Can you recycle plastic bags in Seattle, WA?

Not in your blue recycling cart. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility Seattle Public Utilities uses, which is why they're excluded almost everywhere. Take clean, dry bags back to a grocery-store drop-off, or put them in your garbage cart.

What do I do with batteries in Seattle, WA?

Batteries never go in any of your Seattle, WA carts — not the blue recycling cart, not the garbage cart. They're household hazardous waste and a genuine fire risk in the truck. Tape the terminals and take them to a local e-waste or household-hazardous-waste drop-off.

Recycling rules in Seattle, WA

📍 Seattle Public Utilities · 3-cart program

Who collects your recycling in Seattle, WA

Seattle, WA collects its own residential waste: Seattle Public Utilities operates the carts directly rather than contracting the route to a private hauler. Households get three carts — a blue recycling cart for recyclables, a green food & yard cart for food scraps and yard trimmings, and a garbage cart for everything else.

Curbside food-scrap collection is still the exception nationally, but it's well established in Washington — Seattle, WA is one of the cities that offers it.

The quick answer for Seattle, WA

Plastic bottles & jugs	♻️ Blue recycling cart	Empty; keep the cap on.
Aluminum & steel cans	♻️ Blue recycling cart	Give them a rinse.
Flattened cardboard	♻️ Blue recycling cart	Clean, dry sections only.
Glass bottles & jars	♻️ Blue recycling cart	Lids off.
Food scraps	🌱 Green food & yard cart	Fruit, veg, leftovers, bones.
Greasy pizza box	🌱 Green food & yard cart	A clean box can be recycled instead.
Plastic bags & film	🗑️ Garbage cart	Store drop-off is better.
Batteries	⚠️ Hazardous	Never curbside — tape the terminals.

This is the short list. The full A–Z of what is and isn't recyclable is on what can I recycle? — or scan the item and get the answer for Seattle, WA directly.

📷 Scan an item

Seattle, WA recycling FAQ

Can you recycle plastic bags in Seattle, WA?: Not in your blue recycling cart. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility Seattle Public Utilities uses, which is why they're excluded almost everywhere. Take clean, dry bags back to a grocery-store drop-off, or put them in your garbage cart.
What do I do with batteries in Seattle, WA?: Batteries never go in any of your Seattle, WA carts — not the blue recycling cart, not the garbage cart. They're household hazardous waste and a genuine fire risk in the truck. Tape the terminals and take them to a local e-waste or household-hazardous-waste drop-off.

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Still not sure?

Rules vary by material and by hauler, and the sorting line is strict — one wrong item can contaminate a whole load. When in doubt, point your camera at the item for a verdict, or check the official Seattle Public Utilities guide.