The purpose of this chapter is to set forth the requirements for the collection, management, and proper handling of all solid waste, including recyclable materials, originating from residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial operations and other sources within the City of Tacoma in order to prevent land, air, and water pollution, fly and rodent infestation, fire hazards, and damage to recreational values and to the environment; to conserve resources; and to maintain aesthetic values.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09)
A. 
The collection and disposal of solid waste within the City of Tacoma is compulsory and universal. The City of Tacoma asserts exclusive and universal control over the business of all solid waste collection, management, and disposal within the Tacoma city limits. It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person other than the City of Tacoma, acting through its Solid Waste Management Division, to engage in the business of collection, removal, and disposal of solid waste within the Tacoma city limits, except as provided in TMC § 12.09.070, “Special permits.” There are hereby levied and imposed within the City of Tacoma mandatory service charges, at the rates and charges set forth in this chapter, for the collection, management, and disposal of all such solid waste or for the availability of such services.
B. 
Delegation of authority. The Director is authorized to promulgate, implement, amend, supplement, and enforce such policies, procedures, requirements, and manuals, and to issue such guidance, as are reasonable and necessary to implement and ensure compliance with applicable codes and regulations; provided that, such policies, procedures, requirements, guidance, and manuals shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of TMC Chapter 12.09. Any such policy, procedure, guidance, requirement, or manual promulgated by the Director, and any amendments or supplements made thereto, shall be made available to the public. The Director may delegate authority to enforce the provisions of TMC Chapters 12.09, and associated policies, procedures, and manuals.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 1, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26728 § 1, 2000-11-07; Ord. 27537 § 1, 2006-10-24; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09; Subst. Ord. 28986 Ex. H, 2024-11-19)
A. 
12.09.030.A.
“Apartment customer.”
An individual who physically occupies the subject dwelling unit.
“Asbestos-containing material.”
Any material containing at least 1 percent asbestos determined by polarized light microscopy using the Interim Method of the Determination of Asbestos in Bulk Samples contained in Appendix A of Subpart F in 40 CFR Part 763.
“Ash.”
The residue, including any flue dusts from combustion or incineration of material, including solid waste.
“Automated collection.”
The method of collecting waste through the use of mechanical collection equipment and special containers to accommodate the collection.
“Automated collection container.”
A City-owned container designed specifically for Solid Waste Management’s automated collection operation.
B. 
12.09.030.B.
“Bulk waste.”
Large items of solid waste including, but not limited to, appliances, furniture, trees, stumps, and other oversized waste.
C. 
12.09.030.C.
“Carry service.”
The transport of a container by Solid Waste Management personnel from the customer’s premises or other designated location to a location accessible for collection.
“City”
means the City of Tacoma.
“Collection vehicle.”
A vehicle used for the collection and/or transportation of commercial or residential solid waste.
“Commercial customer.”
Any business premises, industry, and mobile home park; organization (either private/public, profit/nonprofit); multi-family dwellings (triplex or larger); and dwelling units with one or more utilities paid for by a single entity and located on contiguous property.
“Container.”
An approved Solid Waste Management or customer-owned portable container; e.g., can, recycling container, front load box, compactor, and drop-off box to be used for the deposit of solid waste therein.
“Construction and demolition waste.”
Solid waste that is largely inert waste, resulting from the demolition or razing of buildings, roads, and other manmade structures. Demolition waste consists of, but is not limited to, concrete, brick, gypsum board, bituminous concrete, wood, masonry, composition roofing, roofing paper, steel, and minor amounts of other metals such as copper. Regulated asbestos-containing material is not considered to be demolition waste for the purpose of this chapter.
“Curbside container.”
An approved solid waste or recycling container that is to be placed on the curb in such a way as to allow for safe automated or semi-automated collection or an approved container that is to be placed on the curb for manual pickup.
“Customer.”
Any person or entity receiving service from Solid Waste Management.
D. 
12.09.030.D.
“Dangerous/hazardous waste.”
Solid waste presently defined in WAC 173-303 or as hereafter amended.
“Director.”
The Director of the Environmental Services Department or his/her duly authorized representative.
“Disposal site.”
The location where any treatment, utilization, collection, processing, or final deposition of solid waste occurs.
“Double pick.”
When a container or compactor requires double-handling in order to be hauled or emptied.
“Drop-off box (DOB).”
A large-volume (10 cubic yards or greater) detachable City- or customer-owned container that can be pulled onto a collection vehicle mechanically for transportation.
“Dusty loads.”
Any load intended for disposal that consists of particulate matter that becomes easily airborne, as determined by Solid Waste Management.
“Dwelling.”
Any building or portion thereof which contains not more than two dwelling units.
“Dwelling unit.”
Any building or portion thereof that contains living facilities (which provide for sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation as required by this code) for not more than one household.
E. 
12.09.030.E.
“Extra solid waste.”
Any solid waste placed on, in, or around the vicinity of the collection container in excess of the capacity of the container.
F. 
12.09.030.F.
“Front-load container.”
A City- or customer-owned container, from one yard to eight yards in capacity, designed to be emptied by an automated front-loading truck.
G. 
12.09.030.G.
H. 
12.09.030.H.
“Health Department.”
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
“Household hazardous waste.”
A waste product derived from a residential or apartment customer which has the characteristic of dangerous waste presently defined under WAC 173-303 or as hereafter amended. This waste includes, but is not limited to, household cleaners, automotive products, pesticides, and herbicides.
I. 
12.09.030.I.
“Incineration.”
The controlled combustion of solid waste that yields nonputrescible residues and air effluents in compliance with applicable air pollution regulations.
“Infectious waste.”
Waste from medical, dental, intermediate care facilities, research centers, veterinary clinics, and other similar facilities that have the potential to cause an infectious disease via exposure to a pathogenic organism of sufficient virulence and dosage, through a portal of entry in a susceptible host as defined in TMC § 5.04.020S.
J. 
12.09.030.J.
K. 
12.09.030.K.
L. 
12.09.030.L.
“Landfill.”
A disposal facility, or part of a facility, at which solid waste is permanently placed in or on land.
“Liquid waste.”
Any material which would produce measurable liquids when the Paint Filter Liquids Test Method 9095 of EPA Publication Number SW-846 is used.
M. 
12.09.030.M.
“Mandatory service.”
Compulsory and universal City collection, management, and disposal of solid waste within the City at the applicable rates established herein.
“Minimum service.”
The minimum level of service established by Solid Waste Management for residential and commercial customers.
“Month” or “monthly.”
The 28- to 32-day period corresponding to the meter-reading cycle for that account. For a bimonthly meter-reading cycle, “monthly” shall correspond to one-half of that cycle.
“Multi-business building or complex.”
Buildings or premises that contain three or more commercial customers served by one water meter.
“Multi-family dwelling.”
Any building or portion thereof that contains three or more dwelling units.
N. 
12.09.030.N.
“Nonautomated container.”
A container no larger than 32 gallons that must be manually lifted into a solid waste collection vehicle.
“Nonprofit material salvage/recycling corporation.”
A corporation approved by the Director as eligible for special landfill disposal rate status.
“Nuisance.”
An unreasonable or unlawful act, or omission from performing a duty, which act or omission either injures or endangers the comfort, health, or safety of others, obstructs or tends to obstruct any lake or navigable river, bay, stream, canal, basin, public park, square, street, highway, or in any way renders other persons insecure in life or in the use of property and produces such material annoyance, inconvenience, or discomfort that the law will presume resulting damage.
O. 
12.09.030.O.
“Operator.”
The person responsible for the overall operation of a public disposal area.
“Opportunity fuels.”
A waste commodity that may be utilized as fuel in a waste-to-energy facility, requires little or no processing, provides an acceptable BTU value, creates little or no residual waste, and/or provides enhancement to other fuels.
“Overloaded.”
A container that exceeds its rated capacity or the height of the container opening.
P. 
12.09.030.P.
“Person.”
An individual, firm, lessor, association, co-partnership, political subdivision, government agency, municipality, industry, public or private corporation, or any other entity whatsoever.
“Premises.”
A continuous tract of land, building, portion thereof, or group of adjacent buildings under a single control and responsibility. Multiple use or responsibility shall constitute a division of property into separate premises. Premises shall include, but are not limited to, dwelling unit, dwelling, multi-family dwelling, apartment house, mobile home park, club, restaurant, eating place, hotel, hospital, school, church, manufacturing establishment, and other places of business, either public or private.
“Public disposal area.”
The landfill and/or public tipping area.
Q. 
12.09.030.Q.
R. 
12.09.030.R.
“Recyclable material.”
Means those solid wastes that are source separated from the waste stream for the purpose of recycling or reuse.
“Recycling.”
Transforming or remanufacturing waste materials into usable or marketable material for use other than landfill disposal.
“Recycling container.”
A stationary or portable container under City or customer ownership utilized for the collection of recyclable material and serviced mechanically or manually.
“Recycling drop-off box.”
A drop-off box utilized for the collection of recyclable material only.
“Reload.”
Additional material placed in a container after initial pickup.
“Residential customer.”
An individual who physically occupies the subject dwelling unit and is directly responsible for payment of all public utilities serving the residential unit to which solid waste service is provided.
S. 
12.09.030.S.
“Scavenging.”
The unauthorized removal of materials from a public disposal area, solid waste collection container, recycling drop-off box, or any container used for the collection of recyclable material.
“Sludge.”
A semi-solid substance consisting of settled sewage solids and/or other solids combined with varying amounts of water and dissolved materials generated from a wastewater treatment plant or other source.
“Small quantity generator (SQG) waste.”
A waste defined in WAC 173-303 that exhibits the characteristics of a dangerous or extremely hazardous waste as defined by WAC 173-303, but is generated by a commercial entity in quantities of less than 220 pounds for dangerous waste, or 2.2 pounds for extremely hazardous waste.
“Solid waste.”
All putrescible and nonputrescible solid or semi-solid waste, including, but not limited to, garbage, refuse, rubbish, ash, industrial waste, swill, demolition and construction waste, abandoned or junk vehicles or parts thereof, and discarded commodities, bulk waste, recyclable material, and unwanted vegetation or debris on publicly owned land or improved rights-of-way.
“Solid waste development manual”
shall mean and refer to the manual applicable to construction of solid waste facilities related to new and redeveloped sites as adopted by the Director of Environmental Services, and any amendments, updates, or revisions made thereto, and on file with the Environmental Services Department.
“Solid waste management.”
The Solid Waste Management Division of the Environmental Services Department of the City of Tacoma.
“Special permit.”
A permit issued by Solid Waste Management under TMC § 12.09.070.
“Source separated.”
The separation of different kinds of materials from the solid waste at the place where the waste originates.
“Swill.”
All accumulation of animal, fruit, or vegetable matter, liquid or otherwise, intended to be used as feed for livestock, including, but not limited to, garbage waste from food service establishments or waste from wholesale/retail food processing facilities.
T. 
12.09.030.T.
“TMC”
means Tacoma Municipal Code.
“Treated wastes.”
The collection, removal, or disposal of infectious waste or infectious waste which has been rendered noninfectious.
U. 
12.09.030.U.
V. 
12.09.030.V.
“Vector.”
A living animal, insect, or arthropod that may transmit an infectious disease from one organism to another.
W. 
12.09.030.W.
“WAC”
means Washington Administrative Code.
X. 
12.09.030.X.
Y. 
12.09.030.Y.
“Yard waste.”
Vegetation material generated as a result of normal maintenance of residential yards. These wastes include above-ground cuttings such as grass clippings, pruning cut limbs (up to 4 feet in length and 8 inches in diameter), and clean beauty bark, and food waste. Not included in yard waste are sod, dirt, rocks, and animal wastes.
“Yard waste container.”
A container provided by Solid Waste Management. Plastic and biodegradable bags are not acceptable yard waste containers. For additional information, see Section 12.09.060.
Z. 
