Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Richland
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.
Gray Bin (Trash)
Place the cart out by 6:00 a.m. with the wheels against the curb. Maintain a 3-foot clearance from cars, trees, mailboxes, and fences, and ensure 14 feet of overhead clearance.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Styrofoam and packing peanuts
- ✓Pet waste and diapers
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Optional service collected every other week on a different day than garbage. Items must be placed loosely in the cart; do not bag recyclables.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean, flattened cardboard
- ✓Newspaper, magazines, and paper
- ✓Plastic containers with a neck (bottles/jugs)
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass of any kind
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Food waste or unsanitary items
- ✕Batteries and electronics
- ✕Light bulbs and aerosol cans
Yard Waste Bin
Collected weekly. Do not place meat, processed food, dirt, rocks, or animal waste in this bin. Doing so incurs a $10 contamination fee. If bagging, you must use BPI-certified compostable bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Plant and garden trimmings
- ✓Inedible fruits and vegetables from gardens
- ✓Non-treated wood and branches (under 4 inches thick)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
No free regular curbside bulk pickup; dumpsters available for rent.
Placement
For Drop Box (dumpster) rentals, residents must submit a Rental Agreement and Coordination Form to schedule delivery and pickup.
Accepted
- ✓ Large furniture (at landfill or in rented drop box)
- ✓ Mattresses (at landfill)
- ✓ Yard waste and clean wood (at landfill)
Not Accepted
- ✕ E-waste and televisions
- ✕ High-intensity light bulbs
- ✕ Hazardous household chemicals
- ✕ Tires (restrictions apply)
Self-hauling to the Horn Rapids Landfill incurs standard per-ton tipping fees. Renting a 30-yard drop box requires a delivery fee, daily rental fees, and disposal weight fees. Call 509-942-7700 for exact pricing.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If your scheduled collection day falls on Christmas Day, your garbage and yard waste will be picked up the following day. All remaining collections that week will be delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste follows the exact same one-day delay as standard garbage.
Richland has one of the strictest holiday schedules in the state. Collection crews work Monday through Friday, year-round, on all other holidays including Thanksgiving, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, and the 4th of July.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
No Meat or Processed Foods in the Green Cart
Unlike some regional programs that accept all kitchen scraps, Richland's green yard waste cart is strictly for vegetative garden and yard debris. Putting meat, dairy, or processed human food in the green cart will result in a $10 load contamination fee on your utility bill.
Use Only BPI-Certified Compostable Bags
If you choose to bag your yard waste, you cannot use standard plastic garbage bags. You must use bags explicitly marked as 'BPI Certified Compostable.' If you use regular plastic, your yard waste will be treated as garbage and sent to the landfill.
Plastic Containers Must Have a Neck
When sorting plastics for the blue recycling cart, only include plastic containers that have a neck (like water bottles, milk jugs, and detergent bottles). Plastic tubs, clamshells, and flimsy plastics are not accepted.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December to FebruaryDuring the freezing winter months, yard waste may not be collected if debris is frozen inside the container, which risks breaking the cart during dumping. Additionally, if neighborhood yard waste set-out rates drop below 20%, yard waste may be collected simultaneously by the refuse truck.
Autumn
November to DecemberDuring the official Fall Cleanup period, the City provides free collection of excess yard waste. Residents must place the extra leaves and clippings in BPI-certified compostable bags next to their green cart.
Winter
DecemberStarting in October through the end of December, the City typically provides free compostable bags for Richland residents, which can be picked up at the Horn Rapids Landfill or City Hall to assist with fall yard cleanup.
About Richland Waste Management
Municipal Operation and the Horn Rapids Landfill
Unlike many neighboring cities that contract out to private haulers, the City of Richland directly manages its residential solid waste through its own municipal Solid Waste Utility. Furthermore, the city owns and operates the Horn Rapids Landfill on a 275-acre property, which features its own composting facility and a renewable natural gas (RNG) plant that converts landfill gas into usable energy.
Separate Collection Days for Recycling
In Richland, curbside recycling is considered an optional, additional service available upon request. If you subscribe, you receive a blue cart that is collected every other week. Uniquely, your recycling collection will occur on an entirely different designated day of the week than your standard gray garbage and green yard waste carts, requiring residents to track two separate collection schedules.
Strict Year-Round Collection: Only Christmas Off
Richland's sanitation crews are exceptionally dedicated to their routes. The city operates garbage collection Monday through Friday, year-round, and observes only one holiday for service disruption: Christmas Day. If your pickup day falls on Thanksgiving, New Year's Day, or the 4th of July, you must still have your carts at the curb by 6:00 a.m. as crews will be working normally.
The Annual Fall Cleanup Program
To assist residents with heavy autumn leaf drops, Richland hosts a seasonal Fall Cleanup program typically running from mid-November through late December. During this window, residents can bag excess yard waste in BPI-certified compostable bags and place them at the curb for free collection, waving the standard extra-yardage fees normally charged the rest of the year.
Navigating the Glass Recycling Ban
To maintain the purity of regional paper and cardboard bales, the City of Richland strictly bans glass from its blue co-mingled recycling carts. When glass shatters during the automated collection and sorting process, it embeds into paper and damages machinery. Residents are instructed to reuse glass jars, throw them in the gray garbage cart, or take them to specialized drop-off recycling centers.
Drop-off Facilities
Horn Rapids Landfill
3102 Twin Bridges Road, Richland, WA 99354
Materials Accepted
DTG Recycle (E-Cycle Washington Site)
1936 Saint St, Richland, WA 99354
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Richland pick up garbage on Thanksgiving or the 4th of July?
Yes! The City of Richland sanitation crews work Monday through Friday, year-round. The ONLY holiday that disrupts your collection schedule is Christmas Day. You must have your bins at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on all other holidays.
Why can't I put glass in my blue recycling bin in Richland?
Glass is strictly banned from curbside recycling in Richland. When glass is collected in the automated trucks, it shatters and embeds into the paper and cardboard, ruining those materials for recycling and damaging the sorting facility's machinery.
How do I throw away an old couch or mattress in Richland?
Richland does not offer a free curbside bulk pickup service. To dispose of large items like couches or mattresses, you must haul them yourself to the Horn Rapids Landfill and pay the gate fee, or you can rent a 30-yard Drop Box (dumpster) from the city for a fee.
Can I put food scraps in my green yard waste cart?
No. The green yard waste cart in Richland is for vegetative garden debris, grass, and leaves only. Putting meat, dairy, or processed human food in the green cart is considered contamination and will result in a $10 fee on your utility bill.