Help Residents Recycle and Compost

How to train residents

1. The best time to train residents on how to sort correctly is during move-in. For best results, talk to residents in person and physically show them the containers used for recycle, compost, and garbage.
2. Use this sample letter to residents (PDF) to notify them by writing about where the recycle and compost collection areas are located in the building.
3. Make sure that each unit has a container to collect recyclables and a food waste scrap container. You can request stickers for the recycle bin and food waste scrap containers below.
4. Include the sorting guidelines in the move-in package. Request free sorting guidelines in different languages below.

Download a flyer showing the most common types of items in your chosen language. (PDF)
English | አማርኛ (Amharic) | عربي (Arabic) | 中文 (China) | हिन्दी‎ (Hindi) | 日本語 (Japanese) | ខ្មែរ (Khmer) | 한국어 (Korean) | Oromo | русский язык (Russian) | Soomaali (Somali) | Español (Spanish) | Tagalog | ትግርኛ (Tigrinya) | Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)

How to set up containers for success

1. Label each container with stickers and post sorting poster near each container. Request free stickers and sorting posters (available in different languages) below.
2. To reduce contamination, place the containers so the first one the residents will encounter as they approach them is the garbage, then the recycle, and finally the compost.

Informational materials for display

Order online

Help residents sort correctly by ordering free materials, such as flyers, posters, and labels. Many items are available in multiple languages (examples below). Your order will be delivered within 2 weeks.

These materials are only for Seattle residents in apartment, condominium buildings, and other multifamily housing. Businesses, such as office buildings or food services, should order materials from our commercial/business customer site.

Download print materials

Don't want to wait for an order? Download these posters and flyers:

• Compost, Recycling, and Garbage Posters (11" x 17" PDF)
  

  Compost Poster	Recycling Poster	Garbage Poster
  English Compost	English Recycling	English Garbage
  Amharic Compost	Amharic Recycling	Amharic Garbage
  Arabic Compost	Arabic Recycling	Arabic Garbage
  Chinese Compost	Chinese Recycling	Chinese Garbage
  Hindi Compost	Hindi Recycling	Hindi Garbage
  Indonesian Compost	Indonesian Recycling	Indonesian Garbage
  Japanese Compost	Japanese Recycling	Japanese Garbage
  Khmer Compost	Khmer Recycling	Khmer Garbage
  Korean Compost	Korean Recycling	Korean Garbage
  Laotian Compost	Laotian Recycling	Laotian Garbage
  Oromo Compost	Oromo Recycling	Oromo Garbage
  Russian Compost	Russian Recycling	Russian Garbage
  Somali Compost	Somali Recycling	Somali Garbage
  Spanish Compost	Spanish Recycling	Spanish Garbage
  Tagalog Compost	Tagalog Recycling	Tagalog Garbage
  Thai Compost	Thai Recycling	Thai Garbage
  Tigrinya Compost	Tigrinya Recycling	Tigrinya Garbage
  Vietnamese Compost	Vietnamese Recycling	Vietnamese Garbage

• Food Scraps Storage Tips: What goes in the compost and how to store food scraps at home (8.5" x 11" PDF)
  English | Amharic | Arabic | Chinese | Hindi | Indonesian | Japanese | Khmer | Korean | Laotian | Oromo | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Tagalog | Thai | Tigrinya | Vietnamese

Still having issues?

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Contact us by email or leave us a voice message at (206) 684-8717.