Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Camano
Washington state municipal collections operate on weekly zone-based routes. Specific days are determined by your Organics Recycling Collection Area (ORCA).
State Mandate
Comply with the WA Organics Management Law. E-waste and hazardous materials are strictly prohibited.
Grey or Green Bin (Trash)
Place all garbage inside tied plastic bags before tossing it in the cart. Ensure the lid closes tightly. Extra garbage must be placed in a 32-gallon can or bag and incurs an extra fee of $6.20.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Wrappers and chip bags
- ✓Broken glass (safely wrapped)
- ✓Styrofoam
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Items must be clean, empty, and placed loose in the blue cart. Never put recyclables inside plastic bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paper
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Shredded paper
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses)
- ✕Liquids
Yard Waste Bin
Yard waste is strictly prohibited in the regular garbage. No plastic bags allowed in this cart. Extra yard debris must be put in paper yard bags, 32-gal cans, or tied into 4'x2' bundles.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves and branches
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Plant trimmings
- ✓Kitchen food scraps (meat, dairy, vegetables)
- ✓Food-soiled paper
- ✓Approved compostable bags
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On-demand
Placement
Place approved items securely at the curb on your scheduled specialty collection day.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Sofas
- ✓ Large appliances
- ✓ Furniture
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Liquid paints
- ✕ Loose debris not bagged/bundled
Fees vary based on the type and size of the item being collected. A customized quote is provided when scheduling.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Weekday holidays push collection by one day for the remainder of the week (e.g., Thursday customers collected on Friday).
Yard Waste Exception
The one-day delay applies to all services, including yard waste.
All other holidays not listed do not affect the collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Recyclables Unbagged
Never bag your recyclables. Plastic grocery or trash bags wrap around the sorting gears at the recycling center and cause facility shutdowns. Always drop your paper, glass, and plastics loosely into the blue cart.
Ban the Shredded Paper
Despite being paper, shredded documents cannot go into your recycling bin. The tiny pieces are too small for the sorting machinery to capture and end up contaminating other valuable recyclable streams.
Keep Plastic Out of the Compost
When collecting food scraps for your yard cart, never use plastic shopping bags. Only utilize certified compostable bags, paper bags, or dump the scraps directly from a reusable kitchen container to ensure the resulting compost stays clean.
Seasonal Information
Fall
October - NovemberAutumn brings a heavy volume of fallen leaves. If your yard cart is full, you can set out extra yard trimmings in heavy paper yard bags, 32-gallon cans labeled 'Yard,' or tied bundles (up to 4'x2') for an additional fee of $6.20 each.
Winter
December - FebruaryWinter storms and high winds can disrupt normal truck routes. In the event of extreme weather, residents should check the WM Camano Service Alert portal online to confirm if schedules have been delayed or temporarily suspended for safety.
Spring
March - MaySpring cleaning often uncovers old chemicals. Remember that household hazardous wastes like fertilizers, pool chemicals, and oil-based paints from garage cleanouts must be driven directly to the Camano Transfer Station, as they are strictly banned from all curbside carts.
About Camano Waste Management
Waste Management Services on Camano Island
Residents of Camano Island [1.1.2] manage their household waste through a combination of curbside services provided by Waste Management (WM) and drop-off capabilities at the Island County Transfer Station. Garbage is collected on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule based on the subscriber's cart size, while recycling and optional food/yard waste carts are picked up every other week. Ensuring your carts are appropriately spaced at the curb by early morning helps maintain efficient and safe neighborhood collections.
Maximizing Your Blue Recycling Cart
Camano Island’s curbside recycling program strongly emphasizes a 'clean, empty, and loose' rule. To prevent massive contamination at the regional cascade recycling center, residents must absolutely never bag their recyclables. Items like clean cardboard boxes, rigid plastic tubs, and aluminum cans should go directly into the 96-gallon blue cart. Notably, plastic bags and shredded paper are strictly prohibited, as they quickly tangle and break the facility's sorting machinery.
Composting Food and Yard Debris
Did you know that up to 30% of standard household garbage is composed of compostable material? On Camano Island, residents can divert this waste by subscribing to the WM food and yard waste service. You can place organic materials—including yard trimmings, grass clippings, and kitchen food scraps like meat and dairy—into your designated green yard cart. It is strictly prohibited to throw yard waste into your standard garbage bin, as it unnecessarily wastes valuable landfill space.
Navigating Severe Weather Delays
Given the island's coastal Pacific Northwest climate, high winds, heavy rain, or winter snowstorms can occasionally disrupt collection routes. During severe weather episodes, Waste Management continuously updates the Camano Service Alert page with real-time route cancelations. If your service is postponed, wait for the official notification to place your bins back out to prevent loose litter from blowing into the nearby Puget Sound or clogging local storm drains.
Utilizing the Camano Transfer Station
When you have excess waste that won’t fit in your curbside bins or bulky materials like old appliances, scrap metal, and tires, the Camano Transfer Station on Camano Hill Road is your primary drop-off point. It is open daily for Island County residents. Keep in mind that this specific facility does not accept yard waste; for yard debris, residents must either use their WM curbside collection or haul it to a designated clean green facility like Lenz Enterprises in nearby Stanwood.
Drop-off Facilities
Camano Transfer Station
75 E Camano Hill Rd, Camano Island, WA 98282
Materials Accepted
Lenz Enterprises (Yard Waste Only)
5210 State Highway 532, Stanwood, WA 98292
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put yard clippings in my regular garbage bin on Camano Island?
No, yard trimmings are strictly prohibited from regular garbage containers to save landfill space. You can compost them at home, subscribe to the WM food and yard waste service, or take your 'clean green' materials to an approved yard waste facility like Lenz Enterprises.
How do I dispose of a bulky item like a mattress or old sofa?
You can schedule a special bulky item pickup directly with Waste Management by calling 800-592-9995. You can also opt to self-haul large items to the Camano Transfer Station on Camano Hill Road, though standard disposal fees will apply based on the item type.
What happens to my trash schedule if a major holiday like Thanksgiving lands on a Thursday?
Waste Management only observes Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. If your normal pickup is on a Thursday and one of these holidays falls on that day, your collection will be delayed to Friday. Friday customers will be serviced on Saturday. All other holidays do not alter the schedule.
Where can I safely dispose of household hazardous waste like old paint and cleaners?
Never throw hazardous materials in any curbside bin. You can drop off household hazardous waste, such as oil-based paint, antifreeze, old pesticides, and solvents, free of charge at the designated drop-off zone at the Camano Transfer Station.