During a recent government meeting in Edmonds, community members raised significant concerns regarding local recycling practices, particularly in apartment buildings. One resident, Ardith Weed, highlighted the lack of mandatory recycling services for multi-family residences, noting that while single-family homes receive regular recycling pickups, her fiveplex does not.

Weed expressed frustration over the situation, explaining that residents of her building must transport their recyclables to a distant recycling center themselves. She emphasized the environmental impact of this oversight, pointing out the waste generated from deliveries, such as cardboard boxes from online shopping, which often end up in the trash.

In her quest for a solution, Weed contacted various local and state agencies, including Republic Services and the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, only to discover that the responsibility for recycling services lies with individual cities. She urged the city council to take action to implement recycling services for apartment buildings, acknowledging that it may lead to increased costs for property owners and tenants.

The meeting underscored the need for proactive measures to address recycling accessibility in Edmonds, as community members called for the council to prioritize this issue in future discussions.