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| 2008 | City Council is considering new solid waste contract (which will go into effect April 2009). |
| 2007 | Seattle City Council adopted a zero waste strategy to increase recycling, reduce trash and upgrade Seattle's transfer stations |
| 2005 | Seattle Public Utilities launched an initiative called "Wasteless in Seattle" which included an aggressive program to reach a goal of diverting 60 percent of garbage from landfills by recycling and lowering disposal, transportation and energy costs for the city. The initiative called for mandatory recycling, with fines being given out starting in January of 2006. |
| 2004 | City Council passed Ordinance #121372 which prohibited the disposal, effective January 1, 2005, of certain recyclables from residential, commercial and self-haul garbage. Administrative Rule SPU-DR-01-04, "Prohibition of Recyclables in Garbage" detailed how the City ordinance was to be carried out. |
| 2000 | "Take-It-Back Network" launched with goal of keeping computers monitors and other components out of the landfills. The Take it Back Network is a group of retailers, repair shops, non-profit organizations, waste haulers and recyclers that offer convenient options for recycling certain wastes that should not be disposed in the trash. |
| 2000 | New waste contract resulted in addition of curbside yard waste collection |
| 1999 | A city "green building" program, aimed at recycling, water and energy conservation and waste prevention began which including goal of keeping salvaged or reused materials out of landfills. |
| 1999 | City launched "Use-It-Again Seattle," a program featuring community "garage sales" throughout the city, allowed residents to drop off and pick up items free (no electronics, appliances, couches or mattresses). The program included an online directory |
| 1998 | Seattle's 1998 Solid Waste Plan adopted "Zero Waste" as a guiding principle. This principle entailed managing resources instead of waste; conserving natural resources through waste prevention and recycling; turning discarded resources into jobs and new products instead of trash; promoting products and materials that are durable unrecyclable; and discouraging products and materials that can only become trash after their use. |
| 1998 | PET bottles were added to curbside recycling program |
| 1993 | Ferrous metals were added to curbside recycling program |
| 1992 | City adopted "Buy Recycled" ordinance. City adopted Environmental Action Agenda with sustainability as one of 11 guiding principles |
| 1991 | HDPE plastic bottles were added to curbside recycling program |
| 1989 | City adopted Solid Waste Comprehensive Plan including demolition waste as a target |
| 1988 | Seattle's curbside recycling program for single family through fourplex- sized structures began. Materials collected were newspaper, mixed paper, glass, aluminum and tin food cans |
| 1987 | Seattle faced a crisis in managing its increasing quantities of solid waste |
| 1979 | Water conservation programs launched by Seattle Water Department (now Seattle Public Utilities or SPU) |
| 1977 | Energy conservation programs launched by Seattle City Light (SCL) |
