New Hours & Rates at City Disposal Sites
Click here for more information about changes to the hours and rates at the Waste to Energy Plant, Colbert Transfer Station and Valley Transfer Station!
Frequently Asked Questions
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- How Do I Sign Up for Garbage?
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If you live inside the City of Spokane, you call the Department of Solid Waste Management at (509) 625-7878. The City of Spokane's refuse service is franchised. For areas outside the city limits, there are several companies that haul trash in the county (Mead, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, etc.). Not sure if you are in the city limits? Click here to look at a map of the City of Spokane's borders.
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- Do I have to have garbage service or can I haul my own?
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In the City of Spokane garbage is mandatory for all occupied properties, both residential and commercial. Each occupied unit is required to have a minimum of 1-32 gallon cart or the equivalent. For example, a duplex where both units are occupied may have either 2-32 gallon carts or 1-68 gallon cart to meet the minimum requirements.
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- How do I know if I have alley or street pickup?
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The best way to get an idea is to look at where your neighbors are putting their carts out for collection. If you still cannot tell, please call us at (509) 625-7878 for more information.
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- What if I am physically unable to take my containers out to the collection site?
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If you are unable to put your cart at the collection site due to a medical condition or disability, the Solid Waste department offers a free "pack out" service. This service requires a physician to fill out a medical pack-out assistance request form, which can be downloaded here, or if you would like one faxed or mailed to your home or physician please call 625-7878.
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- Can I leave my cart in the alley or at the curb on non-collection days?
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No. Your cart needs to kept in a secure area when not out for collection. Carts that sit out unattended are often stolen or filled up with other people's garbage. If the cart is left accessible, the customer is responsible for what happens to it.
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- Why didn't my garbage get picked up?
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There are several possible reasons. To guarantee that your refuse is picked up every week, it is important to make sure that your containers are in the designated area before 7:00 a.m. on the collection day. Please make sure that the cart is within two feet of the street or alley and that there are not any obstacles or vehicles parked within three feet of the cart. Make sure to have the arrows on the cart pointing towards the street or alley. If your missed collection was our error, we will come back and pick it up at no charge. A return trip fee may apply if the driver is sent back to pick up your garbage that was passed by for any reason other than the department's fault.
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- Why didn't my garbage get emptied all the way?
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There are several possible reasons. Sometimes your trash may be packed down too tight; other times there may be an awkward shaped item getting stuck inside. When the refuse truck picks the container up, the automated arms grip the container real tight in the middle so the whole cart does not fall in. This can narrow the opening, causing items not to pass through properly. If this happens, just reposition or loosen the garbage, call the refuse department at (509) 625-7878 and we will send the driver back to re-empty it. If this is a reoccurring problem you may need a larger cart.
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- How do I know if garbage collection is on holiday schedule?
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There are several places to check. You can look at the Holiday Schedule listed on the left side menu of this website as well as clicking here here for a calendar of events. We usually have a recording on prior to the holidays when you call (509) 625-7878. The news stations and newspaper often relay that information as well. Remember that there are some holidays that most government departments are closed but the City's refuse department is working. When in doubt, just put it out -- better too early than too late!
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- If collection is on holiday schedule, when will they pick up my garbage?
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Daytime routes will be one day late on days that fall on or after the holiday. For example, if the holiday is on Thursday; Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will be picked up on the regular day. Thursday routes will be picked up on Friday; Friday routes will be picked up on Saturday. We never extend collection into the following week. Nighttime downtown routes are never affected by the holiday schedule and will be picked up on the regular night.
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- My cart is broken, what do I do?
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When your cart is in need of repair or replacement, either call (509) 625-7878 so we can schedule our delivery/repair truck to come by your address. All you need to do is make sure to have your cart out for collection by 7:00 a.m. on your next scheduled pickup day and leave the cart out until it has been emptied and repaired or replaced. If the delivery/repair truck arrives before the garbage truck does, they may take the full container with them and leave you an empty new cart, rather than making a second trip later that day.
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- If my cart needs to be replaced or repaired, do I have to pay for it?
