Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Mukilteo
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/Green cart Bin (Trash)
Set carts at the curb by 6:00 a.m., spaced 3 feet apart with the lids opening toward the street. 32-gallon cans lifted by hand max out at 65 pounds, while mechanically lifted carts have a 180-pound limit.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable materials
- ✓Double-bagged pet waste
- ✓Cold ashes
- ✓Broken ceramics
Blue cart Bin (Recycling)
Recycling is collected every other week. Items must be clean, dry, and loose in the cart. Never bundle or bag your recyclables.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean paper
- ✓Cardboard boxes
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Metal food and beverage cans
- ✓Glass bottles
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam packaging
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Liquid-filled containers
- ✕Electronics
Yard Waste Bin
Available as a weekly subscription service. Must not contain plastic bags, treated wood, rocks, dirt, or animal waste.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small branches
- ✓Food scraps
- ✓Food-soiled paper products
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By request only (excluding the Annual Spring Cleanup)
Placement
Place large items out by 6:00 a.m. at a public street where a large truck can safely access them, ensuring they do not block traffic.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Large appliances
- ✓ Console televisions
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Building materials
Not Accepted
- ✕ Paints
- ✕ Solvents
- ✕ Gasoline
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Hazardous household waste
- ✕ Electronics
Additional fees apply for standard bulk pickups. Call WM at 800-592-9995 for an exact quote. The city's May cleanup event is free for eligible residential items.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, collections for the remainder of the week are shifted one day later (e.g., Thursday pickups move to Friday, Friday to Saturday).
Yard Waste Exception
Yard and food waste services follow the identical holiday delay structure as standard trash and recycling pickups.
Holidays like Independence Day (July 4th), Labor Day, and Memorial Day do not interrupt standard residential collection schedules in Mukilteo; place your carts out on their normal day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Skip the Plastic Bags in Recycling
Never bag your recyclables. The sorting machinery at local material recovery facilities becomes severely jammed by thin plastic films. Empty your bottles, cans, and paper directly into the blue bin.
No Electronics in Regular Bins
Mukilteo prohibits placing e-waste, such as computers or TVs, into standard trash or recycling bins. These items contain hazardous components and should be taken to an authorized e-waste recycler like the Snohomish County Drop-Off Station.
Keep Organics Clean of Plastic
When utilizing the Food/Yard Waste bin, never toss in plastic packaging or compostable plastics that are not specifically certified. Plastic contamination ruins the organic compost cycle, so rely on paper bags or unlined countertop pails for kitchen scraps.
Seasonal Information
Spring
MayMukilteo holds an Annual Curbside Cleanup event every May, allowing regular WM residential customers to set out up to one yard of extra household items and two large bulky objects at no extra cost. Check the city website for the exact date.
Autumn
October - NovemberFalling leaves across the Pacific Northwest can quickly fill your green yard waste cart. Make sure wet, heavy leaves do not cause the bin to exceed its 180-pound weight limit, which can prevent successful mechanical lifting.
Winter
December - FebruaryDuring severe winter storms, Snohomish County transfer stations and local collection routes may experience delays. Clear snow around your bins, ensure a path to the street, and check WM's service alerts online if road conditions deteriorate.
About Mukilteo Waste Management
Curbside Residential Collection in Mukilteo
Waste Management (WM) serves as the primary solid waste and recycling hauler for residents in the coastal city of Mukilteo, Washington. All rolling carts, cans, and bundles must be positioned at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on the designated collection day to accommodate the city’s early routing schedules. It is highly advised to place bins with a minimum clearance of three feet from obstacles like mailboxes and parked vehicles. Doing so allows WM's robotic lift arms to safely pick up the containers while mitigating street congestion.
Food and Yard Waste Composting Guidelines
Mukilteo takes environmental stewardship seriously by encouraging the diversion of organic matter from the landfill. Residents who subscribe to the local food and yard waste program receive weekly curbside pickups year-round. This special green bin is the perfect spot for grass clippings, leaves, branches, as well as kitchen scraps and food-soiled paper. Never line this bin with plastic bags, as they compromise the integrity of the compost produced at Snohomish County facilities.
Bi-Weekly Recycling Requirements
Unlike the weekly refuse and yard waste schedules, blue cart recycling is picked up every other week in Mukilteo, divided into odd and even service weeks based on your exact address. To ensure successful processing, all materials—such as clean cardboard, plastic bottles, and metal cans—should be loose inside the bin. Flattening cardboard boxes and rinsing food residue from containers will maximize cart space and prevent foul odors.
Special Bulky Waste and Appliance Pickups
If you are upgrading appliances or clearing out heavy furniture, those large items are prohibited from standard household bins. However, Mukilteo households can directly arrange a specialized curbside pickup by calling Waste Management’s dedicated customer line. Whether you are disposing of a heavy mattress, a console television, or leftover construction debris, simply request a bulky item pickup for a supplemental fee.
Mukilteo's Annual Curbside Cleanup Event
Each spring, the City of Mukilteo traditionally hosts an Annual Curbside Cleanup day to help regular residential customers conveniently discard extra refuse. Residents can place up to one cubic yard of bundled or bagged trash, alongside up to two bulky items like couches or lawnmowers (free of gas and oil) directly at the street. Hazardous materials, tires, and electronics are strictly barred from this event and must be hauled to a designated drop-off facility instead.
Drop-off Facilities
Southwest Recycling and Transfer Station
21311 61st Place West, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
Materials Accepted
Snohomish County Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Station
3434 McDougall Avenue, Everett, WA 98201
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Mukilteo pick up bulky items or old furniture?
Standard weekly Waste Management service does not include bulky items. You must schedule a special pickup by calling WM customer service at 800-592-9995 and paying a fee. Alternatively, you can utilize the City of Mukilteo's free Annual Curbside Cleanup day held every May.
Are holidays going to push back my trash pickup day?
Only Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day will push your pickup back one day if they fall on a weekday. For all other holidays, including Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day, WM runs its regular routes, so put your bins out as normal.
Can I leave extra garbage next to my cart?
Yes, but there is an additional charge for extra bags or 32-gallon cans placed outside your cart. These extra cans must weigh less than 65 pounds. If you consistently generate extra waste, you can request a larger cart size from Waste Management.
Where should I place my carts on collection day in Mukilteo?
Roll your carts to the curb by 6:00 a.m. Ensure the lids open toward the street, and leave at least three feet of space between each bin and any nearby obstacles, like cars, trees, or mailboxes. This allows the automated truck arms to work safely and efficiently.