SEATTLE — As frigid arctic air settles into the Puget Sound region, garbage and recycling collections services were canceled for Seattle and various other cities for the fifth day in a row on Friday, Dec. 31.
Waste removal companies that handle particular areas of counties around western Washington have notices posted along with individual cities and towns telling residents if their collection day has been canceled and what to do with the extra trash.
Temperatures are expected to remain around or below freezing through the rest of the week.
The latest storm caused widespread road closures and led to at least hundreds of crashes, spinouts and other issues along highways in King, Pierce and Thurston counties.
Here is the status of garbage collection services for the region Wednesday:
Skagit County
Residents of Skagit County are serviced by Waste Management, which also serves many other areas around the region.
The company publishes service alerts to its website to let residents know that pickup services are not being provided due to any issues like unsafe road conditions.
The company said that it will continue collection services when the weather allows and that residential customers can leave items missed on Monday out with their garbage on the next regular collection day at no extra charge.
Snohomish County
Most residents in Snohomish County are serviced by Waste Management, Republic Services and Rubatino Refuse Removal.
Waste Management, services major areas within the county including the towns of Arlington, Lake Stevens and Monroe, among others.
Republic Services also collects garbage for many areas around Snohomish County including Snohomish, areas of Edmonds and parts of Lynnwood. The company has canceled service on Friday for many of its service routes in western Washington.
The company said crews will be collecting double the regular amount of garbage at no charge on customers' next regular service collection day.
To see the details for your specific area, click here.
Rubatino Refuse Removal serves the city of Everett. The company has canceled all collection services for the entire week. According to its website, its crews will be ready to collect double the normal amount of waste when conditions allow.
Marysville is urging residents to drop off their garbage and recycling, if possible. The city has made city hall available for these drop-offs temporarily amid the winter storm.
King County
Garbage, recycling and food/yard waste were canceled in Seattle Friday due to "significant snow and ice on residential streets" in the city.
The cancelation for the fifth day in a row means that all customers can set out double the amount of garbage and recycling on their normal day next week.
Republic Services, which also serves, Bellevue, Medina, Sea-Tac, eastern King County and Kent among others, canceled pickup Friday as well for many areas across the entire region due to unsafe road conditions.
Those who typically get pickup service on Friday will be able to leave double the regular material at no extra charge on their next regular collection day.
To see the details for your specific area, click here.
Bothell residents served by Recology King County will also not have their garbage picked up Friday. Collection is expected to resume once weather permits. "Customers who missed collection this week will be permitted to put out double the usual amount next week at no additional charge," the company said in an alert.
Additionally, some areas of King County, including Auburn, Federal Way and Kirkland, are serviced by Waste Management.
Pierce County
For the south Sound, LeMay Pierce County Refuse and Murrey’s American Disposal also canceled service for Friday. This impacts at least two dozen areas including Puyallup, Fife, Spanaway, Lakewood and Gig Harbor, among many others.
LeMay customers can leave any garbage missed on the five days in a row of cancellations out with any waste on their next regular collection day at no extra charge.
Murrey’s customers should double-up their regular waste on Monday, Jan. 3, and double-up their recycling and yard waste depending on their service on Jan. 10.
University Place Refuse, which serves University Place and Fircrest, did not say it was canceling pickup on Friday.
For Tacoma residents, the city said food/yard waste collection will not take place at all this week. Residents could experience a cancellation of services Friday due to unsafe road conditions.
For more details, head to the Tacoma website.