Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Wenatchee
Trash Day
Trash is collected weekly, Monday through Friday, depending on your neighborhood route.
Recycling
Recycling is collected weekly on your regular collection day.
Yard Waste
Yard debris is collected every other week year-round for subscribed residential customers.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM (October 1 – May 31) and by 5:00 AM (June 1 – September 30), or place carts out the night before.
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential curbside collection is serviced by Waste Management (WM Northwest), while municipal water, sewer, and storm drain utilities are billed bi-monthly directly by the City of Wenatchee.
Billing Cycle
Bi-Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, In Person
Pro Tip / Discount
Qualifying low-income seniors (age 62+) and individuals with qualifying disabilities can receive a 40% rate reduction on water, sewer, and storm drain services, and a 20% discount on garbage services. Low-income households may also apply for the Utility Assistance Program (UAP) through the Chelan-Douglas Community Action Council.
Grey Bin (Trash)
Bag all garbage to prevent fly-away litter during high winds. The cart lid must close completely. Place carts at the curb with wheels against the curb and a 3-foot clearance from other objects.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable paper and plastics
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Pet waste and diapers (double-bagged)
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Recycling is collected weekly. Items must be empty, clean, and placed loosely in the blue cart without bags. Extra recyclables can be placed in a labeled cardboard box, but additional fees apply.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean, flattened cardboard
- ✓Clean paper, mail, and newspaper
- ✓Clean plastic bottles, cups, and jugs
- ✓Clean metal and aluminum cans
- ✓Plastic tubs (spatula clean)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass of any kind (strictly banned)
- ✕Plastic bags or bagged recyclables
- ✕Lids and straws
- ✕Styrofoam packing
- ✕Shredded paper
Yard Waste Bin
Optional bi-weekly subscription service. Do not put yard waste in plastic bags. Dirt, rocks, and tree stumps over 50 pounds are prohibited.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cut grass and leaves
- ✓Plant trimmings and weeds
- ✓Branches (up to 3 inches in diameter and 4 feet long)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Three free trips to the transfer station per year; curbside pickup on-call for a fee.
Placement
For scheduled curbside bulky pick-ups, you must call WM in advance to confirm a date and pay the fee. Do not place bulk items at the curb without an appointment.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Stoves, washers, and dryers
- ✓ Toilets and sinks
- ✓ Computers and flat-screen TVs
- ✓ Passenger car tires (limit 2)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Refrigerators, freezers, and AC units (Freon)
- ✕ Hazardous waste and automotive fluids
- ✕ Asbestos-containing materials
- ✕ Concrete, asphalt, and dirt
Bulk disposal is free if you self-haul and use one of your annual mailed coupons. If you schedule a special curbside pickup or exceed your coupon limits, standard WM bulk disposal fees will apply.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
WM observes only two annual holidays for curbside collection: Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If these holidays fall on a weekday, collection is delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste follows the exact same holiday delay schedule as standard garbage.
All other holidays—including Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day—will NOT affect your curbside collection schedule. You must have your bins at the curb as usual. However, note that the Transfer Station itself is closed on Thanksgiving and the 4th of July.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Glass Belongs in the Garbage
Glass is strictly banned from the curbside blue recycling carts in Wenatchee [4.2.4]. When glass shatters during automated collection, it embeds into paper and cardboard, ruining entire recycling bales. Always throw your glass bottles and jars into your grey garbage cart.
Double Bag Messy Trash
Due to the high winds in the Wenatchee Valley, residents are explicitly required to double-bag messy items like pet waste, kitty litter, packing peanuts, vacuum dust, and cold ashes to prevent hazardous dust clouds and fly-away litter when the truck dumps the cart.
The Spatula Clean Rule for Tubs
While WM Wenatchee now accepts plastic tubs and cups in recycling, they must be completely empty and at least "spatula clean". You must also completely remove and discard all lids, caps, and straws into the garbage before recycling.
Seasonal Information
Spring
MayThe Wenatchee Transfer Station closes its doors to the public during the annual Apple Blossom Festival (specifically the first weekend in May). Plan your bulk drop-offs around this closure.
Winter
December to FebruaryIf severe winter snowstorms cause WM to delay service, real-time alerts will be posted on the WM Service Wenatchee portal. If roads are impassable, leave your carts out or wait for the rescheduled collection day.
Summer
June to AugustHomeowners are encouraged to practice 'Grasscycling' during the growing season. By leaving grass clippings on your lawn after mowing, they quickly decompose and act as a natural fertilizer, reducing the amount of yard waste you need to dispose of.
About Wenatchee Waste Management
Waste Management Franchise Agreement
In Wenatchee, garbage and recycling services are not operated directly by the city government [2.2.4]. Instead, Waste Management (WM) Northwest is the exclusive franchised hauler responsible for all residential solid waste collections and billing. Customers must set up their utility accounts, request cart size changes, and report missed pickups directly through WM, not the City of Wenatchee.
High-Wind Trash Bagging Mandate
Because Wenatchee is situated in a high-wind geographical area, loose garbage can easily blow out of automated carts during collection, resulting in severe neighborhood litter. Therefore, WM mandates that all household trash must be tied securely in garbage bags before being placed into the grey cart. Loose trash is strictly prohibited in the garbage container.
Expanded Plastic Recycling (With Strict Limits)
WM Wenatchee has recently expanded its curbside recycling guidelines to accept paper cups, plastic cups, and plastic tubs in the blue cart. However, a strict rule applies: absolutely no lids or straws are allowed. Additionally, all food tubs must be at least "spatula clean" before they are tossed into the recycling bin to prevent contamination.
The Annual Cleanup Program Coupons
Instead of providing a free community-wide bulk curbside pickup day, WM sends Wenatchee residents an Annual Service Guide containing highly valuable coupons for the Wenatchee Transfer Station. Residential customers receive three free trips per year: one specifically for household garbage and bulky items, and two for yard debris. Residents are encouraged to save this guide all year.
Composting at the Stemilt Organic Recycling Center
Yard waste collected in the bi-weekly curbside green carts is kept out of the Greater Wenatchee Regional Landfill. Instead, WM transports this organic material to the Stemilt Organic Recycling Center in South Wenatchee, where grass, leaves, and branches are efficiently converted into usable, nutrient-rich compost for the local ecosystem.
Drop-off Facilities
Wenatchee Transfer Station
1421 South Wenatchee Avenue, Wenatchee, WA 98801
Materials Accepted
Zacher Processing Facility (Douglas County Solid Waste)
140 19th Street NW, East Wenatchee, WA 98802
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I contact to start or stop garbage service in Wenatchee?
Even though you live in Wenatchee, the City does not directly handle your solid waste billing [2.2.4]. You must contact Waste Management (WM) Northwest at 877-466-4668 or via their online portal to set up a new account, change cart sizes, or report missed pickups.
Does my trash get picked up on Thanksgiving or the 4th of July in Wenatchee?
Yes! Waste Management in Wenatchee works on almost all holidays, including Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day. The only two holidays that will delay your curbside collection by one day are Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Can I put glass in my blue recycling bin in Wenatchee?
No. Glass is strictly banned from the curbside blue recycling carts in Wenatchee. When glass shatters during automated collection, it embeds into paper and cardboard, ruining the recyclables. You must throw all glass directly into your grey garbage cart.
How do I dispose of a bulky item like a mattress or old couch?
Wenatchee residents receive an Annual Service Guide in the mail that includes three free coupons for the WM Wenatchee Transfer Station (one for garbage/bulk items and two for yard debris). You can use your coupon to drop the item off for free, or you can call WM at 877-466-4668 to pay a fee for a special curbside pickup.