Sanitation

clean & green

The Business Improvement Area (BIA) model was created to supplement City services around sanitation with the goal of creating a clean, safe, and welcoming business district. CIDBIA uses a combination of BIA funds and grants to create its sanitation program. Due to the nature of assessment collections and fluctuating grants, services may increase or decrease at any given time.

Total YTD Data of 2023

	Bags of Garbage	Bags of Recycle	Biohazard Waste	Sharps	Graffiti (sq. ft.)	Overflow (Trashcan + dumpster)	Bulky Items	Total Hours
January	151	94	198	18	1599	28	29	162
February	147	133	164	28	1246	53	61	159
March	171	186	242	32	1141	51	58	156
April	193	182	278	36	2294	11	22	211
May	205	177	346	15	1113	24	43	202
June	202	153	265	10	1674	47	10	203
July	148	38	149	2	1642	15	11	202
August	202	60	122	1	1254	21	7	201
September	203	103	121	11	1396	19	9	204
October	132	119	115	17	1121	25	11	162
November	159	126	85	6	1171	14	48	165
December	134	181	197	8	944	11	20	162

Total Sanitation Data of 2023

Bags of Garbage	Bags of Recycle	Biohazard Waste	Sharps	Graffiti (sq. ft.)	Overflow Trashcans & Dumpsters	Bulky Items	Total Hours
2047	1552	2282	184	16595	319	329	2189

Total Sanitation Data of 2022

Bags of Garbage	Bags of Recycle	Biohazard Waste	Sharps	Graffiti Pieces	Overflow Trashcans & Dumpsters	Bulky Items	Total Hours
2690	1169	1693	706	3189 + *127.25 hours	718	477	2343

*April - June 2022 graffiti abatement was recorded in "hours spent" instead of "graffiti site."

2021 Work Schedule Data

	Total Hours / Month	# of Days in Chinatown & Japantown / Week	# of Days in Little Saigon / Week
January	145.5 hours	3.5	1.5
February*	344 hours	4.5	2.5
March*	340.5 hours	4.5	2.5
April*	358 hours	4.5	2.5
May	141 hours	3.5	1.5
June	147.5 hours	3.5	1.5
July*	369.5 hours	4.5	2.5
August*	400 hours	4.5	2.5
September*	280 hours	4.5 / 3.5	2.5 / 1.5
October	145 (projected)	3.5	1.5
November	145 (projected)	3.5	1.5
December	145 (projected)	3.5	1.5

*additional Clear Cities Initiative (CCI) funding

** through Sept 15

Clean & Green Program Management:

CIDBIA takes the lead for cleaning program for the neighborhood by working with community stakeholders and the City of Seattle to ensure services are adequate, timely, and in compliance with City ordinances.

CIDBIA provides the following services to stakeholders:

Hire and manage cleaning contractors, Seattle Surface Cleaners
Intake and follow through on service requests for cleaning contractors
Work with City of Seattle departments, including Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), to ensure City services are responding to community needs.
Work with CID businesses and residential property owners to outreach, educate, and provide guidance on City requirements such as the Clear Alley Program.
Organize community clean-up events and special projects Advocate on behalf of community stakeholders to City of Seattle partners to advance sanitation services in an equitable way.

Cleaning Services to Stakeholders

Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area contracts with Seattle Surface Cleaners to provide the following services:

Sweeping of sidewalks from building line to curb
Topping off public litter cans
Removal and/or coverup of graffiti that is under 8Ft high on buildings facing the public right of way
Removal of human and/or animal biohazards from public right of way
Removal of sharps (needles) from the public right of way
Seasonal projects such as removal and composting of all leaves in fall and snow shoveling in the winter.

Clear Alley Program (CAP)

Alleys in Chinatown-International District hold a special meaning to stakeholders and has been integral to the growth of the business district. Two of three historic Seattle alleys are in Chinatown-ID. Alleys in the neighborhood have been used for public activation, as important pedestrian throughways, and have active business operations. Currently, alleys are SDOT rights of way, and managed by SPU.

In 2014, as part of a Directors Rule, Chinatown-International District became part of Seattle Public Utilities’ Clear Alley Program. The Clear Alley Program (CAP) is intended to

Create cleaner, safer business districts
Reduce the possibility of uncivil behaviors and illegal activities in alleys
Increase the attractiveness of the alley for public activations and pedestrian use
Allow for better alley access for business services (deliveries) and possible expansion of commercial and community activity (seating, art, events, etc.)

The Clear Alley Program requires commercial and residential tenants adjacent to alleys to be on the correct level of service. CIDBIA works with businesses and residential property owners to provide outreach and education about the Clear Alley Program.

The program requires:

All businesses located in a Clear Alley are required to create a CAP account through Waste Management (WM).
- With a CAP account, businesses and residents are able to purchase Waste Management labeled garbage and recycle bags. For more information on setting up an account through Waste Management, click HERE. Translations are available in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Spanish.
- SPU’s contractor Waste Management picks up labeled bags 2 to 3 times a day, 7 days a week.
The only items that are allowed to be placed in the alleys are:
- WM labeled garbage and recycling bags.
- Labeled compost and recycling carts/totes (32, 60, or 90 gallon)
- Flattened and neatly stacked cardboard boxes
The following items are NOT allowed in the alleys and are considered illegal dumping, which can result in fines by SPU inspectors:
- Furniture & electronics
- ANY bags that do NOT have Waste Management (WM) labeled on them (including store-bought garbage bags)
- Hazardous liquids and paint
- Construction debris