12.09.030.Z.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 25583 § 1, 1994-10-11; Ord. 26072 § 2, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26176 § 1, 1997-12-16; Ord. 26339 § 1, 1998-12-08; Ord. 26728 § 2, 2000-11-07; Ord. 26887 § 1, 2001-12-04; Ord. 27138 § 2, 2003-09-09; Ord. 27286 § 1, 2004-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 2, 2006-10-24; Ord. 27555 § 1, 2006-12-05; Ord. 28059 Ex. A, 2012-03-27; Ord. 28093 Ex. F, 2012-10-16; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28393 Ex. A, 2016-11-22; Ord. 28499 Ex. A, 2018-04-10; Subst. Ord. 28986 Ex. H, 2024-11-19)
A. 
It shall be the customer’s responsibility to ensure that, prior to the arrival of the collection vehicle on the scheduled collection day, containers are placed curbside, or where a curb is not present, at streetside or alley, or such other location as may be designated or approved by Solid Waste Management. Solid Waste Management personnel shall not be required to negotiate steep ramps, stairs, or hazards, or to remove containers from wells or storage bins in the performance of their duties. Such location shall be easily accessible for collection. All containers must face in the proper direction with the lids completely closed with unobstructed access for collection. It shall be the responsibility of each customer to remove the container from street-side or alley on the same day as collection.
B. 
Carry service on the customer’s premises may be approved by Solid Waste Management on a case-by-case basis for customers who establish that it is impractical or infeasible to place containers in a location directly accessible to collection trucks from the street or alley and that access is available on the customer’s premises. The carry service distance shall not exceed 100 feet unless approved by Solid Waste Management. Carry service charges will apply to all carry service regardless of whether such service is approved in advance of service. Carry service customers are responsible for maintaining an accessible, unobstructed, paved pathway on ground level of the customer’s premises with acceptable grades and ramps to allow for carry service to be provided. For carry service, the customer must control the customer premises or acquire and maintain right of access for the carry service to be provided by Solid Waste Management personnel.
C. 
Solid Waste Management shall not be responsible for solid waste collection if there is a violation of any part of this section or circumstances are beyond the control of the Solid Waste Management. Circumstances or violations include, but are not limited to, container overload, improperly loaded container, blocked access, container inaccessibility, or dangerous situations.
D. 
Any waste exceeding the rated capacity of the container shall be subject to an extra charge at applicable rates established herein. Overloading containers in a manner which is likely to: (i) cause damage to the collection vehicle or container; (ii) create a litter condition; or (iii) impede collection is prohibited.
E. 
Solid Waste Management may collect extra solid waste on or around automated containers. If additional solid waste is generated on the premises that cannot be accommodated by regularly scheduled service in the automated containers provided, the customer shall request and use additional automated containers or be subject to additional charges as set forth in this chapter. “Extra refuse” is any material placed for collection in addition to the regular collection service, which is within acceptable weight limits, is able to be reasonably handled by one person, and is placed within a five-foot radius of the container.
F. 
Automated collection within the City is mandatory in those areas designated by Solid Waste Management.
G. 
Any manure, offal, or other noxious material that, in the discretion of Solid Waste Management, has not been securely wrapped shall not be collected.
H. 
It shall be a violation hereof to place or deposit any solid waste whatsoever in or around a solid waste container owned or provided for the use of another customer without that customer’s approval.
I. 
Solid Waste Management shall reserve the right to inspect any or all solid waste prior to and/or during disposal for compliance with local, state, or federal laws or regulations.
J. 
No person shall construct or allow the construction of a public or private well, as defined in WAC 173-160, between Center Street, Tyler Street, and South 56th Street and Leach Creek, except as allowed by WAC 173-160 and RCW 18.104.
K. 
Solid waste placed or deposited in the manner other than described in Section C or E above shall be considered improper disposal of solid waste. In such instances of improper disposal of solid waste, Solid Waste Management shall notify the property owner and/or current utility customer and request them to correct the condition within 48 hours by legally disposing of such waste. If the condition is not corrected after 48 hours, Solid Waste Management shall dispose of the solid waste and charge the property owner and/or current utility customer at the rate of $100.00 per hour for such disposal, with a minimum fee of $100.00.
L. 
It shall be the property owner’s responsibility to assure that rights-of-way are unobstructed by overgrown vegetation that hinders the operation of the collection vehicle. Solid Waste Management shall notify the property owner, in writing, to remove the obstruction within 14 days. If notification or arrangements have not been made, Solid Waste Management shall remove any obstruction and charge the property owner for the actual cost of the removal. This cost will be billed to the property owner.
M. 
Solid Waste Management, or the City’s contractor, may enter property to collect, remove, and dispose of solid waste and assess costs for such collection, removal, and disposal in accordance with the nuisance abatement process set forth in TMC § 8.30.110B. Any unpaid collection, removal, and disposal costs incurred by Solid Waste Management, under this subsection, may be collected in any lawful manner authorized for the collection of utility bills.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 25583 § 2, 1994-10-11; Ord. 26072 § 3, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26176 § 2, 1997-12-16; Ord. 26339 § 2, 1998-12-08; Ord. 26728 § 3, 2000-11-07; Ord. 26887 § 2, 2001-12-04; Ord. 27286 § 2, 2004-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 3, 2006-10-24; Ord. 27555 § 2, 2006-12-05; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09; Ord. 28499 Ex. A, 2018-04-10)
A. 
It shall be a misdemeanor for any person other than Solid Waste Management to transport solid waste generated within the City to destinations outside the City without the written approval of the Director. Solid waste transported within the City shall be tarped and secured as necessary to prevent a nuisance and/or littering. Transportation of solid waste shall comply with all ordinances of the City and all laws of the state of Washington, including but not limited to those set forth in Chapter 70.93 RCW, the Waste Reduction, Recycling, and Model Litter Control Act. The operator of a vehicle transporting solid waste to the public disposal area shall secure or cover the vehicle’s waste in a manner that will prevent solid waste from spilling out of the vehicle. Vehicles may be exempt from this requirement if it is unlikely that waste will spill from the vehicle during transportation. In the absence of an exemption, a fee, in addition to other landfill charges, may be assessed for vehicles arriving at the public disposal area without an adequate cover on the vehicle’s waste or without the waste secured. The fee collected under this provision shall be $5.00 per occurrence and will be considered a part of the disposal fee.
B. 
A vehicle transporting sand, dirt, and gravel in compliance with the provisions of RCW 46.61.655 shall not be required to secure or cover a load pursuant to this section.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 25583 § 3, 1994-10-11; Ord. 26072 § 4, 1997-05-27; Ord. 25583 § 3, 1994-10-11; Ord. 26728 § 4, 2000-11-07; Ord. 26887 § 3, 2001-12-04; Ord. 27537 § 4, 2006-10-24; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12)
A. 
Residential customers that receive solid waste collection services may request up to two 90-gallon yard waste containers from Solid Waste Management at no charge. Residential customers may request additional 90-gallon yard waste containers at an additional monthly rate as set forth in the Residential Barrels Rate Tables.
B. 
The 30-, 45-, 60-, 90-, and 300-gallon automated and semi-automated collection containers are the property of the City of Tacoma and provided exclusively by Solid Waste Management. These containers shall be used only for the collection and disposal of solid wastes by Solid Waste Management. The 30-, 45-, 60-, and 90-gallon automated and semi-automated collection containers, including contents, shall not exceed its rated capacity at the time of collection.
C. 
Bulk solid waste collection containers, i.e., front-load container, drop-off box, and compactor, may be used only upon prior approval of Solid Waste Management. Solid Waste Management reserves the right to refuse solid waste collection service if, in the opinion of Solid Waste Management, the access to or the dumping of these containers presents a hazard.
D. 
Customers may request one container or service change, per premise, per year. Additional requests for changes will be billed in addition to the monthly rate, as set forth in Section 12.09.110.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 5, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26176 § 3, 1997-12-16; Ord. 26339 § 3, 1998-12-08; Ord. 26527 § 1, 1999-11-16; Ord. 26728 § 5, 2000-11-07; Ord. 26831 § 1, 2001-07-17; Ord. 26887 § 4, 2001-12-04; Ord. 27286 § 3, 2004-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 5, 2006-10-24; Ord. 27555 § 3, 2006-12-05; Ord. 28000 Ex. A, 2011-06-28; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09)
A. 
A special permit from the Environmental Services Department shall be required for the collection, removal, processing, and disposal of solid and infectious waste, including recyclable materials from within the City limits, by anyone other than City personnel or by anything other than City equipment. Such collection, removal, processing, or disposal without a special permit is a violation of this chapter. The Director is authorized to approve or disapprove applications for special permits. The Director may prepare and require the use of such forms as deemed essential for administering the requirements of this section. Permittees shall comply with applicable state laws and City ordinances, and obtain all applicable City permits including, but not limited to, barricade permits.
1. 
Exemptions may be granted for small quantity generators at the discretion of the Director.
2. 
Failure to comply with the terms of a special permit issued under this section shall be considered a violation of this chapter, and subject the permittee to civil penalties under TMC § 12.09.240, and revocation of their special permit.
B. 
A person denied a special permit or aggrieved by the issuance or revocation of a special permit may appeal the decision to the City’s Hearing Examiner in accordance with TMC § 12.09.250.
C. 
The Solid Waste Management Division may conduct audits and inspections to ensure compliance with this section and with the terms of a special permit. Inspections will be during normal working hours and will be carried out in such a manner as to minimize disruption of the businesses’ activities. The Solid Waste Management Division may audit reports required in this section and request additional documentation to verify their accuracy. Failure of a business to comply with a request for inspection or additional documentation will be deemed a violation and may, at the discretion of the Director, result in revocation of solid waste disposal privileges at the City’s public disposal area.
D. 
A special permit may be revoked by the Director, without prior notice, if the permittee fails to comply with this chapter or the terms and conditions of the special permit, including, but not limited to, annual reporting and inspection requirements. A special permit may be issued for a maximum duration of one year, and is renewable at the Director’s discretion, subject to the permittee complying with the terms of their special permit and this chapter. The Director may issue special permits for the following reasons:
1. 
For collecting and transporting recyclable materials from a recycling drop-off box, or from a commercial or industrial generator of recyclable materials to a processor of recyclable materials or end user of recyclable materials, or for the receipt and processing of recyclable materials. Recyclable materials loads shall not contain more than 10 percent non-recyclable materials by volume. Loads that exceed more than 10 percent of non-recyclable materials by volume shall be delivered to the City’s public disposal area for management and disposal, unless Solid Waste Management authorizes disposal outside of Tacoma. The Director shall have the sole authority and discretion to determine when this requirement is met. However, exceptions to this requirement may be made if the applicant can demonstrate that the proposed activity is in the best interests of the City for meeting the recycling goals set forth in the Tacoma-Pierce County Solid Waste Management Plan. The granting of a permit for this activity shall in no way be construed to mean that the permit allows the permittee to haul solid wastes within the City in violation of TMC § 12.09.020.
2. 
For the separation, use or sale of swill; provided said material is transported outside the City limits.
3. 
To provide temporary drop-off box container service to specific Solid Waste Management customers in the event Solid Waste Management temporarily cannot provide the service.
4. 
For the collection, removal, and disposal of infectious waste as more specifically described in TMC Chapter 5.04. The permit shall not be effective and shall be deemed revoked if the permittee does not obtain permits required under TMC Chapter 5.04, and/or permits or approvals required by any other applicable federal, state, or local law or regulation. The collection, removal, or disposal of infectious waste or infectious waste which has been rendered noninfectious (hereinafter called “treated waste”) in violation of any applicable law or regulation of the federal, state, county, or City government, or any other governmental entity having jurisdiction, shall be grounds for immediate revocation of any permit issued hereunder, even if such violation occurs outside the corporate limits of the City’s condition of the special permit.
Any permittee, as a condition of the special permit, will be required to provide all information requested by the City pertaining to the manner in which all aspects of the collection, removal, and disposal of infectious waste or treated waste are being carried out by the permittee.
5. 
For the collection, removal, and disposal of any solid waste that is unacceptable for disposal in the City’s public disposal area.
6. 
