shoreline Recycling and Transfer Station.  Please no packing peanuts.

Residents may also drop off Styrofoam™ blocks at The Recology Store Shoreline.

You can recycle ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal items. Items must:

• Contain less than 5% non-metal components
• Be less than 2 feet in any direction and weigh less than 35 lbs

Place item(s) inside cart or secure (i.e., bundle or box) next to cart.

License plates:
In order for an old license plate to be accepted in curbside recycling, the month and year tabs must be removed or invalidated, and the plate must be bent so that it cannot be used on a vehicle. Please check with the Washington State Department of Licensing website to ensure that you do not recycle a license plate type that must be taken into a vehicle licensing office for disposal.

Call Customer Service at 206.763.4444 to request a special container (ranging from 2 yards to 40 yards).  Tonnage and haul fees apply.

Shredded paper is no longer accepted in recycling or compost carts. The best method of disposal is to participate in a local shred event. Otherwise, please dispose of shredded paper in your garbage.

You don’t. You take them back next time you go to the dry cleaners. That’s reuse which is even better than recycling. Please do not put wire or plastic hangers in your blue recycling bin; hangers jam equipment at the recycling plant. Recycling bins are for bottles, cans, paper, cardboard, and hard plastics, such as plastic cups and molded plastic packaging.

As of 2020, plastic bags and wrap are no longer accepted in curbside recycling bins. Please check with your local grocery store to see if they offer a take-back program. Many stores have such programs and offer easy drop off near the check-out counter. You can also visit https://www.plasticfilmrecycling.org/ to view a list of drop-off locations.

Shoreline customers may select from several different garbage container sizes and save money by recycling and composting more.

View Shoreline rates.

Need a large container? Learn more about drop box services.

View the collection calendar.

Service Alerts and Weather Delays
If extreme weather conditions make it unsafe for our trucks to pick up your garbage, recycling, or food scraps and yard debris, Recology CleanScapes will try to collect materials on the first day that regular service resumes.

At that time, Recology CleanScapes will pick up extra materials equal to what would have been collected on the missed collection day(s) at no charge. Please check the homepage for current collection information during storms.

Holiday Collection Schedule
Recology CleanScapes operates regularly on all holidays except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.  If your collection day falls on or after one of these three holidays, your collection will be one day later that week.

For example, if your regularly scheduled collection day falls on Thanksgiving Day, Recology CleanScapes will collect your material on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.  If your regularly scheduled collection day is Friday, your materials will be collected on Saturday.

To report a missed collection, please call 206.763.4444, send us an email, or use the Missed Collection Form. Please notify us within 24 hours of the missed collection. Recology operates during normal business days in the City of Shoreline so if your collection is missed and reported on a Friday, collection will occur the following Monday.

Please keep in mind:

Set Out Time
Residential materials must be set out by 7am on collection day. Apartments, Condos and Commercial materials must be set out by 5am on collection day.

Material Preparation
If you find a tag on your materials titled “we’re sorry,” please correct the problem indicated. If you are a residential customer and would like us to return and collect the materials before your next collection day, there is a $8.71 return trip charge.

Collection Calendar
If you are uncertain of your collection day you can look it up on the “My Collection Calendar” page, by logging in to your account, or calling us at 206.763.4444.

To temporarily stop service, call Customer Service at 206.763.4444 or submit a Vacation Hold Form. You will not be billed for stopped collections if the request is made at least one week prior to the affected collection day. The first week of vacation hold service is free, but you are charged $1/week for every week after.

The maximum allowed weight is 14,000 lbs due to safety concerns.  If the debris box weighs more than 14,000 lbs, the container will be off-loaded at the customer’s expense.  Materials such as dirt, concrete, bricks or other heavy materials add tremendous bulk and weight to the container.

View the Debris Boxes and Construction Services page to find container sizes, FAQs, and service brochures.

Use our online form to Request a Debris Box.

Residents who generate minimal garbage, or landfill bound materials be able to save money by reducing their garbage service level. Call your Recology company to see how they can “right size” your service based on material type and volume.

If you live in the Shoreline area, Recology CleanScapes is your one-stop shop for garbage, recycling, and food scraps & yard debris service.

You may sign up for service or change your container size by calling Customer Service at 206.763.4444 or by submitting the appropriate online form below. Existing customers can use this form to change service levels to better fit their needs.

• Modify Service Form
• Open a New Account

View the residential rates page to see the cart sizes and rates that we offer.

We will process your request and begin your new service within two (2) business days.

Cart Delivery
Your new cart(s) will be delivered the next collection day following your order or the week after, depending on when your request was made.

Cart Removal
If you are changing service levels and your change requires a Recology CleanScapes cart to be removed, set the cart(s) out on your next collection day. The cart(s) will be removed after your materials are collected.

If you have questions please call us at 206.763.4444.

Taxes on your garbage bill consist of:

Washington State Refuse Tax – 3.6%
These funds are used to provide financial assistance to local governments for repair and maintenance of public works projects.

