Renton is considering choosing a different solid waste service provider for the city after the current contract with Republic Services ends.
Solid Waste Program Manager Meara Heubach presented the city staff’s recommendation to switch to Recology, an employee-owned waste management company operating along the West Coast, at the Jan. 26 Renton Committee of the Whole meeting.
The Republic Services contract started in 2017, after switching from Waste Management, and will end on March 31, 2027.
One reason the staff recommended switching is due to the state passing the Organics Management Law to help reduce methane emissions from landfills.
“The law also has an unfunded mandate to standardize waste container colors across the state and it requires that all commercial customers start separating food waste,” Heubach said. “A new contract would help the city meet the requirements of the law and support customers in doing so.”
A new contract would also help enact the city’s soon-to-be-finalized Zero Waste Plan, which will require recycling service for all customers. The plan will help extend the life of the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, which is nearing capacity.
Heubach listed “persistent performance issues” with Republic Services as another reason to switch.
“Republic Services has delivered many basic service elements. They have also failed to substantially meet the city’s contract performance requirements and fully comply with the terms and conditions of the contract,” Heubach said.
Republic is required to visit all multifamily properties and half of commercial properties. Heubach said since the beginning of the contract, Republic has provided outreach to less than 5% of the required multifamily and less than 8% to commercial customers, while reporting no outreach in either some years.
Also, she said guidelines providing education to customers have been late, had inaccurate key information, or were mailed to the wrong customers the past three years. Heubach said Republic has not fulfilled their promise of continued community involvement in Renton, yet doing so with other nearby cities like Sammamish and Bellevue.
The city has also been disappointed with Republic’s response to requests, said Heubach, citing years it took for the company to provide bear-resistant carts in areas of the cities.
Strikes also hurt Republic’s standings with the city, being the only collection company in the area affected by strikes in 2019, 2022 and 2025.
“The issue isn’t just that there were strikes,” Heubach said. “It’s that Renton received worse service at the time than neighboring cities also serviced by Republic. Renton was offered only two garbage-only collection events, but other cities received more.”
Recology contract
The previous contract with Renton did not provide enough penalties if Republic did not perform as contracted. In August 2025, the city invoiced Republic $270,000 in performance fees, as allowed by the contract, which Heubach said the city has yet to receive. She said Republic informed them that day they will pay 60% of the balance in the next 10 days, but are waiting on corporate approval for the remaining balance.
Because of the city’s dissatisfaction with Republic, they published requests for proposals for waste services in June 2025, and received five proposals. After an extensive review process, Recology was selected based on certain priorities: maintaining reliable services, minimizing rate increases, providing convenient customer interactions, supporting strategies of the Zero Waste Plan, and fostering strong city and contractor partnership.
The new proposed 10-year contract would include the current standard of biweekly garbage collection, with the option for weekly service for an extra fee, and unlimited recycling for all customers. Improvements include expanded curbside special item recycling, an option of a second recycling cart, and better inclement weather response.
“If weather such as snow and ice prevents garbage collection from single family customers for multiple days, we have the option to direct Recology to suspend organics collection the following week and direct those trucks to collect garbage instead,” Heubach said.
Other advantages of Recology include an accessible call center open on Sundays, local staff based in the area, an interpretive line for non-English speakers and people with hearing impairments, a recycling facility in south Seattle, and a “robust outreach program and excellent contract management.”
Two full-time outreach staff, dedicated to Renton, would conduct outreach and annual inspections of recycling and compostable containers at all multifamily and commercial properties.
In terms of costs, the city compared the total proposed revenue of the five waste haulers to Republic’s projected revenue in 2026, based on the cost of base services. The current contract rates projected would give Republic Services $15.4 million 2026 revenue compared to the proposed revenue of $17.9 million for Recology, after negotiations, and $17.8 million for a new contract with Republic Services.
“The percentages indicate an increase in annual contract revenue, not an increase in annual customer rates,” Heubach said. “In Renton, contractor rates are only about half of what customer rates are when they are set by the city, so customer prices will not increase as much as what you see up there.”
For customers, estimated projected rates would increase by 9.3% for single-family and 6.9% for both multifamily and commercial each month. According to the city, the projected residential rate increase for a new contract in Renton was lower than other nearby cities who have recently changed services. The next highest city listed was Redmond, which in 2024 awarded a contract with a 16% change, and the highest was Tukwila, with an 84% change.
The city council will decide on whether to accept the new contract with Recology, extend the current contract with Republic Services for two years, or send out a new request for proposals this month.
Recology vs. Republic
Representatives from Recology and Republic Services spoke during the public comment section of the following city council meeting.
“We believe that what is proposed to you is a comprehensive offering that represents the best value in the Puget Sound area,” Recology King County General Manager Anthony Brocato said. “For Recology, this opportunity is about providing the city with exceptional service and building a relationship with your community over the next decade and beyond.”
Brocato said every driver, customer service representative, mechanic and recycling sorter has a stake in the company and invited any displaced drivers with Republic to become employee-owners with Recology.
Republic Services Greater Seattle John Olivares said using the two-year extension will save residents and business owners “between 10% and 20% in rate increases starting April 2027.”
“I have seen our customer service reliability numbers, which includes missed pickups, on-time accuracy, as well as several other metrics, dramatically improve since the start of the contract. The most common negative feedback that we get and hear about after the fact is negative service issues due to inclement weather and during work stoppages,” Olivares said. “We are not perfect. Unfortunately, we cannot control the weather. I, as well as Republic Services, will always choose safety first of our employees, their families, and the communities that we serve.”
James Borsum, Teamsters Local 117 Union Representative for driver at Republic Services, spoke of the drivers’ “deep commitment” to the city and its residents.
“I do not believe that the same commitment will carry forward with the city if it decides to go with a contract with a new hauler this year,” Borsum said. “Transitions to new haulers are rarely easy or seamless. They often come with disruptions and some issues are never fully resolved. Service is strongest when experienced professional drivers who know the roads, the alleys and the community remain on the routes.”
