MWA Blog: Warm Weather Moves Up Start of Yard and Garden Waste Collection By 2 Weeks

2012 Compost It! Season – NOW MARCH 19 through November 30

With the unseasonably warm temperatures, metro area residents are working in
their yards and gardens in full force, resulting in the accumulation of yard
waste in back yards and driveways. In direct response to that, Metro Waste
Authority, in collaboration with our collection partners, has geared up collect
yard waste two weeks earlier than planned – now set to begin on March 19, instead of April 2.

Will you use a cart, bags, stickers or all three?
Most metro cities partner to offer residents curbside yard waste collection (the
city of Des Moines offers year-round service). Yard waste was banned from Iowa landfills by the State Legislature in 1989, preventing residents from throwing their grass clippings, leaves and other yard debris in the trash.

Collection & Placement Yard and garden waste is collected weekly at the curb on your regular garbage collection day. Yard waste bags or carts (see chart to see if your city participates)must be placed at least three feet apart from other trash and recycling carts.

Bag & Sticker Service Yard & garden waste can be recycled one of three easy ways:

• Compost It! bags: No sticker required. $7.75 for a bundle of five ($1.55 per bag)
• Generic or store-brand bags: Compost It! sticker required for each bag ($1.15 per sticker)    
• Brush bundles: Compost It! sticker attached to each bundle $1.15 per sticker

Bags and stickers are sold at these participating stores.

Cart Service
A 96-gallon cart on wheels makes it even more convenient for residents to
pick up yard and garden waste and transport it to the curb.

First-time participants must enroll at their city hall or public works to purchase or rent a cart, and pay $103 for the annual sticker fee.  

Renewal of cart service can be done online or with your city hall.

Excess Yard Waste: Residents with excess waste can purchase bags or stickers and place the bags or stickered bundles at the curb with their
cart.

For more information, visit us at www.WhereItShouldGo.com or call 515.244.0021.