SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): Spokane County is preparing to expand curbside recycling service to about 2,500 residents, as part of Washington’s move to extend services to rural customers. The proposed change would mark the county’s first major expansion of curbside recycling boundaries since 2018.
The proposal will come under the consideration of County commissioners at their upcoming meeting. If approved, the revised service area would include several growing communities and neighborhoods near Medical Lake, Liberty Lake and Seven Mile.
Local waste companies, including Waste Management Services and Sunshine Disposal, would have until April 2027 to provide recycling collection to households newly added under the plan.
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County officials said population growth and requests from residents have increased the need for wider recycling access. The expansion also supports Washington’s goal of making curbside recycling available across the state by the end of the decade.
Officials noted that a gradual approach will be better than expanding the entire service area at once. They said this could give waste haulers more time to secure recycling containers, collection vehicles and qualified drivers while avoiding potential supply shortages. Also, they anticipate additional service-area expansions in future years.
The proposal would allow more rural households to place recyclable materials into the established recycling system instead of sending those materials to landfills.