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If your cart needs to be replaced or repaired due to general wear and tear from normal operations, then you do not have to pay for it. If the cart needs to be replaced or repaired due to customer negligence (you melted a hole in it, you ran over it, your dog chewed it up, etc.) then you will be billed for a replacement cart. If your cart is stolen, it is generally replaced the first time at no charge. If your cart is stolen a second time and it is because the cart is left in an unsecured area, you may be charged to replace it. We document each time we deliver a cart to an address and the reason it was delivered. Your cart is your responsibility.
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- How heavy can my cart or bin be?
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The weight limit for a 32 gallon refuse cart is 85 lbs. maximum. The weight limit for a 68 gallon or 95 gallon refuse cart is 250 lbs. maximum. If you can't move it, it is probably too heavy!
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- What constitutes an overloaded cart?
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An overloaded cart is when there is any debris extending above the top of the automated cart where the lid is at or above a 45° angle. Your monthly refuse charge is by volume so extras are charged in addition whether they are next to, on top of, or extending out of the cart. If you are worried about getting charged, it is best to have the lid closed.
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- Do I have to pay for extra garbage?
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Yes. Your monthly refuse rate is charged according to the volume of refuse cart you have and the garbage that will fit into that size of container. Extra bags, boxes, standard size cans or overloading your cart (where the lid is open at or above 45° with garbage sticking out) constitute an additional charge at the current rate. Extra cans that are over 32 gallons or beyond the weight limit will be charged at a higher rate. Other miscellaneous items vary in cost depending on what the item is. For large amounts of extra garbage or bulk items, you can order a load truck or temporary dumpster. Please call (509) 625-7878 if you have additional questions.
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- Can I put my garbage on hold for vacation or vacancy?
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Yes, you can suspend your garbage for vacancies and up to two times annually for vacations. The minimum amount of time that you can suspend service for is two weeks. You need to contact us in advance by calling (509) 625-7878 to put your service on hold. You can also log into your account and select "Suspend Service" from the Refuse Service Requests Form. No credit will be issued if you fail to notify us of vacations or vacancies. If possible, we would like a date to restart your collection so there is not a delay in service when you return. Your bill will be prorated for the length of time that the service was effective during your billing cycle.
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- If I move or go on vacation, what do I do with my cart?
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Please put your carts in a secure area such as a garage, shed or fenced yard. If you do not have a safe place like that, at least put the carts up by your house. Carts that sit out unattended are often stolen or filled up with garbage. If the carts are left accessible, the customer may be held responsible for anything that happens to them.
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- I heard about a free neighborhood pickup and/or dump pass, how do I take advantage of it?
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The individual neighborhood councils facilitate these types of programs. For more information or to see if they have anything set up for your neighborhood, please call Neighborhood Services at (509) 625-6730 or click here to visit their website.
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- What is the load truck?
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The load truck is a special truck that can pickup bulk items or a load of refuse for people who either do not have the availability or time to take it out to one of the disposal sites. Two collectors come out with an empty truck, load everything and haul it away. The customer is billed for loading time and weight. You can always help load the truck if you would like but it is not required that you are there. The charges accrued are billed onto the customer's City of Spokane utility bill, which needs to be current. Please call (509) 625-7881 or click here here for more information.
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- How do I rent a temporary dumpster?
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To rent a temporary dumpster, the owner of the property needs to fill out a Damage Release Form and return it to our office in advance (minimum of 2 days for roll off containers, minimum of 1 day for the smaller front load dumpsters). This form can be downloaded from this website, faxed, or mailed out. You can also fill out the form electronically by logging in or setting up account. A person can also stop by our office at 1225 E. Marietta Ave. to fill it out. We have the dumpsters on site for those who would like to look at them first. We do verify ownership so if you have Power of Attorney, Executor of Estate, or recently have purchased the home, we may need you to bring or include a copy of your legal documents or purchasing deed. We do bill the charges from the dumpster onto the City of Spokane utility bill where the dumpster is being placed so the utility bill needs to be current. Please call (509) 625-7956 or click here for more information.
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- What is a cubic yard?
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One cubic yard is a measurement of the equivalent amount of garbage that would fit into approximately 7-32 gallon garbage cans. For example, a two cubic yard dumpster would hold approximately the same as 14-32 gallon cans.
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- What is a ton?
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A ton is equivalent to 2,000 lbs.
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- Why is there no garbage collection in my alley?
