MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake intends to start a city-wide recycling program to coordinate with the garbage collection schedule beginning Aug. 1.

Currently all city residents participate in a weekly garbage collection program and possess a 96-gallon garbage cart.

With the new program, residents will receive a 96-gallon cart to be used for yard waste collection and a 64-gallon cart to be used for recycling products, City Manager Joe Gavinski said.

The garbage rate people will be charged depends on the size of the garbage cart they select, the larger the cart, the higher the rate. A 48-gallon garbage cart costs $13 per month for service, a 64-gallon garbage cart costs $18.50 per month and a 96-gallon cart is $25 per month, he explained.

Qualifying senior citizens pay half of the same monthly rates depending on the size of the garbage cart they select. To qualify for the senior rate, people must be at least 65 years old, the property owner and living at the property.

To select a garbage cart size, call 509-766-9206 or 509-764-6319.

If residents choose a small garbage or recycling cart and find it is too small, they can always contact city hall and request larger carts.

If a garbage cart size is not selected, a 48-gallon cart will automatically be delivered to residents’ homes.

The garbage cart features a grey lid. It should contain items that can’t be placed in the yard waste or recycle carts.

The former garbage cart is going to be used as the new yard waste cart. Some feature a black lid, others will have a green sticker added. They will be collected on a weekly basis from March through November. From December through February, it will be collected on a monthly basis.

Yard waste is natural items, such as leaves, grass clippings and tumbleweeds. Plastic bags, like ones used to collect leaves or grass, are not allowed in the yard waste cart.

The recycle cart will feature a blue lid and will be collected on a biweekly basis.

Items allowed in the recycle cart include milk jugs, plastic bottles, paper milk cartons, phone books, shredded paper, mail, magazines, catalogs, metal cans, aluminum cans, newspaper, paper bags, cereal boxes, cardboard and frozen food boxes.

Items prohibited from the recycle cart include plastic bags, glass, batteries, pill bottles, toxic product containers, plastic tubs, plastic lids and caps, frozen food bags, juice boxes, foil, food-contaminated paper plates and napkins, light bulbs, metal hangers, chip bags and aerosol cans.

A $10 fine is imposed on people placing non-recyclable items in the recycle cart.