Frequently Asked Questions

If your trash will not fit inside your rollcart you will need to pre-purchase the blue, City of Oak Harbor extra garbage bags. They can be purchased at City Hall Utilities office, Haggen, and Saar's Marketplace.  Please place your filled "extra garbage" bag next to your rollcart on your regular collection day.

Call the Oak Harbor Utilities Department at 360-279-4530 for a replacement can. At that time we will assess responsibility. Most cases the damage is caused by the Garbage/Recycle truck.

If you see a truck and your rollcart hasn’t been emptied, verify that it was the right truck.  We have three different routes that may drive by your house so check your neighbors’ rollcart just in case.  If you are sure that it was missed, was it behind a car or obstructed in some way, was the lid up, did you have it out on time?   If it was any of these, fix the problem and check if we have picked up across the street.  If not, run it across the street for it to be picked up.  If we have picked up across the street you will need to call the City of Oak Harbor Utilities office at 360-279-4530 and there might be a fee to return to your house depending on the situation.  We do make mistakes and will resolve situations best we can.

If your garbage day falls on a holiday in most cases your rollcarts will be picked up the next business day unless it fall on a Friday the rollcarts will be picked up the day before. View the holiday schedule (PDF).

Garbage rollcarts and recycling bins need to be out by 7 am. A charge of $25.70 will be charged for a return trip. Special circumstances will be considered. Please call the City of Oak Harbor Utilities department at 360-279-4530 for the garbage truck or recycling truck to return. Another option is to buy an extra garbage bag and place it out the next week. The City of Oak Harbor extra garbage bags can be purchased at Saar's Market Place, Haggen, and the City Hall Utilities office for $4.86 

In most cases rollcarts are lost or misplaced by wind or a confused neighbor. After your garbage day look down the street for a loose rollcart it might be yours or talk to your neighbor, they might have grabbed yours by mistake. The City of Oak Harbor Solid Waste Department is not responsible for missing rollcarts. If you have lost it you may be charged for a replacement so please do your best to find it. In rare cases if you have left your rollcart on the street longer than two business days it may have been removed by the utility as per Oak Harbor Municipal code 15.04.110.04. If you feel this is the case please call the Oak Harbor Utilities department at 360-279-4530.