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The City of Spokane Solid Waste Department is dedicated to operating in an efficient and cost effective manner. Many of the City's alleys were designed and built many years ago when the garbage collection was done very differently. These alleys are simply too narrow and many of the alleyways are in poor condition. For this reason in some areas it is not operationally feasible to have alley collection. The Solid Waste Department looks at many things before it decides if collection will be removed from the alleys.
1. Overhead obstructions- With the Solid Waste Department evaluating implementing a more automated system for Yard Waste as well as fully automating refuse collection. In this effort it is important that we take a look at items such as: Low hanging wires, clearance of over hanging garage eves and any other obstructions that would hamper the department in providing safe collection of refuse. The automated truck must have at least 14ft of overhead clearance to maintain safe operations. If clearance is less then this Solid Waste is at risk of doing damage to overhead power, phone or other obstruction that the refuse truck might incur.
2. The width of an alley plays an important part in collection. While most alleys look as though they would be wide enough, the automated truck requires 12 ft of clear width in which it can safely operate. This width includes an alley width of 12 ft. plus the width of the cart and the clearance needed for the trucks side grabber to safely pick up the cart. It is important that we have enough width as not to damage fences, enclosures or vegetation that may be part of a homeowner's property.
3. The surface of the alley plays a part in the determination of whether it is safe for collection. Many of the City's alleys are rutted and in disrepair, making it very difficult for the truck to travel and collect garbage down the alley.
4. Solid Waste also considers if the alley is easily accessible from a straight line or if it must turn into the alley from a major arterial. Some times it is just too tight of a turn for the collection truck to safely make. The Solid Waste does not want to damage property in its effort to provide its customers with service.
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- Am I charged for recycling?
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Residential accounts are not charged for recycling. Commercial accounts, including businesses and some multifamily dwellings, are charged for recycling according to the size and number of recycling carts or dumpsters they are using. Please call (509) 625-7878 or click here for more information and pricing.
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- What do I do with my moving boxes?
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We understand moving is a big task and to make it easier on you, call us for a one time courtesy pickup for all of your moving boxes and packing paper. Fill a few of the broken boxes with packing paper, break the rest of the boxes down and stack in a neat pile three feet away from your other containers. Please call the Recycling Department at (509) 625-7894 to schedule a collection when you are ready so we can make proper arrangements.
To find locations to drop off your cardboard boxes, please call the Recycling Hotline at (509) 625-6800.
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- Can I put junk mail or office paper in the recycling cart?
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Yes! That is one of the wonderful benefits to Single Stream Recycling. We now take many more items including junk mail, office paper, cereal boxes, plastics numbered 1 - 7 and aluminum foil. For a complete list of acceptable materials, please click here.
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- Can I put yard waste in my brown garbage cart?
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It is perfectly fine to put yard waste in your regular brown refuse cart. While we like to encourage the Food Scraps & Yard Debris recycling program, it is optional. For more information on this service, click here.
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- Do I get charged for my Food Scraps & Yard Debris Cart even if I do not put it out?
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Yes. The green Food Scraps & Yard Debris Container is a flat rate each month whether it is out every week or not during regular season. Billing and collection automatically begin the week of March 1st every year and ends the week of November 30th. If you have a yard waste cart, you are charged the entire duration of the program, regardless of the weather. It is an optional program. Sorry, we have no control over the weather conditions!
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- Can I get my Food Scraps & Yard Debris Cart emptied during the winter months while the regular service is suspended?
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Yes. Customers who need their yard waste carts emptied during December, January or February may put their cart out on their regular collection day to be emptied. They are emptied by the regular garbage truck during the off-season. As long as there is only clean yard waste in the cart, you will get charged the reduced rate of $3.54 for an extra dump on the yard waste cart on your next bill. If the yard waste cart contains unacceptable material, such as garbage, there will be an extra charge for a contaminated yard waste cart of $9.80 on the next bill.
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- Why was I charged for a contaminated or overweight Food Scraps & Yard Debris Cart?
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Your green Food Scraps & Yard Debris Cart either exceeded 200 lbs. or there was unacceptable material in the container so the refuse truck had to empty it instead, therefore it was billed as garbage. Unacceptable items include plastic bags or liners, dirt, rocks, gravel, concrete, glass, metal, plastic, office paper, animal feces, paint residue, lumber or treated wood, tree stumps, and roots, cardboard other than pizza boxes, cereal and pop boxes, plastic coated paper products (paper plates, cups, milk cartons, etc.), diapers and trash. Small amounts of sod are acceptable as long as cart does not exceed weight limit of 200 lbs.
