Two waste-collection changes are landing in Kennewick at the same time this fall, and they affect almost every household in the city.
Waste Management's seasonal leaf pickup starts this week, and the company is also delivering brand-new 96-gallon recycling carts to every residential customer between Nov. 1 and Nov. 14, replacing the old open-top bins for good. If you live in Kennewick, here's what changes and when.
Leaf pickup: first full week of November, December and January
WM collects loose leaves in Kennewick during the first full calendar week — Monday through Friday — of November, December and January, according to the company's Kennewick customer guidelines. Since Nov. 1 falls on a Sunday this year, that first collection window runs Nov. 2-6.
Leaves need to go in black garbage bags or kraft lawn bags, set next to your cart on your regular collection day — not inside it. The same bag-beside-the-cart rule applies for the December and January pickup weeks, so residents who miss the November window get two more chances before spring.
New recycling carts: Nov. 1-14 delivery, two different start dates
Separately, WM is dropping off new 96-gallon recycling carts to every residential customer in Kennewick from Nov. 1 through Nov. 14 at no extra cost, NBC Right Now reported. The carts hold about five times as much as the old 18-gallon bins, the city said.
The new system also changes how often recycling gets picked up. Garbage collection stays weekly, but curbside recycling moves to every other week, Newstalk 870 reported. Service days aren't changing — just the frequency for recycling.
"We are excited to collaborate with the City of Kennewick on this important step forward for the community," said Tobias Magana, WM's senior collections manager, according to Newstalk 870.
Not everyone starts on the same week. WM has split the city into two groups:
- Gold Schedule customers put their new cart out the week of Nov. 16, on their regular service day.
- Green Schedule customers start the week of Nov. 23.
Residents who aren't sure which group they're in can look it up on WM's Kennewick service map.
The switch doesn't change your bill. Per WM's updated Kennewick rate sheet, the 18-gallon bin collected weekly through Nov. 15 and the 96-gallon cart collected every other week starting Nov. 16 are both included in base residential service — no upcharge for the bigger container.
For base yard-waste rules across all four cities, see our earlier guide, Tri-Cities fall leaf and yard-waste disposal guide.
What to do with the old bin during the transition
WM's materials don't spell out whether residents can keep using their old 18-gallon recycling bin for overflow yard debris once the new cart shows up, or whether it needs to go back right away. If your cart arrives before your scheduled switch date and you're unsure what to do with the old bin, call WM customer service before setting anything extra at the curb — crews may not pick up material outside the assigned containers during the transition weeks.
Pasco and Franklin County: organics collection still years out
Kennewick's changes don't extend across the river. Pasco and Franklin County are working on a separate, longer-term overhaul of garbage, recycling and food-waste rules, the Tri-City Herald reported via Yahoo News. A curbside organics program — think food scraps and yard waste collected together — is the centerpiece.
The timeline is firmer than it was earlier this year. State rules call for organics collection to begin in 2027, though counties can request a waiver pushing that to 2030, and curbside recycling planning is expected by 2030, according to a presentation a PDI representative gave Pasco's city council, as reported by CitizenPortal.ai. How those programs get funded is still unresolved — the same briefing noted that the Legislature and the state Department of Ecology have adopted several new waste-handling requirements without a matching funding package, meaning cities and counties may have to cover the cost locally, which could raise monthly bills.
Translation for Pasco and Franklin County residents: nothing changes at your curb this fall. Keep following current yard-waste rules until the city or county announces specifics.
Kennewick checklist for November
- Now through Nov. 6: Bag leaves in black garbage bags or kraft lawn bags and set them next to your cart for pickup.
- Nov. 1-14: Watch for your new 96-gallon recycling cart to be delivered — no action needed, no charge.
- Week of Nov. 16: Gold Schedule customers put the new cart out on their regular day; recycling moves to every other week.
- Week of Nov. 23: Green Schedule customers start their every-other-week recycling pickup.
- First full week of December and January: Two more bagged-leaf collection windows if you miss November.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to request a new recycling cart, or will it just show up? No request needed. WM is delivering carts to every residential customer in Kennewick between Nov. 1 and Nov. 14 automatically, per NBC Right Now.
How do I know if I'm on the Gold or Green schedule? Check WM's Kennewick service map, which breaks the city into the two groups and shows each one's start date.
Will my garbage pickup day change? No. Garbage stays on a weekly schedule and on the same day it's always been. Only recycling frequency is changing, to every other week.
Can I put leaves directly in my garbage or recycling cart instead of bagging them? WM's guidelines call for leaves in black garbage bags or kraft lawn bags placed beside the cart, not inside it, during the designated collection weeks in November, December and January.
What about Pasco, Richland and West Richland? Those cities haven't announced cart or schedule changes tied to this Kennewick rollout. Residents there should keep following their current city-specific yard-waste rules; Pasco and Franklin County's organics program isn't expected before 2027 at the earliest.