For the collection, removal, and disposal of any solid waste when the City determines that it is in the City’s best interest for a non-City entity or person to collect, remove, or dispose of such waste. A permit of this nature may be issued to authorize one-time solid waste hauling services. For each service the permittee shall report the date of service, the origin of the material, the volume of material, and the disposal location(s).
7. 
For a person or organization to haul solid waste generated as a result of activity at its premises under circumstances that render mandatory service infeasible or impracticable; provided, that the following conditions are met:
a. 
The person or organization is not in the solid waste hauling business, and owns or leases the vehicle hauling the solid waste;
b. 
The operator of the vehicle is an employee of the organization generating the waste. Contracting out, and/or hiring others for disposal services is a violation of TMC § 12.09.020 and shall not be allowed; and
c. 
The waste, if acceptable, shall be disposed of at the City’s public disposal area.
E. 
Any special permit issued under TMC § 12.09.070D.1 shall require the permit holder to submit an annual recycling report to the Solid Waste Management Division Manager. This report must include material tonnages handled by the permittee, the final disposal and/or processing locations of the material, and the amount transported to each disposal/processing location. The report must contain sufficient information to calculate a Recycling Rate, based on the percentage of the total material handled by the permittee that was recycled during the prior calendar year. Failure to provide this annual recycling report shall result in automatic cancellation of the permit. The Recycling Rate will be rounded to the nearest whole number and calculated as follows:
Recycling Rate (%) = (Recycled Material Weight ÷ Total Material Weight) x 100
The Recycling Rate will be used to calculate any applicable recycling tax deduction allowed under TMC Section 6A.50.060.
1. 
Special permits issued under any activities other than TMC § 12.09.070D.1 may also require the permit holder to submit an annual recycling report at the discretion of the Director. An annual recycling report may be submitted by any permit holder in order to be eligible for any applicable recycling tax deduction allowed under TMC Section 6A.50.060.
2. 
Alternative daily cover (ADC), as permitted for use at the destination landfill, that is hauled prior to January 1, 2027, may be reported as up to fifty percent recycling by weight in the permitted hauler’s annual recycling report. ADC hauled on or after January 1, 2027, shall be reported as zero percent recycling by weight in the permitted hauler’s annual recycling report.
3. 
Any permittee submitting an annual recycling report shall do so upon application for or renewal of a special permit and shall pay a permit reporting fee of $150.
4. 
First-time applicants that do not have sufficient data from the previous calendar year may submit a reasonable estimated Recycling Rate with their initial special permit application. This estimated Recycling Rate is subject to audit and verification by Solid Waste Management Division and may be revised by Solid Waste Management Division based on newly available data or inspection findings.
5. 
Permittees that increase recycling by installing new equipment or implementing a process change may submit an amendment to their annual recycling report demonstrating an increased rate of recycling since the beginning of the current year. An amendment to a recycling report must be submitted in writing to Solid Waste Management Division before November 1 of each year in order to be considered for any adjustment to the permittee’s Recycling Rate for that year.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 6, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26176 § 4, 1997-12-16; Ord. 26339 § 4, 1998-12-08; Ord. 26728 § 6, 2000-11-07; Ord. 26887 § 5, 2001-12-04; Ord. 27004 § 1, 2002-11-19; Ord. 27286 § 4, 2004-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 6, 2006-10-24; Ord. 28093 Ex. F, 2012-10-16; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09; Ord. 29010 Ex. A, 2024-12-17)
Elderly and/or disabled residents who cannot place their containers and have no other alternative for complying with the requirements of this chapter may notify Solid Waste Management for assistance in providing special collection service to such individuals.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 7, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26728 § 7, 2000-11-07)
Residential customers who qualify as low income senior or low income disabled under TMC § 12.06.165 B shall be eligible for a 35 percent reduction from their regular solid waste charges. The determination of low income senior and low income disabled status shall be made as set forth in TMC § 12.06.165 B. Individuals must submit an application documenting such determination for review and acceptance by the Director to qualify for this reduction. . The effective date for the rate reduction shall be the first day of the billing period in which the Director’s acceptance is granted.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 8, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26728 § 8, 2000-11-07; Ord. 27004 § 2, 2002-11-19; Ord. 27286 § 5, 2004-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 7, 2006-10-24; Ord. 27555 § 4, 2006-12-05; Ord. 27969 Ex. A, 2011-02-01; Ord. 28703 Ex. A, 2020-11-24)
Where a single person or entity owns or controls a combination of multi-family dwelling units and dwelling units that are duplexes or single-family residences, all of which are located on contiguous properties and for which the person or entity pays for solid waste services, the person or entity may request the Director to have all dwelling units located on the contiguous properties treated as commercial or residential for the purposes of this chapter. A person or entity requesting the Director to designate properties as commercial or residential under this section must make a written request for an evaluation of their existing solid waste services to determine if they are eligible for reclassification to the commercial rate schedule or the residential rate schedule. This request shall be submitted to the Director and must include current account information (account number(s), requested service levels for garbage, recycling, and yard waste, and the proposed pick-up location for the service(s)).
A. 
The Director may designate the requested properties as either commercial or residential provided:
1. 
Only one account will be used for the service, and one person or entity will be responsible for the account and payment (“responsible customer”).
2. 
The dwelling units are located on contiguous properties owned by or under the control of the responsible customer.
3. 
The Director determines that designating all requested properties as either residential or commercial will result in more efficient or safer collection or align the services with the environmental goals of the City.
B. 
If the Director approves of the request to provide residential services to all contiguous properties, the Director will determine how residential solid waste services will be delivered. The Director may designate any combination of shared or individual containers for garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection.
1. 
If a shared service (300 gallon barrel or Front Load Box) is provided for garbage, the responsible customer will be billed for individual container costs specified in TMC § 12.09.110A.1 commensurate with the size of the Container (300 gallon barrel or Front Load Box) and number of units.
2. 
If individual garbage containers are provided, the responsible customer will be billed using the applicable Residential Barrel rates specified in TMC § 12.09.110A.1.
3. 
All service charges and requirements of this chapter pertaining to residential services shall apply.
4. 
The residents in each unit approved for residential services will be designated as City of Tacoma residential Solid Waste Customers and be eligible for residential services as described in Sections 12.09.110, 12.09.130, and 12.09.140.
C. 
The decision to approve or deny a request under this section and the determination of how to deliver solid waste services is solely within the Director’s discretion, and the Director’s decision is final.
(Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09)
A. 
A disposal rate reduction of 50 percent may be granted to qualified firms, upon application to and approval by the Director.
B. 
In order to qualify, an organization must comply with all of the following conditions:
1. 
Proof that the IRS recognizes the organization as one which is nonprofit and charitable;
2. 
Current articles of incorporation filed with the Washington Secretary of State showing that the primary charitable purpose of the organization is to provide aid to the poor and infirm;
3. 
A description of the organization’s business operations showing that the organization’s primary form of doing business is processing donated and abandoned goods for resale or reuse;
4. 
A description of recycling efforts undertaken to reduce the amount of unsalvageable material destined for disposal; and
5. 
A verification that all waste for which rate relief is sought is generated solely within the City and is from the organization’s processing of abandoned or donated goods for resale or reuse. This verification may be requested by Solid Waste Management on a yearly basis. If verification is not provided within 30 days of a written request, the rate reduction will be revoked until such time as a valid verification is received.
C. 
The Director may require additional documentation if the Director has concerns as to the organization’s tax status, primary charitable purpose, or primary form of doing business.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 9, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26176 § 5, 1997-12-16; Ord. 26339 § 5, 1998-12-08; Ord. 27286 § 6, 2004-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 8, 2006-10-24)
Except as set forth in TMC § 12.09.105, Solid Waste Management shall provide for the collection and disposal of all solid waste from all occupied residential premises within the City once every two weeks, and from all other occupied premises as often as required by Solid Waste Management. Solid Waste Management reserves the right to establish the appropriate level of service.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 10, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26728 § 9, 2000-11-07; Ord. 28000 Ex. A, 2011-06-28; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09)
The Director may alter the frequency of residential solid waste collection required under TMC § 12.09.100 from time to time, in certain areas of the City, as part of a pilot project to evaluate more efficient and sustainable solid waste collection services.
(Ord. 28000 Ex. A, 2011-06-28; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 29088, 2025-12-16)
A. 
Minimum Monthly Service.
 
Effective Years
2025
2026
Once every other week pick-up 30-gallon (supplied by City)
$28.35
$30.03
1. 
Collection personnel shall not be required to negotiate steep ramps or stairs or remove 30-, 45-, 60-, and 90-gallon containers from storage bins in the performance of their duties. Where 30-, 45-, 60-, and 90-gallon residential containers are accessible on ground level in the location designated by Solid Waste Management on the street or alley, within five feet of the curb, street, or alley where a Solid Waste Management collection vehicle can stop legally for collection and loading, the rate shall be:
2025 RATES EVERY OTHER WEEK PICKUP
RESIDENTIAL BARRELS
Residential Category
Monthly Rate
Additional Charge for Overload
Each Reload
Each additional yard waste container (after initial two)
Regular Service
30 gallon
$28.35
$10.00
$18.50
$3.00
45 gallon
$42.48
$10.00
$18.50
$3.00
60 gallon
$56.63
$10.00
$18.50
$3.00
90 gallon
$84.95
$10.00
$18.50
$3.00
2-60 gallon
$113.26
$10.00
$18.50
$3.00
60 + 90 gallon
$141.58
$10.00
$18.50
$3.00
2-90 gallon
$169.90
$10.00
$18.50
$3.00
2026 RATES EVERY OTHER WEEK PICKUP
RESIDENTIAL BARRELS
Residential Category
Monthly Rate
Additional Charge for Overload
Each Reload
Each additional yard waste container (after initial two)
Regular Service
30 gallon
$30.03
$10.00
$19.50
$3.00
45 gallon
$44.99
$10.00
$19.50
$3.00
60 gallon
$59.98
$10.00
$19.50
$3.00
90 gallon
$89.97
$10.00
$19.50
$3.00
2-60 gallon
$119.96
$10.00
$19.50
$3.00
60 + 90 gallon
$149.95
$10.00
$19.50
$3.00
2-90 gallon
$179.94
$10.00
$19.50
$3.00
2. 
Where residential containers and extra containers are accessible on ground level, but farther than five feet from the curb, street, or alley where a Solid Waste Management collection vehicle can stop legally for collection and loading, the following additional carry service charges, measured along the route taken for collection, shall apply to each container:
 
Garbage
Recycle & Yard Waste
Over 5 feet to 25 feet
$4.45 per month
$4.45 per month
Each additional 25 feet or portion thereof
$5.55 per month
$5.55 per month
Carry distances shall be measured along the route necessarily taken for collection.
The above rates apply to each and every can or container collected and loaded from a specific premises
3. 
An additional charge of $5.55 per garbage, recycle, and yard waste container per month shall be added when containers are not reasonably accessible, regardless of carrying distance.
4. 
Residential 300-gallon containers shall initially be placed in position by Solid Waste Management to facilitate the collection operation. Once so placed into service, the containers shall not be removed or relocated by the customer. Each customer sharing a 300-gallon container shall pay a rate commensurate with the services received as determined by Solid Waste Management.
5. 
There will be no charge for initial delivery or change of containers supplied by Solid Waste Management for new customers. In addition, there will be no charge for delivery or change of containers for existing customers once per premise, per year. Additional deliveries of containers and changes in service due to customer request after the first delivery or change in any calendar year to a premise will be billed at $30.00 per delivery. Replacement of containers damaged by the normal collection process are not subject to the $30.00 container delivery or exchange fee.
6. 
a. 
A surcharge of $2.32 per residential account per month shall be added to offset system program cost increases for processing and shipping for recyclable materials resulting from market conditions.
b. 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Code Reviser’s note: TMC § 12.09.110A.6.b (recycling education programming) sunset and was removed 2023-12-31, per Ord. 28623.
B. 
