Accepted Residential Items

Turning your kitchen scraps and trimmings into nutrient rich feed stock for composting is now easier than ever. The inception of programs allowing food scraps to be placed in residential yard waste containers prompted Cedar Grove, manufacturers, and local agencies to develop “accepted” compostable kitchen bags for local residents.

The following brands offer accepted compostable kitchen bags and picnic/party items which are available in your local grocery and retail stores or through online options. For a list of stores that carry many of these brands within King County, please visit King County’s solid waste section of their website.

Items Cedar Grove accepts from residential, curbside collection programs:
General Acceptance Standards

YES

• Yard waste
• Food scraps
• Food soiled paper including pizza boxes and unlined paper products
• Cedar Grove approved compostable bags
• Clean, untreated wood – less than 4 inch diameter, less than 4 feet in length

Items Cedar Grove does not accept from residential, curbside collection programs:

Please note that this list refers to *all* products listed below, regardless if the packaging for the items says “compostable, biodegradable, etc.”.  Additionally, this list supersedes any retailer or marketing claim that their product is compostable.

NO

• Glass, metal, plastic (including all bottles)
• Milk or other beverage cartons
• Rocks, soil, dirt
• Wood or limbs >4 inches
• Noxious weeds (For a list of noxious weeds, please visit:  https://www.kingcounty.gov/services/environment/animals-and-plants/noxious-weeds/laws/list.aspx)
• Diapers, pet waste (including litter)
• Shredded paper
• Cardboard (shipping boxes, etc.)
• Paper (unless food soiled such as paper towels or pizza boxes)
• Coffee cups
• Tea bags, coffee pods, corks
• Compostable food packaging (i.e., cups, plates, forks)*
• Waxed Cardboard

*Except in the City of Seattle