What goes in my food and yard waste cart?

Tips & Guidelines
Did you know food scraps, uncoated food-soiled paper and yard waste can be composted into a nutrient-rich soil amendment?  Finished compost creates a valuable product used in parks, farms and gardens.  Approximately 30% of all material that ends up in the landfill could have been composted instead.  When you keep food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste separate from your garbage, you extend the life of our landfills and conserve resources.

Materials Collected

Put these types of materials in your food and yard waste cart:


Food Scraps

  • Fruits, vegetables
  • Bread, pasta, grains
  • Eggshells, nutshells
  • Fish, meat, dairy
  • Shells, bones
  • Coffee grounds and filters
  • Tea bags

Food-soiled paper

  • Paper towels and napkins
  • Uncoated paper plates and cups
  • Uncoated paper take-out cartons
  • Pizza delivery boxes
  • Paper bags containing food scraps
  

Yard debris

  • Grass clippings
  • Leaves, twigs
  • Weeds
  • Houseplants
  • Branches (under 4′ long, 4″ wide)

 

 

 

 

 

 

DO NOT place these items in your food and yard waste cart:

 
    • Glass
    • Animal/human waste
    • Pet litter
    • Diapers
    • Plastic
    • StyrofoamTM
    • Foil
    • Hazardous waste
    • Soil
    • Rocks
    • Stumps/limbs (over 4′ long, 4″ wide)
    • Lumber or fencing
    • Painted or treated wood
    • Metal

More information about what goes in your food and yard waste cart is available using Seattle’s Where Does It Go tool.