If a residential automated collection container is not in place by 7:00 a.m. or is otherwise inaccessible the day of the regularly scheduled pickup and the customer requests that the collection vehicle return to the premises to collect the contents of the container, a return trip charge of $18.50 in 2025 or $19.50 in 2026 may be assessed to the customer. Such charge shall be applied on a per-trip basis without consideration of the size or number of containers collected from the customer. For each additional nonscheduled pickup requested by the customer, a return fee of $18.50 in 2025 or $19.50 in 2026 plus additional container fee may be assessed.
C. 
Any residential customer in possession of any City-owned container shall pay the cost of repair or replacement of any damaged container, if it is the determination of Solid Waste Management that such damage is the result of the negligence or abuse by the customer. The charge shall be the actual cost of repair or replacement as determined by the City and shall be added to the customer’s utility bill.
D. 
No dwelling unit of a multi-family dwelling (triplex or larger) may receive individual residential solid waste service unless the subject unit is directly billed by the City for payment of all other public utilities servicing that unit, including electricity, water, surface water, and wastewater.
E. 
Upon approval by Solid Waste Management, residential collection service may be stopped during temporary vacancy of the premises no more than twice per calendar year. Service shall not be discontinued for a period of less than two weeks. A charge of $15.00 shall be added to the utility bill for each approved temporary stop-service order. Service shall resume no later than the date specified by the customer in the stop order. An alternative mailing address must be provided if requested by Solid Waste Management.
F. 
Use of an enclosure built for a container is subject to prior approval by Solid Waste Management and may be revoked upon inspection if not built as per originally approved.
G. 
Recycling or yard waste containers contaminated with garbage may be dumped as solid waste. When they are, the customer will be charged the “Each Additional Reload” fee identified in the rate table for that class and frequency of service. Recycling containers that are repeatedly contaminated with garbage may be removed at the discretion of Solid Waste Management. A $30.00 service charge will be assessed for redelivery of each container.
H. 
Overload charges may be charged when the condition of the container meets the definition of “Overloaded” in TMC § 12.09.030. Extra bags of garbage will be charged the “Applicable Charge for Overload.” If the overload condition, or number of extra bags requires the driver to reload and re-dump the container, the customer will be charged the “Each Reload” fee identified in the rate table for that class and frequency of service.
I. 
City of Tacoma solid waste ratepayers living in a single-family home or duplex may request two “Call-2 Haul” service appointments per year. No more than three large items, consisting of appliances, furniture, or items of a similar size and weight, and 15 bags or boxes of unusable household items will be picked up by Solid Waste Management at each Call-2 Haul service appointment. No additional charge to the ratepayer will be made for this service. A charge of $10.00 may be assessed for late cancellations or if items are not set out by 7:00 a.m. on the scheduled date.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 25404 § 1, 1993-11-30; Ord. 25583 § 4, 1994-10-11; Ord. 25842 § 1, 1996-02-06; Ord. 26072 § 11, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26176 § 6, 1997-12-16; Ord. 26339 § 6, 1998-12-08; Ord. 26527 § 2, 1999-11-16; Ord. 26728 § 10, 2000-11-07; Ord. 26831 § 2, 2001-07-17; Ord. 26887 § 6, 2001-12-04; Ord. 27004 § 3, 2002-11-19; Ord. 27138 § 3, 2003-09-09; Ord. 27286 § 7, 2004-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 9, 2006-10-24; Ord. 27555 § 5, 2006-12-05; Ord. 27662 Ex. A, 2007-12-04; Ord. 27766 Ex. A, 2008-12-09; Ord. 27969 Ex. A, 2011-02-01; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09; Ord. 28393 Ex. A, 2016-11-22; Ord. 28499 Ex. A, 2018-04-10; Ord. 28548 Ex. A, 2018-11-20; Ord. 28623 Ex. A, 2019-10-29; Ord. 28703 Ex. A, 2020-11-24; Ord. 28849 Ex. A, 2022-11-22; Ord. 28998 Ex. A, 2024-12-03)
Solid Waste Management reserves the right to establish the appropriate level of service. No single unit of a multibusiness complex or building may receive individual container service of less than one cubic yard in capacity unless the subject unit is directly billed by the City for payment of all other public utilities servicing that unit, including electricity, water, surface water, and wastewater. Minimum monthly service for City-owned containers shall be one pickup per week, per month, per container, with the exception of drop-off boxes and compactors. Commercial rates for collection of solid waste shall be as follows:
A. 
Commercial Barrels.
 
Effective Years
2025
2026
Minimum Monthly Service (20-Gallon):
$38.52
$41.61
2025 RATES
COMMERCIAL BARRELS
Commercial Category
Monthly Container Rent*
Monthly Rate (times pickups per week)
Each Additional Pickup
Overload Charge
Regular Service
20 gallon
na
$38.52
$18.50
$10.00
30 gallon
na
$50.47
$18.50
$10.00
60 gallon
na
$62.79
$18.50
$10.00
90 gallon
na
$83.52
$18.50
$10.00
300 gallon
$4.41
$166.05
$38.35
$25.00
2025 RATES
COMMERCIAL BARRELS
Commercial Category
Daily Container Rent*
Each Haul Container
Placement Fee
Overload Charge
Temporary Service
20 gallon
na
$15.00
na
$10.00
30 gallon
na
$15.00
na
$10.00
60 gallon
na
$15.00
na
$10.00
90 gallon
na
$15.00
na
$10.00
300 gallon
$1.00
$38.35
$15.00
$25.00
* Excluding Washington State Sales Tax
2026 RATES
COMMERCIAL BARRELS
Commercial Category
Monthly Container Rent*
Monthly Rate (times pickups per week)
Each Additional Pickup
Overload Charge
Regular Service
20 gallon
na
$41.61
$19.50
$10.00
30 gallon
na
$54.51
$19.50
$10.00
60 gallon
na
$66.25
$19.50
$10.00
90 gallon
na
$85.20
$19.50
$10.00
300 gallon
$4.41
$166.05
$38.35
$25.00
2026 RATES
COMMERCIAL BARRELS
Commercial Category
Daily Container Rent*
Each Haul Container
Placement Fee
Overload Charge
Temporary Service
20 gallon
na
$15.00
na
$10.00
30 gallon
na
$15.00
na
$10.00
60 gallon
na
$15.00
na
$10.00
90 gallon
na
$15.00
na
$10.00
300 gallon
$1.00
$38.35
$15.00
$25.00
* Excluding Washington State Sales Tax
B. 
If a commercial 20-, 30-, 60-, 90-, or 300-gallon container is not in place or is otherwise inaccessible at the time the collection vehicle arrives for regularly scheduled pickup and it is necessary for the collection vehicle to return to the premises at a later time to collect and load the contents of the container, a return trip charge of $18.50 in 2025 or $19.50 in 2026 may be assessed to the customer. Regularly scheduled pickups will begin at 6:00 a.m. Such charge shall be applied on a per-trip basis, without consideration for the size or number of containers collected from the customer. For each additional nonscheduled pickup requested by the customer, a return fee of $18.50 in 2025 or $19.50 in 2026 plus additional container fee may be assessed.
C. 
An additional $10.00 charge per haul for 300-gallon container for same day service.
D. 
Commercial container rates for noncompacted solid waste shall consist of a minimum monthly charge, which includes all scheduled weekly pickups within any given month. Additional pickups shall be at the request of the customer and shall be subject to the applicable service charge.
E. 
Collection personnel shall not be required to negotiate steep ramps or stairs or remove 20-, 30-, 60-, and 90-gallon containers from storage bins in the performance of their duties. Where 20-, 30-, 60-, and 90-gallon containers are accessible on ground level not in the location designated by Solid Waste Management, the following carry service charge shall apply to each container:
Over 5 feet to 25 feet
$8.90 per month
Each additional 25 feet or portion thereof
$11.10 per month
F. 
The following carry service charge shall apply per pick-up for each 300 gallon container (barrel).
Each 300-gallon container
$27.00 per pick-up
G. 
Commercial bulk noncompacted container rates.
1. 
City-owned, drop-off box – minimum charge of $200.00 per month in addition to rent, if not hauled, provided, this charge will not be assessed to boxes used for the purposes of recycling.
2. 
City-owned, front-load container used on a temporary basis will be charged $50.00 per month in addition to rent, if not hauled.
3. 
City-owned 20-, 30-, 60-, 90-, or 300-gallon container used on a temporary basis will be charged the 20-gallon commercial barrel monthly rate if not hauled.
4. 
Customer-owned container – minimum charge, if not hauled, will be the 20-gallon commercial barrel monthly rate.
5. 
An additional $200.00 charge per haul for drop-off box for same day service.
6. 
An additional rental charge of $9.00 per month or $0.30 per day will be made for any container requiring a cover or extra-strength construction.
7. 
An additional $25.00 charge per haul for front-load container for same day service.
8. 
The following carry service charge shall apply per pick-up for each front-load container (two- to four-cubic yard with casters).
Each front-load container
$27.00 per pick-up
9. 
An additional $50.00 charge for each container relocation without a haul (dump).
10. 
An additional $50.00 return charge will be billed to customers who have a scheduled haul for their compactor or DOB and the container was not made accessible for hauling when Solid Waste staff arrived.
11. 
An additional $25.00 return charge will be billed to customers who have a scheduled haul for their front-load container and the container was not made accessible for hauling when Solid Waste staff arrived.
12. 
An additional $10.00 may be charged for containers or compactors that require double-picking.
2025 RATES
FRONT LOAD CONTAINERS
Commercial Category
Monthly Container Rent*
Monthly Rate (times pickups per week)
Each Additional Pickup
Overload Charge
Regular Service
2 Cubic yard
$9.10
$246.75
$56.94
$25.00
3 Cubic yard
$10.38
$312.03
$72.01
$30.00
4 Cubic yard
$12.37
$378.72
$87.40
$35.00
6 Cubic yard
$16.14
$509.87
$117.66
$40.00
8 Cubic yard
$17.82
$643.26
$148.44
$45.00
2025 RATES
FRONT LOAD CONTAINERS
Commercial Category
Daily Container Rent*
Each Haul Container
Placement Fee
Overload Charge
Temporary Service
2 Cubic yard
$1.00
$56.94
$15.00
$25.00
3 Cubic yard
$1.00
$72.01
$15.00
$30.00
4 Cubic yard
$1.00
$87.40
$15.00
$35.00
6 Cubic yard
$1.00
$117.66
$15.00
$40.00
8 Cubic yard
$1.00
$148.44
$15.00
$45.00
* Excluding Washington State Sales Tax
2026 RATES
FRONT LOAD CONTAINERS
Commercial Category
Monthly Container Rent*
Monthly Rate (times pickups per week)
Each Additional Pickup
Overload Charge
Regular Service
2 Cubic yard
$9.61
$254.16
$58.65
$25.00
3 Cubic yard
$10.96
$321.40
$74.17
$30.00
4 Cubic yard
$13.06
$390.09
$90.02
$35.00
6 Cubic yard
$17.03
$525.17
$121.19
$40.00
8 Cubic yard
$18.81
$662.56
$152.90
$45.00
2026 RATES
FRONT LOAD CONTAINERS
Commercial Category
Daily Container Rent*
Each Haul Container
Placement Fee
Overload Charge
Temporary Service
2 Cubic yard
$1.00
$58.65
$15.00
$25.00
3 Cubic yard
$1.00
$74.17
$15.00
$30.00
4 Cubic yard
$1.00
$90.02
$15.00
$35.00
6 Cubic yard
$1.00
$121.19
$15.00
$40.00
8 Cubic yard
$1.00
$152.90
$15.00
$45.00
* Excluding Washington State Sales Tax
2025 RATES
DROP OFF BOX
Commercial Category
Monthly Container Rent*
Each Haul per Container
Regular Service
15 Cubic Yard
$44.65
$674.06
20 Cubic Yard
$48.73
$770.60
25 Cubic Yard
$49.64
$878.91
30 Cubic Yard
$52.86
$996.33
40 Cubic Yard
$59.86
$1,222.33
2025 RATES
DROP OFF BOX
Daily Container Rent*
Each Haul per Container
Placement Fee
Temporary Service
15 Cubic Yard
$1.50
$674.06
$50.00
20 Cubic Yard
$1.50
$770.60
$50.00
25 Cubic Yard
$1.50
$878.91
$50.00
30 Cubic Yard
$1.50
$996.33
$50.00
40 Cubic Yard
$1.50
$1,222.33
$50.00
* Excluding Washington State Sales Tax
2026 RATES
DROP OFF BOX
Commercial Category
Monthly Container Rent*
Each Haul per Container
Regular Service
15 Cubic Yard
$46.44
$694.29
20 Cubic Yard
$50.68
$793.72
25 Cubic Yard
$51.63
$905.28
30 Cubic Yard
$54.98
$1,026.22
40 Cubic Yard
$62.26
$1,259.00
2026 RATES
DROP OFF BOX
 
Daily Container Rent*
Each Haul per Container
Placement Fee
Temporary Service
15 Cubic Yard
$1.50
$694.29
$50.00
20 Cubic Yard
$1.50
$793.72
$50.00
25 Cubic Yard
$1.50
$905.28
$50.00
30 Cubic Yard
$1.50
$1,026.22
$50.00
40 Cubic Yard
$1.50
$1,259.00
$50.00
* Excluding Washington State Sales Tax
13. 