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Household Hazardous Waste |
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- How do I dispose of batteries?
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Household batteries can be placed in a sealed plastic bag and placed on top of the Single Stream Recycling Cart lid. If you need information on disposing of other types of batteries, please call our Hazardous Waste Office at (509) 625-7898.
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- I put my garbage on hold, why do I still see it on my bill?
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When you suspended your refuse service, it took place part way through your billing cycle. What you are seeing is a pro-rated amount for the length of time you were still on service. When you restart your collection, it will also pro-rate the charge from the start date through when the following bill comes out. If you are set up on budget billing (a levelized flat monthly rate for water, sewer and garbage), and put your refuse on hold, it will not affect your monthly rate until your City of Spokane account is recalculated at the end of the six months period. The amount for having your refuse collection suspended will be figured in to your new monthly total. For more information on budget billing, please call Utilities Billing (509) 625-6000.
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- I just moved in and received a bill, is it mine?
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The city bills for services already received rather than in advance. If you think the bill you received belongs to the previous customer or have any questions regarding this, please call Utilities Billing at (509) 625-6000. If the charges do belong to the previous customer, you may need to contact your closing agent if you just purchased the home or your landlord if you are renting the property.
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- If I am moving in or out of a property, do I need to call the refuse department in addition to Utilities Billing?
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Yes. To ensure that your account is taken care of properly, you should call both departments. Call (509) 625-7878 for the Refuse Department. Call (509) 625-6000 for Utilities Billing (water and sewer billing).
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- Why is my City of Spokane bill not being forwarded to my new address?
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Most City of Spokane bills are addressed to "Occupant" as we bill to property, not to the individual. This is so any unpaid charges can be made into a lien against the property. The Postal Service will not forward the bill because they forward mail by name, not address. If you need the bill sent to an address other than the service address, please call Utilities Billing at (509) 625-6000.
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- I recently exchanged my refuse container, why do I see both on my bill?
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When you exchanged your refuse cart, it took place part way through your billing cycle. We have many bill cycles throughout the month based on where the service address is. If you look at your statement, your billing period covers from the previous bill date through the current bill date. What you are seeing is the pro-rated amounts for the length of time you were on each level of service during your billing cycle. If you compare it to previous and future bills, neither cart was billed for the full monthly amount.
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- Can I pay my City of Spokane bill over the phone?
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You sure can! The City of Spokane has a secure touchtone system with a toll free phone number (877) 578-2200. You can use your Visa or MasterCard (including debit cards), or have the funds electronically transferred from your savings or checking account. There is no charge for this service. Have the following information available when you call:
- Your most recent City of Spokane utility bill
- Your City of Spokane account number (enter without the zeros)
- The numerical portion of the service address (for 123 Anywhere Street, you would enter "123")
- Your credit/debit card number and expiration date ~OR~ your checking/savings bank account and transit routing number.
If you have any questions or need any further assistance, please call Utilities Billing at (509) 625-6000.
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- Can my City of Spokane bill be paid automatically out of my checking/savings account every month?
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You can pay your City of Spokane utility bill through ACH (Automatic Clearing House), which is a term that the banking industry uses to describe the electronic transfer of funds from one institution to another. Please contact Utilities Billing at (509) 625-6000 or by e-mail ubill@spokanecity.org to request the authorization form and information you need to start ACH for your City of Spokane utility account.
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- How do I view or pay my City of Spokane utility bill online?
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All you need to do is set up a secure online account with the City of Spokane. Click on the following link to take advantage of "eBill" and many other online services: https://www.spokanecity.org/services/account/create/default.aspx. Once you have created an online account, you will have access to your current account information which is updated every 24 hours. You can make payments online with your credit or debit card (Visa or MasterCard only). If you have any questions, please contact Utilities Billing at (509) 625-6000 or e-mail ubill@spokanecity.org. Please allow up to two business days to process and approve your online account request.
Please note: The City Solid Waste Management's online account service (to make refuse service requests, etc.) is separate from the main City of Spokane eBill account services and requires a separate log in. We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause.
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Recycling Hotline
625-6800 |
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