What happens if I don’t sort my trash in Whatcom County? Follow these rules
Taking out in the trash can be a chore, especially when you’re unsure about sorting.
“Proper waste disposal keeps our homes and community free of disease and toxic materials that can harm your health,” Whatcom County said on its website.
What goes in your curbside garbage, recycling and yard waste containers? And what happens if you toss something in the wrong bin?
Here’s what you need to know.
Who picks up trash and recycling in Whatcom County?
The Sanitary Service Company collects garbage, recycling and food waste in Bellingham, Ferndale, Blaine and Birch Bay as well as unincorporated areas of Whatcom County.
You can find your waste collection schedule online at ssc-inc.com/collection-schedule. Simply type in your address to discover when your trash will be picked up.
Nooksack Valley Disposal & Recycling also collects garbage, recyclable materials and yard waste in Whatcom County, in Lynden, Sumas, Everson and the surrounding rural areas.
Find your trash pickup schedule at nvd-inc.com/collection-schedule.
Cando Recyling and Disposal provides waste collection services for the Point Roberts community, following a pickup schedule that’s posted on its website.
What goes in my garbage can in Bellingham?
According to the Sanitary Service Company, these are some of the items that can go in your curbside garbage container, which is green with a green lid:
- Plastic bags
- Chip bags
- Dog poop
- Paper milk cartons
- Aluminum foil
- Juice pouches
- Plastic straws
- Styrofoam takeout containers
“Please bag and seal all garbage before placing it in your container,” the Sanitary Service Company said, adding that you should “make sure it all fits with the lid closed to avoid extra charges.”
The Bellingham-based company said it offers trash pickup on a “weekly, every other week, or monthly” basis.
Nooksack Valley Disposal collects garbage on a weekly basis, although customers can opt to have their trash picked up every other week.
What goes in my recycling bin in Whatcom County?
In Whatcom County, materials that go into your curbside recycling container include bottles, cans and scrap paper, according to the Sanitary Service Company.
Everything that goes into the recycling bin must be “empty, clean and dry,” the company said.
Here are some of the items you can toss in the green container with a blue lid:
- Cardboard
- Glass bottles
- Yogurt containers
- Newspapers
- Aluminum containers
- Milk jugs
- Plastic food containers
“Additional recyclable items” including used motor oil, car batteries and aerosol cans “may be placed in a box and set next to your recycling (container) for collection,” the Sanitary Service Company said.
Sanitary Service Company and Nooksack Valley Disposal both pick up recycling every other week.
What goes in my yard waste container?
According to the Sanitary Service Company, you can put a variety of food scraps and compostable packaging in your FoodPlus! yard waste container, along with leaves and twigs.
“Organic waste collection is a cost-effective way to reduce waste, trim your garbage bill and support our community,” the company said.
Here are some of the items that can be placed in your yard waste container, which is green with a yellow lid:
- Eggshells
- Pizza boxes
- Leftover food
- Coffee grounds
- Vegetable peels
- Leaves
- Weeds
- Grass clippings
- Branches up to 7 inches in diameter
Sanitary Service Company collects yard waste is collected every other week, while Nooksack Valley Disposal picks up yard debris and food scraps on a weekly basis.
What happens if I put something in the wrong bin?
If you accidentally place a recyclable item in your garbage bin, it will be processed along with the rest of your trash, according to Sanitary Service Company customer service representatives.
However, if you toss garbage in your recycling bin, the waste removal company will not collect the contents of your container.
Instead, you’ll be asked to remove the contaminating material before your recycling is picked up.
The same goes for FoodPlus! yard waste bins. If you throw trash or recyclables in your yard waste bin, you’ll need to remove it before it can be emptied.
At that point, customers can either leave their bins for the Sanitary Service Company to be collected on the next regularly scheduled pickup date, meaning waiting for an additional week or two before pickup, or haul it themselves to one of the company’s collection sites.
What if I have large or bulky items? Hazardous waste?
Whatcom County doesn’t have any open landfills.
However, you can haul garbage and recycling to one of seven transfer station or drop-box locations:
- Birch Bay Recycling, 4297 Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Blaine
- Cando Recycling & Disposal, 2005 Johnson Road, Point Roberts
- Cedarville Recycling, Cedarville Road, Everson
- Nooksack Valley Disposal, 250 Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Lynden
- Recycling & Disposal Services, 4916 LaBounty Place, Ferndale
- Republic Services, 1524 Slater Road, Ferndale
- Sanitary Service Company, 1001 Roeder Ave., Bellingham
You can take hazardous waste such as used oil, cleaners, latex paint and lawn chemicals to the Whatcom County Disposal of Toxics Program, 3505 Airport Drive in Bellingham.
What happens to yard waste in Whatcom County?
The Sanitary Service Company said it collects “food scraps, food-soiled papers, yard waste and approved compostable packaging.”
“We take this organic waste to Cascade Compost & Soil to be locally composted and turned into a nutrient-rich soil amendment that helps plants grow,” the waste collection company said.
Cascade Compost & Soil also collects yard waste such as leaves, grass clippings, landscaping debris and stumps from community members for 3.3 cents per pound, according to its website.
You can purchase the company’s soil by the bag at Lynden Ace Hardware and Portal Way Farm and Garden.
Have a trash question? Here’s who to ask
Not sure what goes in which container? You can use Whatcom County’s Waste Wise online waste and recycling portal to determine how to dispose of each item.
Sustainable Connections in Bellingham also has a guide for sorting your trash.
If you have a question about your waste collection services, you can reach the Sanitary Service Company by filling out its online contact form.
This story was originally published February 25, 2026 at 5:00 AM.