When the weight of the contents of a noncompacted drop-off box exceeds the applicable maximum weight for a truck to safely handle the load, the customer will be charged the commercial disposal tip fee rate for each ton and/or portion of a ton by which the contents exceed the maximum weight of 10 tons.
14. 
Uncontained loads that are determined to be “Dusty Loads” by Solid Waste Management are subject to rejection or assessment of additional processing fees.
15. 
Solid Waste Management reserves the right to collect advance payment for container placement and up to four months of charges for rental and service charges associated with the provision of temporary service. The City Treasurer may accept satisfactory securities or surety bond in lieu of cash payment. Such payment or security may be applied toward the payment of service charges whenever the same shall become due. Solid Waste Management reserves the right to require additional advance payment for subsequent service that may be requested by the customer.
H. 
Commercial compactor container rates. Commercial rates for collection and disposal of solid waste from customer-owned compactor containers shall be as follows:
1. 
Customer-owned containers will be charged the 20-gallon commercial barrel rate if no other solid waste service is provided by Solid Waste Management at the location during the month.
2025 RATES
FRONT LOAD COMPACTOR CONTAINER
Commercial Category
Each Container Each Pickup
Regular Service
2 Cubic Yard
$125.09
3 Cubic Yard
$260.67
4 Cubic Yard
$338.52
5 Cubic Yard
$417.00
2026 RATES
FRONT LOAD COMPACTOR CONTAINER
Commercial Category
Each Container Each Pickup
Regular Service
2 Cubic Yard
$135.10
3 Cubic Yard
$281.53
4 Cubic Yard
$365.61
5 Cubic Yard
$450.36
2025 RATES
DROP OFF BOX COMPACTOR
Commercial Category
Each Container Each Pickup
Regular Service
10 Cubic Yard
$894.66
12 Cubic Yard
$1,377.88
15 Cubic Yard
$1,730.36
16 Cubic Yard
$1,811.51
17 Cubic Yard
$1,906.97
18 Cubic Yard
$1,996.58
20 Cubic Yard
$2,173.70
24 Cubic Yard
$2,532.15
25 Cubic Yard
$2,620.96
26 Cubic Yard
$2,715.16
27 Cubic Yard
$2,795.85
30 Cubic Yard
$3,072.19
33 Cubic Yard
$3,348.61
34 Cubic Yard
$3,444.35
40 Cubic Yard
$3,967.95
2026 RATES
DROP OFF BOX COMPACTOR
Commercial Category
Each Container Each Pickup
Regular Service
10 Cubic Yard
$966.24
12 Cubic Yard
$1,488.12
15 Cubic Yard
$1,868.79
16 Cubic Yard
$1,956.44
17 Cubic Yard
$2,059.53
18 Cubic Yard
$2,156.31
20 Cubic Yard
$2,347.60
24 Cubic Yard
$2,734.73
25 Cubic Yard
$2,830.64
26 Cubic Yard
$2,932.38
27 Cubic Yard
$3,019.52
30 Cubic Yard
$3,317.97
33 Cubic Yard
$3,616.50
34 Cubic Yard
$3,719.90
40 Cubic Yard
$4,285.39
2. 
The service charge for other compactor container sizes that may become available shall be determined by Solid Waste Management.
3. 
When the weight of the contents of a compacted container exceeds the applicable maximum weight for a truck to safely handle the load, the customer will be charged the commercial disposal tip fee rate for each ton and/or portion of a ton by which the contents exceed the maximum weight of 10 tons.
4. 
Uncontained loads that are determined to be “Dusty Loads” by Solid Waste Management are subject to rejection or assessment of additional processing fees.
5. 
The following carry service charge shall apply per pick-up for front load compactor (not to exceed two cubic yards).
Each front-load compactor
$27.00 per pick-up
I. 
Recyclable material collection fees. If requested, Solid Waste Management may, at its option, agree to collect recyclable materials from commercial customers at the curb or premises. The fees for this service are typically lower than garbage collection service, but are subject to fluctuations in the value or cost of the recyclable material.
The Director is delegated the authority to assign and charge a rate for the collection of recyclable material from commercial customers. The Director shall assign such a rate in accordance with the following criteria and process:
1. 
The rate shall reflect the cost of service, to the extent reasonably possible, given the constantly fluctuating value and/or costs of recyclable material.
2. 
The rate shall include cost items related to the service including, but not limited to, labor and benefits, equipment, maintenance and operations of equipment and containers, processing fees, direct and indirect overhead charges, and other related costs. In addition, revenues received from the sales or marketing of the collected recyclable material and the collection service levels shall be included with the assigned rate.
3. 
The Director may adjust the assigned rate up to four times per year.
4. 
Solid Waste Management shall notify the affected parties a minimum of 45 days prior to implementing rate changes.
Application of the assigned rate shall be through the normal billing and invoicing process. In the event a customer cancels service covered under this policy and wishes to initiate similar service within one year’s time, a $50.00 service charge may be applied to the restart of the service.
Due to potential cost savings of collecting all recyclables from an individual customer, the Director is further delegated the authority to negotiate a bundled rate with individual commercial customers for collection of all recyclable materials from that customer for an agreed period of time.
J. 
Recyclable Materials Bulk Container.
1. 
Drop-off Box Recycling Service.
Container Placement
$50.00
Haul Charge
$50.00 per haul
Mileage Charge
$5.50 per mile
Daily Rental Charge
$1.50 per day (excluding Washington State sales tax)
Disposal costs shall be the responsibility of the customer. The customer shall arrange for an account at the recycling facility for billing disposal costs directly to the customer. In the event that the customer fails to make proper arrangements for an account at the recycling facility, Solid Waste Management may add the cost of recycling or disposal of the material to the customer’s hauling charges.
If the drop-off box is not hauled by the customer within 60 days, Solid Waste Management may remove and haul the drop-off box and charge the customer applicable transportation and disposal costs.
K. 
Containers shall not be longer than 22 feet, or larger than a 25 yard self-contained compactor, or a 30 cubic yard disconnect-type compactor without the prior written approval of Solid Waste Management.
L. 
It shall be the responsibility of any customer in possession of any City-owned bulk container to pay the cost of repair to, or replacement of any such container damaged while in his or her possession. The charge shall be the actual cost of repair or replacement as determined by the City and shall be added to the customer’s utility bill.
M. 
The service charge for other container sizes that may become available will be at a rate sufficient to recover the cost of providing the service.
N. 
In addition to the charges for commercial and residential rates set forth above, when unscheduled services are requested or required, Solid Waste Management shall charge for such services as set forth in this chapter.
O. 
The siting of a compactor’s location shall be coordinated with and specifically approved by Solid Waste Management before installation. If a compactor is placed prior to Solid Waste Management’s specific approval and Solid Waste Management deems the placement unacceptable, Solid Waste Management may elect to refuse service. The customer shall relocate and bear all costs incurred for the relocation of the compactor. Such customers shall, among other things, be required to hold the City harmless from any and all liability resulting from the improper placement and/or relocation of the compactor. Siting of the compactor and construction of any compactor enclosure shall be in conformance with all applicable City and state regulations.
P. 
It is the responsibility of the owner of a customer-owned container to keep the container maintained and serviceable, including all doors, lids, fork pockets, wheels, bail hooks, bottom rails, or any part of the container needed for dumping or hauling of the container. Solid Waste Management shall not be held liable for damage to privately owned containers. Solid Waste Management is not obligated to service improperly maintained containers. Customer-owned containers must also be kept graffiti free.
Q. 
An enclosure provided for a solid waste container shall be used only for the solid waste container. If items other than a solid waste container are placed in an enclosure, Solid Waste Management shall be held harmless for any and all loss or damage to such items, whether occasioned by Solid Waste Management’s negligence or otherwise. It shall be the responsibility of the customer to keep the enclosure in an acceptable sanitary condition including the area in the vicinity of the enclosure.
R. 
If an enclosure is gated, the gates shall have the ability to be pinned in the open position. If gated, the gates shall have at least a 180-degree swing. When gates are in the open position, they shall not block or infringe on any traffic aisles.
1. 
Drop-off box enclosures shall have a minimum opening width of 12’0” and the depth must extend a minimum of 3’0” beyond the end of the container.
2. 
Front load box enclosures shall have a minimum opening width of 12’0” and a minimum depth of 10’0”. If two front load box containers are placed, the enclosure shall allow for a minimum of a three-foot clearance between enclosure and front load box, as well as a two-foot clearance between each front load box.
3. 
Automated 300-gallon container enclosures shall have a minimum opening width of 10’0” and a minimum depth of 7’0”. In addition, for two or more containers, a three-foot clearance between enclosure and barrels is required, as well as a two-foot clearance between each barrel.
4. 
All enclosures shall be designed so the solid waste collection vehicle that services the enclosed container can maneuver and safely service the container. A service charge of $10.00 for 300-gallon containers and $25.00 for front-load containers and drop-off box containers may be charged when Solid Waste Management is unable to service a commercial customer’s container on the scheduled pickup and Solid Waste Management has to make a return trip to service the container. This charge may be applied if the container access is blocked, the gates to the enclosure are not in the open position, or Solid Waste Management is, for any reason, unable to service the container.
S. 
Construction of an enclosure for disposal containers shall not commence prior to plan approval by Solid Waste Management. Failure to obtain plan approval prior to construction may require alterations, relocation, or complete reconstruction of the enclosure at the owner’s expense. Solid Waste Management may refuse to provide service to a customer who has enclosed a disposal container improperly.
T. 
City-owned recycling containers that are repeatedly contaminated with garbage may be removed at the discretion of Solid Waste Management. A $30.00 service charge will be assessed for redelivery of each container.
U. 
All compactors which may contain liquids are to be equipped with a drain and a connection to the sanitary sewer. The connection to the sanitary sewer must meet the requirements of both Solid Waste Management and the City’s Wastewater Management Division.
V. 
The Director is delegated the authority to assign a rate for the disposal of a particular opportunity fuel as long as the rate does not exceed $90.00 per ton for disposal of “opportunity fuels,” as that term is defined in TMC § 12.09.030. If Solid Waste Management requires a purchase of a particular opportunity fuel, Solid Waste Management shall purchase said fuel pursuant to those procedures set forth in the Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual.
W. 
