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Mayor: Seattle To Stay On Weekly Trash Pickup Schedule

Seattle will not switch its trash pickup schedule to every other week following an unpopular pilot program.

Mayor Ed Murray asked the Seattle City Council to shelf the proposed plan and keep the city on its current weekly pickup schedule.

Seattle tested the program in four different neighborhoods last year with the goal of reducing the number of garbage trucks on the road and increasing recycling. The mayor said his decision was mainly based on concerns over potential hardship a switch may create for some residents. 

The pilot program was modeled after Tacoma, Olympia and Portland, which already collect every other week. But satisfaction with garbage service declined in the pilot program in Seattle. 

Ed Ronco is a former KNKX producer and reporter and hosted All Things Considered for seven years.