Shoreline City Utility Tax – 6.552%
Utility tax revenue provides basic City services such as police protection, parks and street maintenance, human services, jail and environmental services.

King County Hazardous Waste Fee

• $1.04/mo for residential single family homes
• $1.80/mo for small volume generators (≤ 0.48 cu. yards – cart or can)
• $14.82/mo for medium volume generators (0.48 to < 10 cu. yds – dumpster)
• $56.96/mo for large volume generators (≥ 10 cu. yds – roll-off container)

This monthly fee is collected by the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County to fund the Hazardous Wastemobile and the Hazardous Waste Collection facilities at transfer stations throughout the county. You can learn more at hazwastehelp.org.

View Bills Online
You will need your account number and the phone number on your account to register.  This information is provided in the service guide you receive in December, or you can call customer service.

Login
Click the login button at the top of any page.  You can use your Recology CleanScapes account to:

• View your invoices
• Pay your bill with a credit card, debit card or e-Check
• Access your collection calendar

If you do not already have an online account, you’ll need to create an account first by using the New Account Form:

Create Account
If you have not yet registered a username and password with Recology CleanScapes, you will need to do so to place online orders, view electronic invoices or make electronic payments. Registration only takes a moment. Follow these simple steps:

1. Locate your account number:
Your account number can be found on your Recology CleanScapes invoice. If you do not have an invoice handy, call customer service at 206.763.4444 to determine your account number.

2. Click “Login” at the top of this page:
Use your username and password to login to your Recology CleanScapes account. If you do not have a username and password follow the instructions below.

3. Register your account:
If you have not registered for a username and password, click on “sign up now if you have not registered before.” At the bottom of the registration form you will need to enter either an invoice number or the phone number we have on file. If you need to update the phone number, call 206.763.4444. When you have completed the form, click “submit.”

4. Check your email:
A confirmation email will be sent to your email. Open this email and click on the hyperlink to confirm your registration.

5. Login:
You can now return to the login page and use your newly registered username and password to login to your account.

Payment Options

• Pay by e-Check
• Pay by credit or debit card
• Pay by automatic deduction from your checking or savings account
• Pay by check.

RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS ARE BILLED EVERY THREE MONTHS.

Pay by e-Check or credit card online or by phone:

Call 206.254.9944 or visit our online payment center to pay with a check or with a credit/debit card.  You will be asked to provide the following account information: Recology account number, invoice number, method of payment and payment amount. Your transaction will be securely processed.

Pay by automatic deduction:

Automatic payment makes paying your bill easy. By enrolling in this service, your bill will be paid automatically from your checking account. Each billing period you will receive your bill via regular mail or, if you receive e-Billing, you will receive an email notification that your bill is ready to be viewed (see Billing Options, below). Ten days after your invoice or email notification is sent, your bill will be paid by automatic deduction from your bank account.

To sign up for this service, download and submit the request for automatic payment form and fax or mail the completed form as indicated on the form. Requests received by the 20th of the month will take effect on your next bill.

Pay by check:

Mail your check and invoice payment stub to:
Recology CleanScapes
P.O. Box 34260
Seattle, WA 98124-1260

Processing of payments mailed to any other address will be delayed.  By sending a check as payment, you authorize Recology to use information on your check to make a one-time electronic debit from your account at the financial institution on your check.  This electronic debit for the amount of your check may be withdrawn from your account as early as the same day we receive your check.  For further information about this check conversion process, please visit www.electronicpayments.org or call Customer Service at 206.743.4444.

Billing Options

• • You can receive your bill through regular mail or you can sign up for “e-Billing.”
  • If you sign up for “e-Billing,” you will receive notification via email that your invoice is ready for payment. The email will contain a link to your Recology account where you can view your bill and pay online using e-Check or credit card.
  • To sign up for e-Billing, download and submit the request for e-Billing form.

Additional Information About Your Account:

Past Due Accounts: An account is past due if payment is not posted by the end of the billing period. Payments received on weekends and holidays will be posted on the next business day. A 1% finance charge per month will be applied to any past due amount. Failure to pay invoices by the specified due date can result in the suspension or cancellation of services and the submission of your account to an external collection agency. Recology reserves the right to remove containers if service is suspended for non-payment and you may be required to pay a cart/container redelivery fee to resume service. In order to restart ended services on a delinquent account, all charges must be paid in full, and you may be required to make a prepayment in order to resume service.

Returned Payments:  If a payment is rejected due to incorrect information or insufficient funds, you will be charged a returned payment fee of $25.00.

Property Owners: Property owners and tenants are both equally responsible for timely notification of changes in occupancy and/or property ownership. The property owner is ultimately responsible for these charges unless he or she notifies Recology of a change in occupancy within ten (10) days of a tenant’s move-out date.

Billing Disputes:  If you have questions and/or disputes about your bill or service, please call Customer Service at 206.763.4444 to speak with a representative.

Billing, Taxes, and Surcharges: Your bill includes all required taxes and surcharges.

Other Questions: For questions or comments about your service, please email us at shoreline@recology.com or call our Customer Service center at 206.763.4444.