City of Tacoma Solid Waste Commercial customers may request “Call-2-Haul” service appointments. No more than three large items, consisting of appliances, furniture, or items of a similar size and weight, and 15 bags or boxes of unusable household items will be picked up by Solid Waste Management at each Call-2-Haul service appointment. A charge of $115.00 will be charged for each commercial Call-2-Haul. A charge of $10.00 may be assessed for late cancellations or if items are not set out by 7:00 a.m. on the scheduled date.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 25259 § 1, 1993-02-02; Ord. 25404 § 2, 1993-11-30; Ord. 25437 § 1, 1994-02-08; Ord. 25583 § 5, 1994-10-11; Ord. 25842 § 2, 1996-02-06; Ord. 26072 § 12, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26176 § 7, 1997-12-16; Ord. 26339 § 7, 1998-12-08; Ord. 26527 § 3, 1999-11-16; Ord. 26728 § 11, 2000-11-07; Ord. 26887 § 7, 2001-12-04; Ord. 26921 § 1, 2002-01-15; Ord. 27004 § 4, 2002-11-19; Ord. 27138 § 4, 2003-09-09; Ord. 27177 § 1, 2003-12-16; Ord. 27286 § 8, 2004-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 10, 2006-10-24; Ord. 27555 § 6, 2006-12-05; Ord. 27662 Ex. A, 2007-12-04; Ord. 27766 Ex. A, 2008-12-09; Ord. 27969 Ex. A, 2011-02-01; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09; Ord. 28393 Ex. A, 2016-11-22; Ord. 28499 Ex. A, 2018-04-10; Ord. 28548 Ex. A, 2018-11-20; Ord. 28703 Ex. A, 2020-11-24; Ord. 28849 Ex. A, 2022-11-22; Ord. 28998 Ex. A, 2024-12-03; Ord. 29031 Ex. A, 2025-04-22)
Use of disposal site and applicable rates are defined below. Disposal rates are based on the categories described in Section A below. City utility billing information may be verified by the scale house customer information system. No person shall use the City’s public disposal site except under the following terms and conditions.
A. 
Disposal categories. All customers using the disposal site will be charged the specified rate in one of the following categories. The rate will be determined at the scale house. Each customer shall provide proper documentation to qualify for the City residential rate.
1. 
City residential rate. The following individuals shall be eligible for the City residential rate as specified below.
a. 
The owner-occupant or tenant of a single family home, duplex, townhouse, or condominium located within the City of Tacoma may dispose of solid waste and yard waste from said property at City residential rates with proof of residency as outlined in Section B below.
b. 
The owner of residential property located within the City of Tacoma may dispose of solid waste and yard waste from said property at City residential rates in Section B, but only if they provide proof that they personally pay all City electrical, water, solid waste, wastewater, and surface water utility services at such property.
c. 
A tenant in a multi-family dwelling (triplex or larger) located within the City of Tacoma may dispose of solid waste generated from within their living unit at City residential rates with proof of City residency as outlined in section B below. Construction and demolition waste, yard waste, and large appliances will be charged at the City commercial rate.
2. 
City commercial rate. Any City-located business, industry, and mobile home park; organization, either public or private, profit or non-profit; multi-family dwellings (triplex or larger); or person hauling for a second party will be charged the City commercial rate for all solid waste and yard waste.
3. 
Outside city rates. Any person who cannot provide proof of City residency as set forth below, or the proof required under subsection 1.b, above, shall be charged the outside City rates for all solid waste and yard waste.
B. 
Proof of city residency. To be eligible for the City residential rate, the customer must reside in a single-family, duplex, or multi-family housing unit within the City as described in subsections 1.a, or 1.c of Section A above, and provide one of the following forms of proper documentation as proof of City residency:
1. 
Current Washington State driver’s license or Washington State identification card showing a City address which receives City residential solid waste service in the bearer’s name; or
2. 
Any form of picture identification along with a current City utility bill showing an address that receives residential solid waste service in the bearer’s name; or
3. 
Any form of picture identification along with a piece of current mail (such as a credit card or bank statement) not over 30 days old, in the bearer’s name and addressed to a residence which receives City residential solid waste service. To provide equitable service to City residential rate customers, Solid Waste Management may exercise discretion in making exceptions to the Proof of City Residency requirements, provided it is reasonable to believe the customer is a City resident.
C. 
Fraudulent use of the public disposal area. No person may dispose of waste at the City’s public disposal area under fraudulent circumstances.
D. 
Scavenging. All materials delivered to and disposed of at the City’s public disposal area are the property of the City. No person shall scavenge, separate, collect, or remove such material unless permitted in writing to do so by Solid Waste Management.
E. 
Unlawful entry. It is unlawful for any person to enter or use the City’s public disposal area, except during the hours designated for public use.
F. 
Size of material. Material brought to the City’s public disposal area must conform to certain size restrictions based on equipment limitations. Any material exceeding these dimensions may be subject to a special handling fee and/or approval by the Landfill Supervisor. Specific size restrictions for lumber, construction and demolition debris, tree branches, and railroad ties and large beams shall be as follows:
1. 
Lumber. No longer than 8 feet in length. Wood with a cross-section 6 inches by 6 inches or larger must be cut to 4-foot lengths. Construction and demolition debris such as sections of walls can be no larger than 4 feet by 8 feet.
2. 
Tree branches. No longer than 4 feet in length and 8 inches in diameter.
3. 
Railroad Ties/Large Beams (6 inches by 6 inches): No longer than 4 feet.
The Division Manager for Solid Waste, or his or her designee, may adjust any material size requirements based on operational needs and equipment limitations.
G. 
Safety. Persons shall not act in an unsafe or disruptive manner while at the Landfill. Children under 12 years of age shall remain in their vehicle at all times. Drivers shall obey the posted speed limit and signage. Any person who violates the provisions of this subsection may be refused service.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 25583 § 6, 1994-10-11; Ord. 26072 § 13, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26176 § 8, 1997-12-16; Ord. 26339 § 8, 1998-12-08; Ord. 26728 § 12, 2000-11-07; Ord. 27286 § 9, 2002-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 11, 2006-10-24; Ord. 27555 § 7, 2006-12-05; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09)[1]
[1]
Code Reviser’s note: Ord. 25583 contained two sections numbered 6. The other is codified at Section 12.09.140.
A. 
All rates are based on 100-pound increments. (Any fraction of 100 pounds will be billed as 100 pounds.)
1. 
Solid waste generated within a private resident’s home or yard, not including material from:
Pounds per load
Within City of Tacoma
Outside City of Tacoma
2025
2026
2025
2026
0 - 400
$20.00
$20.00
$8.50 per 100 pounds - minimum charge $40.00
$8.50 per 100 pounds - minimum charge 40.00
Disposals of more than 400 pounds
$7.25 per each
100 pounds exceeding the initial 400-pound load
$7.25 per each
100 pounds exceeding the initial 400-pound load
$8.50 per each
100 pounds exceeding the initial 400-pound load
$8.50 per each
100 pounds exceeding the initial 400-pound load
To qualify for these disposal rates, City residents must present proper documentation in a form that satisfies the requirements of TMC § 12.09.130.
2. 
There shall be no charge for City residential yard waste that is properly prepared and sorted and hauled to the City’s public disposal area by the homeowner. This shall apply only to loads consisting of 100 percent yard waste (vegetation). To qualify for this service at no charge, the customer must present at the time of disposal documentation that satisfies the requirements of TMC § 12.09.130.B.
3. 
All material, except Item 1 above:
Pounds per load
2025
2026
$8.50 per 100 pounds; minimum charge of $40.00
$8.50 per 100 pounds; minimum charge of $40.00
4. 
Material from nonprofit corporations qualifying under Section 12.09.140.C:
Pounds per load
2025
2026
$4.25 per 100 pounds; minimum charge of $40.00
$4.25 per 100 pounds; minimum charge of $40.00
5. 
Special handling:
a. 
A minimum special handling fee of $100.00 will be charged per load, plus tonnage charges, unless otherwise specified.
b. 
Other special handling fees shall be applied as follows: Material from:
 
Within City of Tacoma
Outside City of Tacoma
Asbestos
$20.00 minimum plus $150.00 per ton
Not accepted
(Refer to Section 12.09.200, Disposal of asbestos-containing material)
Appliances with compressors
$20 each plus tonnage
$40 each plus tonnage
Tires –
Passenger Cars and light trucks
$3.25 each plus tonnage
$6.75 each plus tonnage
On rims
$6.75 each plus tonnage
$13.00 each plus tonnage
Larger than 10:00 x 20
$16.50 each plus tonnage
$33.00 each plus tonnage
No large tires accepted on rims
Large furniture
$11.00 for the first 4 pieces, plus
$11.00 for each additional, plus tonnage
$40.00 for the first 4 pieces, plus
$11.00 for each additional, plus tonnage
Special handling fees shall not be limited to the items specified above.
c. 
All of the above rates are based on one-half hour unloading time. When unloading time exceeds one-half hour, an additional fee of $12.25 for each additional one-half hour or part thereof will be assessed. Time shall be determined by the automated scale system.
d. 
Any vehicle still being unloaded past closing time may be assessed an additional fee.
e. 
Every person with waste material that requires special handling shall pay such additional fees as will fairly compensate Solid Waste Management for any added expense of properly disposing of such materials, unless otherwise specified. Loads that are determined to be “Dusty Loads” by Solid Waste Management are subject to rejection or assessment of additional special handling fees. Appliances that have Freon compressors removed will still be charged the special handling fee.
6. 
Service charge. A customer who is unable to pay for disposal at the time of disposal at the Tacoma Landfill shall be charged for that disposal along with an additional service charge of $10.00.
B. 
Disposal area open accounts. Solid Waste Management may establish open accounts for the benefit of regular customers licensed to do business in the State of Washington and utilizing the City’s public disposal area for disposal of solid waste. Eligibility for open accounts will be determined based on frequency of use, amount of material requiring disposal, and evidence of a satisfactory credit history. Such open accounts will be subject to a set-up fee of $25.00 for each disposal account card issued, said fee to be collected at the time the account is established. Solid Waste Management reserves the right to approve or disapprove the establishment and maintenance of open accounts. Solid Waste Management may restrict use of the public disposal area to any customer with a delinquent City public disposal area account until the delinquent balance is paid in full.
Disposal account cards issued to customers shall remain the property of Solid Waste Management. Lost or stolen cards shall be immediately reported in writing to Solid Waste Management. Customers are liable for all charges on lost or stolen cards until written notification is received by Solid Waste Management. There will be a fee of $25.00 charged to replace each card lost, stolen, or damaged. Cards which fail as a result of normal wear will be replaced at no expense to the customer.
C. 
A qualifying nonprofit materials salvage/recycling corporation, upon application and approval, may be granted a reduced disposal rate for material hauled in accordance with TMC § 12.09.070, and under the following conditions:
1. 
All waste must have been generated from within the City.
2. 
Only those wastes generated from the operation of the corporation within the City will be eligible for the reduced disposal fee. All other wastes shall be subject to the applicable rate set forth herein.
3. 
The waste cannot contain any putrescible materials.
4. 
The waste must not contain any hazardous materials and must be in accordance with guidelines as to what is normally acceptable by Solid Waste Management.
5. 
The waste cannot contain any recyclable materials.
D. 
If the City Council finds that a neighborhood has a blighted condition caused by excessive refuse and/or solid waste and that such a condition is detrimental to the public health and welfare, the City Council may adjust the solid waste rates to fund appropriate programs to remediate such conditions. An example of an appropriate program is a qualifying City neighborhood group conducting a cleanup campaign approved by Solid Waste Management.
A qualifying neighborhood group may be granted disposal privileges at the Tacoma Landfill at no charge, or disposal privileges in a solid waste container supplied by Solid Waste Management at no charge, for material complying with the following conditions:
1. 
All waste must have been generated from within the City and collected pursuant to the cleanup campaign of the neighborhood group.
2. 
The waste cannot contain any putrescible materials.
3. 
The waste must not contain any hazardous materials and must be in accordance with the guidelines as to what is normally acceptable by Solid Waste Management.
4. 
The waste cannot contain any recyclable materials.
5. 
The aforementioned disposal privilege may be revoked at any time.
E. 
Cost recovery for dangerous/hazardous waste pilot projects.
1. 
The Director, is authorized to establish charges to recover the costs for the acceptance of dangerous/hazardous waste materials from SQGs and residents under dangerous/hazardous waste pilot projects under TMC § 12.09.190.N. The Director shall establish the charges in accordance with the following:
a. 
