Trash Talk

Seattle Will Fine People Who Throw Away Too Much Food

Absolute rubbish.
Absolute rubbish. Photo: Shutterstock

Yesterday, the Seattle City Council passed a 9-0 vote in support of an ordinance that will allow trash collectors to fine residents $1 every time they note perfectly compostable food waste taking up “10 percent or more” of any haul. This not only means that workers will be taking a very close look at rubbish — they already flag bins that that contain recyclables — but they’ll also be keeping tabs on trashiness over time, thanks to state of the art computer systems that are already on board the city’s fleet of garbage trucks. This will allow for the city to increase penalties — maxing out at a not-high sum of $50 — for repeat offenders. All those who regularly shun pizza crusts or incur mounds of fruit pulp while undergoing extensive juice cleanses should consider themselves warned. [Seattle Times]

Seattle Will Fine People Who Throw Away Too Much Food