Tacoma is located in Washington State near Olympia on the bank of Puget Sound, south of Seattle, United States. The city’s Solid Waste Management Authority is responsible for trash collection in Tacoma. They provide garbage, recycling, bulk, and yard waste collection based on the location where you live. As a resident of Tacoma, it is your primary responsibility to follow the rules and regulations provided by the city regarding sanitation to keep the environment of Tacoma clean and healthy.
Tacoma Trash Collection Schedule
Are you looking for your Tacoma Trash Schedule and recycling collection schedule? You can find it by clicking the link below. Enter your address into the search bar provided, and you will find your Tacoma Garbage Schedule for trash collection day.
Garbage Collection
According to the Tacoma Trash Schedule, place your garbage cart by 7 AM on your collection day. Place your cart in a location that is free from obstacles, such as mailboxes, poles, parked cars, and other containers. Ensure your container is placed in front of your property because the trash collection crew will not pick up your trash from private property.
The weight of the container must not exceed 250 pounds, and try to place only a closed-lid cart at the curbside. Do not overfill your cart; if you do, you will be charged an extra fine. Remove your container as soon as possible once your trash has been collected. It is your responsibility to keep your cart clean, so wash your cart after every collection.
Recycling Collection
Recycling services will be provided alongside normal garbage collection to the residents of Tacoma. According to the Tacoma Garbage Schedule, place your recycling cart at the curbside by 7 AM on your collection day. Put only empty, dry, and clean items into the recycling cart. Do not add plastic bags or contaminants into recycling carts, as these materials cause problems in the recycling process.
Acceptable recycling materials include plastic bottles without lids, plastic containers, plastic jugs, mixed paper, cardboard, flattened boxes, aluminum cans, and metal cans. Do not add glass, food scraps, or styrofoam into the recycling cart.
Report Missed Collection
If you miss your collection day or a trash collection truck misses your cart for any reason, remain calm because you can report a missed collection. If you experience this situation, call customer service at (253) 502-2100 to report the missed collection. They will collect your trash on the next business day.
Special Pickup
Residents are allowed to schedule a special pickup for large trash items twice a year without any charges. Eligible items for special pickup include large rolls of carpet up to six feet in length and one foot in diameter, furniture, power yard equipment, barbecues, large household appliances, wheelchairs, and recreational and exercise equipment.
If you have this type of trash and want to get rid of it, you can call Haul at (253) 573-2468 to schedule your special pickup. As an alternative, you can also drop your special pickup application at the Tacoma Recovery & Transfer Center. Note that your bulk trash will be picked up on different days than your regular Tacoma Trash Schedule for garbage and recycling collection.
Food/Yard Collection
Tacoma facilitates its citizens with weekly food and yard curbside pickup services. These services are equally provided to single-family, multifamily, and commercial customers. The city will provide a proper cart, and you will need to place all food waste and yard waste into that cart.
These materials will be used to create enriched soil to grow more plants. If you want more information about food and yard waste collection, contact (253) 502-2100 or email [email protected]. Solid waste representatives will guide you about food and yard disposal services.
Household Hazardous Collection
If you have household hazardous trash material and want to dispose of it, the city drop-off center will remain open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 8 AM to 5:30 PM. You can bring all HHW to the drop-off station. Household hazardous material includes any materials that cannot be safely and temporarily stored at home.
Examples of acceptable household hazardous trash include acids and caustics, antifreeze, automotive products, batteries, flammable liquids, fluorescent bulbs and tubes, gas and fuel, glues, household cleaners, hypodermic needles or syringes, insecticides, motor oil at the self-serve tank, oil-based paints, pool chemicals, propane tanks, solvents, and yard and garden chemicals. Bring all these items in their original containers or properly labeled containers.
Tacoma Trash Holidays Schedule
Tacoma observes certain holidays that will affect your normal Tacoma Garbage Schedule. If a holiday falls on your scheduled collection day, your collection will be delayed by one day. For example, if the following holidays fall on Monday, your trash will be collected on Tuesday, and this delay in collection will continue for the whole week. When you observe these holidays, follow the chart below to place your cart at the curbside.
| Holidays | Date and Day | Change in Trash and Recycling Collection Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| New Year Day | January 1, 2024, Monday | No trash collection. Your trash will be collected on January 2, 2024, Tuesday. |
| Fourth of July | July 4, 2024 | Trash will not be collected. Your trash will be collected on July 5, 2024. |
| Thanksgiving Day | November 28, 2024, Thursday | Trash will be collected on November 29, 2024, Friday. |
| Christmas Day | December 25, 2024, Wednesday | No trash collection. Your trash will be collected on December 26, 2024, Thursday. |
