Governor Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order for the state of Washington in response to the coronavirus outbreak requires everyone statewide to stay home unless pursuing an essential activity. Because sanitation is a vital service, SHA’s Solid Waste Division and the City of Seattle’s sanitation workers continue to collect garbage, recycling and food/yard waste.
Here’s what you can do to help protect these workers and keep your community clean:
- Please place bags inside carts. SHA waste collectors are able to collect bags left next to the carts, but as a precaution must use shovels instead of their hands, which requires more time and effort.
- Please limit the disposal of bulky items (furniture, mattresses, etc.) and electronic waste (appliances, TVs, computers, etc.) during this time.
- Please sort your recycling and food/yard waste correctly. If garbage is mixed in with either it will contaminate the contents and the driver will have to collect it as garbage, which often requires making a separate trip.
Waste collectors continue to work hard during this stressful time and are taking extra precautions by wearing protective gear, frequently sanitizing their hands and practicing social distancing. Thank you for doing your part to help keep these workers safe.
If you have any questions or comments and live in a Seattle Housing Authority building, please contact the Seattle Housing Authority Solid Waste team by emailing solidwaste@seattlehousing.org or calling us at 206.716.1310. If you are an HCV voucher participant, contact Seattle Public Utilities at 206.684.3000.