The charges shall reflect the reasonable cost of service, recognizing continual changes in the costs of disposal of dangerous/hazardous materials, evolving regulatory requirements, and changes to the types of materials and locations accepted.
b. 
The charges shall include cost items related to the service, including, but not limited to, labor and benefits, equipment, maintenance and operations of equipment and containers, processing fees, direct and indirect overhead charges, and other related costs.
c. 
The Director may adjust the charges up to four times per year.
d. 
Solid Waste Management shall make the charges publicly available for 30 days prior to their effective dates.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 25259 § 2, 1993-02-02; Ord. 25404 § 3, 1993-11-30; Ord. 25437 § 2, 1994-02-08; Ord. 25583 § 6, 1994-10-11; Ord. 25842 § 3, 1996-02-06; Ord. 26072 § 14, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26176 § 9, 1997-12-16; Ord. 26339 § 9, 1998-12-08; Ord. 26728 § 13, 2000-11-07; Ord. 26887 § 8, 2001-12-04; Ord. 27004 § 5, 2002-11-19; Ord. 27286 § 10, 2004-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 12, 2006-10-24; Ord. 27555 § 8, 2006-12-05; Ord. 27766 Ex. A, 2008-12-09; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09; Ord. 28393 Ex. A, 2016-11-22; Ord. 28548 Ex. A, 2018-11-20; Ord. 28703 Ex. A, 2020-11-24; Ord. 28849 Ex. A, 2022-11-22; Ord. 28998 Ex. A, 2024-12-03; Ord. 29088, 2025-12-16)
(Commercial service – Cash payment/deposit – Service charge. Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 15, 1997-05-27; repealed by Ord. 26339 § 10, 1998-12-08)
A. 
All bills for Solid Waste Management services, as set forth herein, shall be rendered monthly or bimonthly as determined by the City Manager. The utility bill shall become due and payable at the office of the City Treasurer, or such other places as approved by the City Treasurer, within 15 days from the date an invoice is issued per TMC § 12.01.030 and shall become delinquent thereafter. The charge for service furnished for any portion of a billing period shall be prorated on the flat rate set forth herein.
B. 
Any invoice that becomes delinquent shall be subject to a late payment fee as set forth in TMC § 12.01.030. Upon delinquency, all charges and penalties immediately become a lien against the premises served. Such lien may be foreclosed upon in accordance with and pursuant to, the provisions of RCW 35.21.130, 35.21.140, and 35.21.150. In addition to such foreclosure, a customer whose combined utility account is delinquent may also be subject to having City water service shut off at the premises to which the solid waste services were furnished. In the event that the City files or releases a lien with the County Auditor, a processing fee will be added to the delinquent amounts owed equivalent to the current fees charged by the County Auditor for filing or releasing a lien. The processing fee will be allocated to Solid Waste Management Funds and for City tax purposes recorded as revenue.
C. 
It shall be the customer’s and the property owner’s responsibility to increase, reduce, or terminate Solid Waste Management service when necessary. Solid Waste Management assumes no responsibility for charges accrued due to the failure of a customer to notify Solid Waste Management of a change of service or occupancy.
D. 
A service fee of $20.00 shall be made to the disposal charges for any returned check, (i.e., nonsufficient funds, stopped payment, or closed accounts).
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 16, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26728 § 14, 2000-11-07; Ord. 26887 § 9, 2001-12-04; Ord. 27537 § 13, 2006-10-24; Ord. 27766 Ex. A, 2008-12-09; Ord. 27961 Ex. A, 2010-12-14; Ord. 27969 Ex. A, 2011-02-01; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28160 Ex. A, 2013-07-09; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09)
A. 
Each disposal customer entering the Solid Waste Management public disposal area shall be issued or have in his/her possession an Automated Scale System card. Such card shall be used to determine appropriate charges. In the event a card is lost, a fee of $25.00 will be charged for the card, and the disposal fee will be calculated based on the Gross Vehicle Capacity less the outbound tare at prevailing disposal rates.
B. 
Any card damaged (rendered unreadable) while in the possession of a customer shall result in the assessment of a $25.00 fee in addition to any disposal charge.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 17, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26728 § 15, 2000-11-07; Ord. 27537 § 14, 2006-10-24; Ord. 27555 § 9, 2006-12-05; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12)
Solid Waste Management rates provided in this chapter are inclusive of the refuse collection tax imposed on each person using solid waste collection services, which is required to be collected by the City of Tacoma and remitted to the state of Washington pursuant to Chapter 282 of the Session Laws of 1986.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 18, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26728 § 6, 2000-11-07; Ord. 27004 § 6, 2002-11-19; Ord. 27138 § 5, 2003-09-09; Ord. 27555 § 10, 2006-12-05)
A. 
Solid Waste Management may inspect business premises for the purpose of evaluating waste generated and disposal practices. These inspections will be during normal working hours and will be carried out in such a manner as to minimize disruption of the businesses’ activities. Environmental Services Department employees will inspect business waste generated and disposal practices for the purpose of determining compliance with this section. Failure of a business to comply with a request for inspection will be deemed a violation and may, at the discretion of the Director, result in revocation of solid waste disposal privileges at the City’s public disposal area.
B. 
No toxic, extremely hazardous, dangerous/ hazardous, or liquid waste as defined now or hereafter amended in WAC 173-303 shall be deposited in any solid waste container, or other container intended for transportation to the City Landfill, or other disposal site operated by the City, or operated by a person under contract with the City to provide such service. Toxic, extremely hazardous, dangerous/hazardous, or liquid waste, as defined now or hereafter amended in WAC 173-303, shall not be deposited at the City Landfill unless such waste is accepted for disposal by the City’s Household Hazardous Waste Facility or pursuant to written approval under a hazardous waste pilot project. Additionally, no toxic, extremely hazardous, dangerous/hazardous, or liquid waste, as defined now or hereafter amended in WAC 173-303, shall be deposited at any other disposal site operated by the City, or operated by a person under contract with the City to provide such service unless pursuant to written approval under a hazardous waste pilot project. Generators, small quantity generators, contractors, or other persons shall not commingle and/or deposit toxic, extremely hazardous, dangerous/hazardous, or non-petroleum liquid waste, as defined now or hereafter amended in WAC 173-303, with used oil and dispose of such waste into a City-owned used oil collection tank. Unlawful disposal of toxic, extremely hazardous, dangerous/hazardous, or liquid waste, as defined now or hereafter amended in WAC 173-303, is prohibited at the City’s Household Hazardous Waste Facility.
C. 
No extremely hazardous, dangerous/hazardous, or liquid waste as defined now or hereafter amended in WAC 173-303 and normally found in the home (household hazardous waste) shall be deposited in any solid waste container intended for transport to a public disposal area.
1. 
Empty pesticide containers will be accepted, provided they are prepared for disposal in accordance with the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s guidelines. Empty oil-base and latex paint containers will be accepted, provided the residue is thoroughly dried.
D. 
No container used to store a liquid, dangerous/hazardous waste, or toxic material will be accepted for disposal unless emptied and prepared in accordance with Solid Waste Management’s guidelines. Only open-top drums or containers will be accepted for disposal. Fuel tanks must be cleaned and perforated before they will be accepted. No compressed gas or air tanks will be accepted for disposal, with the exception of propane tanks which are five gallons or less in capacity. Persons disposing of propane tanks which are five gallons or less in capacity shall notify the City’s public disposal area personnel prior to disposing of such tanks.
E. 
Unusual quantities. Solid Waste Management reserves the right to reject large quantities of material at the public disposal area not normally generated as a waste of a household or business. Such material includes, but is not limited to, demolition waste, dirt, rocks, concrete, etc.
F. 
No infectious waste shall be placed in any container or any public disposal area, unless said wastes are handled and treated in accordance with Chapter 5.04 of the Tacoma Municipal Code and an applicable special permit has been obtained from the Director.
G. 
No rocks, dirt, or tires are to be placed in containers for disposal.
H. 
Yard waste shall be separated from solid waste and placed in a separate container for disposal at the City’s public disposal area.
I. 
No hot ashes and/or material capable of causing ignition or spontaneous combustion shall be placed in any solid waste container, vehicle, or the City’s public disposal area.
J. 
No bulk wastes shall be placed in automated collection containers other than drop-off boxes and front-load containers.
K. 
No used motor oil or other automotive fluids shall be placed, drained, spilled, and/or released in any solid waste container. Used motor oil will be accepted at the City’s public disposal area only for the purposes of recycling.
L. 
Solid Waste Management reserves the right to prohibit or to place disposal restrictions upon any waste that may adversely affect landfill, resource recovery, or transfer facility operations. This shall also extend to any item that may pose a risk to the health or safety of landfill employees or customers.
1. 
Disposal restrictions that may be implemented shall include, but are not limited to, item size restrictions, quantity restrictions, recyclability, special preparation requirements, and solid waste source documentation requirements.
M. 
In the event that prohibited material is deposited in a Solid Waste Management container or other container at the disposal site, the person or persons responsible for such disposal activity shall, at their own cost, be responsible for properly cleaning up, decontaminating, remediating, and properly disposing of such prohibited waste. For the purpose of this paragraph, the phrase “properly cleaning up, decontaminating, remediating, and properly disposing of such prohibited waste” means conducting such work in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations governing such work. If the party responsible for disposing of prohibited waste refuses to comply with this section, and the Solid Waste Management Division cleans up, decontaminates, or remediates, and properly disposes of such prohibited waste, then the Solid Waste Management Division shall charge the responsible party for the direct and indirect costs of such action.
N. 
Dangerous/hazardous waste pilot projects. The Director may implement pilot projects from time to time to evaluate more efficient and safe acceptance or collection methods for dangerous/hazardous waste from SQGs and residents at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility or other designated facilities, to best address pollution prevention and public health threats. Consistent with TMC § 12.09.020.B, the Director will establish pilot project requirements, including, but not limited to: determining what dangerous/hazardous waste will be accepted or prohibited in the pilot project, where the materials will be accepted, the charges to recover the costs consistent with TMC § 12.09.140.E, and payment procedures.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 25259 § 3, 1993-02-02; Ord. 25583 § 7, 1994-10-11; Ord. 26072 § 19, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26176 § 10, 1997-12-16; Ord. 26339 § 11, 1998-12-08; Ord. 26728 § 17, 2000-11-07; Ord. 26887 § 10, 2001-12-04; Ord. 27286 § 11, 2004-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 15, 2006-10-24; Ord. 28093 Ex. F, 2012-10-16; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09; Ord. 29088, 2025-12-16)
The City shall accept asbestos-containing material under the following conditions:
A. 
The asbestos-containing material must be generated from within the limits of the City. Documentation of the source of the asbestos-containing material shall be required.
B. 
The asbestos-containing material shall be prepared in a manner approved by Solid Waste Management;
C. 
Disposal of asbestos-containing material shall be restricted to days and times of the week determined by Solid Waste Management policy. Weather and landfill conditions may also dictate whether disposal will be permitted.
D. 
The Landfill Supervisor or his/her designated representative shall be notified a minimum of 24 hours in advance of bringing the material to the site, and the notification shall include the estimated quantity to be landfilled.
E. 
All local, state, and federal regulatory agency requirements relative to asbestos-containing material handling and disposal shall be met.
F. 
Solid Waste Management reserves the right to prohibit the disposal of asbestos-containing material at any time.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 20, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26728 § 18, 2000-11-07; Ord. 26887 § 11, 2001-12-04; Ord. 27286 § 12, 2004-11-02; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09)
A. 
The City reserves the right to, and may at its discretion, require the separation of recyclable material, including food and yard waste or other component parts of solid waste, or may require the deposit thereof in separate cans or receptacles, and may prescribe the method of collection and reuse.
B. 
It is the intent of the City to promote and encourage the recycling of materials and to achieve and maintain a 50 percent recycling goal.
C. 
