Hi all MCSS and MCSB!
This page is filled with information, refreshers, or updates that help make your volunteer activities easy and fun. Be sure to bookmark it and check back often for information and updates to use when you are in the public, or further reading at your leisure.
At MCSS, we focus on preventing waste, proper recycling, composting, and soil health for the city of Seattle. For services outside of Seattle, the RainWise program, gardening questions, and more, we direct people to the Garden Hotline at gardenhotline.org or (206) 633-0224.
Preventing, Reducing and Sorting Waste
Quick Guides and Links
- Top 5 flyers (in 14 languages)
- Where Does it Go? tool and flyers in 14 languages
- Install the RecycleIt App
- SPU Foodware Guide – compost or recycle
- ReUse Seattle Partnership
- WA Compostables and Lookalikes – Quick Guide
- Waste Reduction Tabling – Quick Guide
- Waste Sorting at Events – Quick Guide
More Resources
- Reporting Non-compliant businesses to WA state and City of Seattle
- SPU Top 5 Recyclables – video
- SPU website Recycle Right important points
- SPU website Waste Prevention at Home
- SPU website Waste Reduction Resources for Businesses
- SPU website Special Items Collection
- SPU website – Natural Yard Care
- King County Hazardous Waste info – calls answered by Garden Hotline staff
Recent WA state laws and regulations:
- SPU blog about 2025 Washington State Legislative Session Outcomes
- Seattle Times – Recycling in WA state
- Seattle Times – Right to Repair
- Commingled Recycling Collection – Op-Ed by Susan Fife-Ferris of SPU
Food Waste
Quick Guides and Links
More Resources
- Food Composting at Home (video)
- Building a Worm Bin from Plastic Tubs (video)
- Building a Wooden Worm Bin (video)
Compost and Soil Health
Quick Guides and Links
- SPU brochure – Building Healthy Soil – also in Spanish and Chinese
- Compost and Soil Tabling – Quick Guide
- Chop and drop – Quick Guide (coming soon)
More Resources
- Comparing Different Composting Methods
- Winter Mulching and Cover Crops (video)
- Building a Hot Pile (video)
- King Conservation District (KCD) Soil Testing
- Soil Food Web activity (coming soon)
Stormwater
Quick Guides and Links
- Stormwater Tabling – Quick Guide
- Stormwater: Enviroscapes Demonstration (video)
More Resources
Autumn Leaves
Quick Guides and Links
More Resources
- Ways to Handle Seattle’s Leaves in Fall
- Leave the leaves – Garden Hotline article
- Seattle Adopt-A-Drain program
Increasing my Impact as a Volunteer
- Follow us on Social Media: #SeattleMCSS is on Facebook and Instagram
- Step-by-step Signing up and Logging volunteer hours
- Step-by-step Cancelling a shift and Updating my contact information
- Reporting my time and contacts and why it matters
- Bringing outreach materials from storage unit
- Reporting Non-compliant businesses to WA state and City of Seattle
- Setting up the PVC and wire bin waste stations
- Taking photos or videos (coming soon)
Digging Deeper
- Check out our Recommended Reading and Viewing list 2026.
- For a PDF copy of the latest MCSS Training Manual, please email Reingard Rieger.
- Inside the Recology MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) in Seattle (video)
- SPU – Solid Waste Streams in Seattle (video)
- Climate change and Soils (Craig Cogger, WSU)
- Soil Science Society of America
Partner Programs
- Hazardous Waste info – calls answered by Garden Hotline
- NextCycle – circular economy in WA state
- Reusable Cups at ZooTunes and Beyond
- Seattle Adopt-A-Drain program
Feeling sick?
If you experience COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms or feel otherwise sick, please cancel your shift.
Some of our community partners may continue to have specific expectations which we will communicate with you.