Recyclable material is considered to be solid waste for the purposes of this chapter. It shall be unlawful for any person other than Solid Waste Management to engage in the business or activity of removing, collecting, salvaging, or destroying any recyclable material, as defined elsewhere in this chapter, that has been set out for collection by Solid Waste Management or has been deposited into a permitted recycling drop-off container or center, either private or public, except by special permit issued under TMC § 12.09.070.
1. 
No person may divert to personal or commercial use any recyclable material placed in a container as part of a recycling program without the consent of the generator of such recyclable material or Solid Waste Management.
D. 
Recyclable material becomes the property of the City at the moment the material is set out at the curb for collection by Solid Waste Management or at the moment it is deposited into Solid Waste Management-owned recycling containers.
E. 
Recyclable materials shall mean the materials described in TMC § 12.09.030.
F. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to place any material in or around a recycling container other than the recycling material intended for that container.
G. 
The Director is authorized and directed to establish and promulgate reasonable regulations, including, but not limited to, regulations governing the permitting of recycling activities and the establishment of standards and conditions for recycling containers and centers. The manner, day, location, and time for the collection of recyclable material, including yard and food waste, shall be designated by Solid Waste Management.
H. 
Nothing in this chapter shall abridge the right of any commercial or industrial generation of recyclable materials to give or sell their recyclable material and/or yard and food waste to a lawfully operated recycler, or the right of any person to give or sell their yard and food waste to any lawfully operated composting program.
I. 
It is unlawful to collect, haul, or convey recyclables, including yard and food waste, from any premises in the City, other than from one's own premises or place of business, without a special permit issued under TMC § 12.09.070.
J. 
It shall be the responsibility of the customer to separate and keep separated from other solid waste any yard and food waste placed at the curb for pickup by Solid Waste Management. Solid Waste management shall not be held responsible for failure to collect the yard and food waste if there is a violation of any part of this chapter or if circumstances are beyond the control of Solid Waste Management. It is also the responsibility of the customer to keep any yard and food waste separated for disposal into the designated areas at Solid Waste Management's public disposal area.
K. 
All new multi-family residences and new commercial developments shall provide adequate and conveniently located space to store and dispose of recyclable materials and solid waste. These spaces must be in compliance with the Building Code as adopted by the City and any applicable zoning codes.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 21, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26339 § 12, 1998-12-08; Ord. 26728 § 19, 2000-11-07; Ord. 26887 § 12, 2001-12-04; Ord. 27286 § 13, 2004-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 16, 2006-10-24; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09)
(Bring Your Own Bag. Ord. 28367 Ex. A, 2016-07-12; Ord. 28664, 2020-03-24)
[1]
Code Reviser’s note: Section 12.09.215 was preempted per Revised Code of Washington 70A.530, effective 2021-01-01 (70A.530.050 RCW, ESSB 5323, Chapter 138, Laws of 2020). Prior to this preemption, enforcement of the City’s Bring Your Own Bag ordinance was suspended per Ord. 28664.
Officers or employees of the Solid Waste Management Division of the Environmental Services Department designated by the Director are authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 22, 1997-05-27; Ord. 26339 § 13, 1998-12-08; Ord. 26728 § 20, 2000-11-07; Ord. 28093 Ex. F, 2012-10-16)
Any person, firm, or corporation willfully violating any of the provisions of this chapter set forth in Subsections A and B below shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine in any sum not exceeding $1,000.00, or by imprisonment for a period not exceeding 90 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each day's violation of the provisions of this chapter may be deemed a separate offense.
A. 
TMC § 12.09.040J, TMC § 12.09.050A, TMC § 12.09.070A, TMC § 12.09.130C, TMC § 12.09.130E, TMC § 12.09.190B, TMC § 12.09.190C, TMC § 12.09.190K, TMC § 12.09.200A, TMC § 12.09.200B, TMC § 12.09.210C, TMC § 12.09.210F, and TMC § 12.09.210I; and
B. 
Any other violation specified in this chapter as a misdemeanor.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 26072 § 23, 1997-05-27; Ord. 27537 § 17, 2006-10-24; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09)
The Director may impose civil penalties to any person that violates the provisions of this chapter. Civil penalties shall be in an amount up to $1,000.00 for each violation. Each and every violation shall be a separate and distinct offense, and in the case of a continuing violation, each day’s continuance shall be a separate and distinct violation. Failure to take corrective action as specified in a corrective action order issued by the Director under TMC Chapter 12.09 may subject the recipient to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $1,000 for each day of continued noncompliance.
A. 
Notice of violation. Upon the Director's determination that a civil violation has occurred, or is occurring, he or she is authorized to issue and serve upon the person a Notice of Violation(s), which notice shall describe the time, date, place, and circumstances of each violation noted. The Notice of Violation may also include a civil penalty for each violation, and an order requiring corrective action to be taken. The Notice of Violation shall be served upon the person to whom it is directed by mailing a copy to such person at the person’s last known address, postage prepaid, by certified mail with return receipt requested, or by first-class mail. Proof of service shall be established by the date and signature of the addressee on the certified mail “return receipt” form, or upon the third day following the date upon which the Notice of Violation was placed in the mail, unless the third day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, in which event service shall be deemed complete on the end of the next day which is neither Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday. If the person to whom the Notice of Violation is directed cannot, after due diligence, be personally served within Pierce County, and if an address for mailed service cannot, after due diligence, be ascertained, then notice shall be served by posting a copy of the notice of civil violation conspicuously on the property or structure where the violation occurred, or is occurring. In this circumstance, proof of service shall be made by a written declaration under penalty of perjury executed by the person effecting the service, declaring the time and date of service, the manner by which the service was made, and if service is made by posting, then the facts showing that due diligence was used in attempting to serve the person personally or by mail.
B. 
Payment. Person(s) shall pay the civil penalty and take the corrective action described in the Notice of Violation, or shall make arrangements to pay and take corrective actions, which arrangements and plan of corrective actions shall be approved by the Director. Payment shall be made, or a plan for payment and corrective action satisfactory to the Director shall be made and completed not later than 30 days after service upon the person of the Notice of Violation.
C. 
Appeal. A person may, in the alternative, within 30 days of or receiving a Notice of Violation, file a Notice of Appeal with the City of Tacoma Hearing Examiner and request a hearing. The Notice of Appeal shall stay all further action on the Notice of Violation and accumulation of interest upon civil penalties therein pending final decision by the Hearing Examiner on the appeal; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be taken to limit the authority of the Director to take such action or to make such directives as are reasonable in the circumstances to stop or prevent an ongoing or threatened violation. The date of receipt of a Notice of Violation shall be established according to the proof of service requirements set forth above in TMC § 12.09.240A.
D. 
Revocation of service. In the event a person shall fail to make arrangements for corrective actions or to pay civil penalties, as required herein, and shall not have appealed as herein provided within the time allowed, then the Director shall order such person's service immediately suspended and take such action as is necessary to ensure that the person complies with the provisions of this section, including but not limited to denying access of the person to the Solid Waste facilities. All such measures shall remain in effect until the violator has complied with the provisions of this section.
E. 
Hearing Examiner’s authority. Upon an appeal brought to the Hearing Examiner by a Notice of Appeal of a person charged with a violation, the Hearing Examiner shall set the matter for hearing and shall determine whether the violation has occurred. The Hearing Examiner shall conduct a hearing in the Notice of Violation pursuant to the requirements of TMC Chapter 1.23, and the City of Tacoma Office of Hearing Examiner Rules of Procedure. The person to whom the notice of civil violation was directed shall have the right to file a written answer to the charge. The person to whom the notice of civil violation was directed shall have the right to appear at the hearing represented by legal counsel, and may participate as a party. The Director may appear in proceedings under this chapter, and may, but need not, be represented by the City Attorney. Each party may call and cross-examine witnesses and be fully heard. The burden of proof in such appeal shall be governed by TMC § 1.23.070.
F. 
The determination of the Director as to the need for the required corrective action shall be accorded substantial weight by the Hearing Examiner in determining the reasonableness of the required corrective action. The Hearing Examiner may call witnesses on the Hearing Examiner’s own motion, and compel the production of books, records, papers, and such other evidence needed by the parties. To that end, the Hearing Examiner may issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum at the request of any party. All testimony shall be given under oath administered by the Hearing Examiner.
1. 
Decision of the Hearing Examiner. Pursuant to Chapter 1.23 TMC, the Hearing Examiner shall make and fully record in the Hearing Examiner's permanent records, findings of fact, conclusions of law, and an order of disposition. The Hearing Examiner shall determine whether the City has established that a violation has occurred and whether the required corrective action is reasonable. The Hearing Examiner's order shall affirm, vacate, or modify the City's decisions regarding the alleged violation and/or the required corrective action, with or without written conditions. The Hearing Examiner shall issue an order to the person responsible for the notice of civil violation which contains the following information:
a. 
The decision regarding the alleged violation including findings of fact and conclusions based thereon in support of the decision;
b. 
The required corrective action;
c. 
The date and time by which the corrective action must be completed; and
d. 
The civil penalties assessed.
2. 
Assessment of civil penalties. Civil penalties assessed by the Director shall be in accordance with the provisions of this section. Civil penalties shall be reasonably calculated to achieve compliance with and deter violations of Chapter 12.09 of the Tacoma Municipal Code. In reviewing the civil penalty assessment of the Director, the Hearing Examiner shall consider the following factors:
a. 
Whether the person against whom the notice of civil violation was issued responded to staff attempts to contact that person, and whether the person against whom the notice of civil violation was issued cooperated with efforts to correct the violation;
b. 
Whether the person against whom the notice of civil violation was issued failed to appear at the hearing;
c. 
Whether the violation was a repeat violation;
d. 
Whether the person against whom the notice of civil violation was issued showed due diligence and/or substantial progress in correcting the violation;
e. 
Whether a genuine code interpretation issue exists; and
f. 
Any other relevant factors.
3. 
Notice of decision. The Hearing Examiner shall mail a copy of the decision to the appellant and to the Director.
4. 
Failure of a person to comply with the Hearing Examiner's decision, or make arrangements for compliance satisfactory to the Director, within 15 days of the date of the Hearing Examiner's decision shall result in termination of violator's permit, and the Director shall thereupon order termination of service forthwith, which service shall not be resumed until the Hearing Examiner's order has been complied with.
5. 
Appeal to Municipal Court. If the Hearing Examiner orders any person to pay a civil penalty, that person may appeal, in the form of a trial de novo, to the Tacoma Municipal Court.
a. 
The Tacoma Municipal Court shall hear the case according to the Civil Rules for Courts of Limited Jurisdiction and applicable local rules of the Court.
b. 
Appeal shall be taken by filing in the Tacoma Municipal Court a Notice of Appeal within 14 days of the Hearing Examiner’s order. The person filing the appeal shall also, within the same 14 days, serve a copy of the notice of appeal on the Hearing Examiner, the Director, the City Attorney, and shall file an acknowledgment or affidavit of service in the Tacoma Municipal Court.
6. 
Nonexclusive remedy. The provision for civil penalties is not exclusive, and civil penalties may be used together with other remedies that may exist in law or equity, except that no act or omission that is defined as a crime by Washington or federal law shall incur a civil penalty.
(Ord. 25221 § 2, 1992-12-08; Ord. 25583 §8, 1994-10-11; Ord. 26072 § 24, 1997-05-27; Ord. 27004 § 7, 2002-11-19; Ord. 27286 § 14, 2004-11-02; Ord. 27537 § 18, 2006-10-24; Ord. 28129 Ex. A, 2012-02-12; Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09)
Any person wishing to appeal issuance, denial, or revocation of a special permit shall file a written appeal with the Hearing Examiner and request a hearing within 30 days of receipt of the written denial or revocation of the special permit. The date of receipt shall be established in accordance with the proof of service requirements set forth in TMC § 12.09.240A. The Hearing Examiner shall conduct a hearing in such appeal pursuant to the requirements of TMC Chapter 1.23 and the City of Tacoma Office of Hearing Examiner Rules of Procedure for Hearing. The burden of proof in such hearings shall be governed by TMC § 1.23.070C.
(Ord. 28262 Ex. A, 2014-12-09)