Trash & Recycling in Waterloo, IA (2026)
9 verified trash & recycling rules for Waterloo, Iowa, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Waterloo's collection rules in City Code § 4-3-5 require every property to keep suitable trash, recycling and yard waste containers on hand and to set them at ground level within three feet of the curb or alley with clear access for automated trucks; blocked or noncompliant containers simply go unemptied.
Waterloo Trash Container Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsWaterloo City Code § 4-3-5
B. Containers Required: It shall be required of every person in possession, charge or control of any place in or from which building materials, business trash, garbage, household trash, industrial waste, recycling materials, tree and shrubbery trimmings and yard trash is accumulated or produced to provide and at all times to keep in a suitable place, adequate and suitable receptacles and contai...
Bin Placement Rules
City Code § 4-4-6(A) in the City of Waterloo, Iowa bars putting refuse or trash in any street, median, alley or public travelway, or on private property outside the approved storage method, and bars blocking storm drains with trash or containers. Any unauthorized accumulation is a declared public nuisance.
Refuse Storage and Placement Rules in Waterloo
Some RestrictionsWaterloo City Code § 4-4-6A
A. General: All accumulations of refuse and trash shall be stored or placed for collection in accordance with the following provisions: 1. Public Streets And Private Property: No person shall place any refuse or trash in any street, median strip, alley or other public place of travel, nor upon any private property except as stated herein. 2. Blockage Of Storm Drains: No person...
Bulk Item Disposal
Waterloo residents can schedule curbside pickup of up to ten large bulky items like furniture, tires and appliances through a public works work order under City Code § 4-3-6(A)(5). The service excludes yard waste, hazardous waste, recycling and garbage, and fabric-covered items must be wrapped in plastic before pickup.
Waterloo Bulk Item Curbside Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsWaterloo City Code § 4-3-6
5. Bulk Item Collection Services: Curbside collection of up to ten (10) large, bulky refuse items, such as tires, appliances, furniture, bedding, etc., can be scheduled on a specific work order form available at the public works department. No yard waste, hazardous waste, recycling materials or garbage shall be collected. The fee or charge for this service shall be as set forth in the solid was...
Recycling Requirements
Waterloo runs a voluntary curbside recycling program for single-family dwellings only under City Code § 4-3-4; multi-dwelling and business properties must instead use a private licensed hauler or the city's recycling drop-off sites. Enrolled customers dispose of one city-issued recycling container biweekly for a fixed monthly charge set in the solid waste fee schedule under § 4-3-6.
Waterloo Curbside Recycling Program Rules
Some RestrictionsWaterloo City Code §§ 4-3-4, 4-3-6
D. The city shall not provide collection and disposal of recycling materials or yard waste for multiple dwellings or business establishments as defined in section 4-3-1, but the occupants of multiple dwellings may dispose of recycling materials and yard waste at drop-off sites maintained by the city for that purpose. ... ... 3. Disposal Of Recycling Materials: ... A fixed sum per month shall be...
Illegal Dumping
City Code § 4-3A-4(B) makes it unlawful in the City of Waterloo, Iowa to dump garbage, dead animal matter, rubbish, recycling or yard waste on any lot, open space, street or roadway other than the location the city council has established for disposal. A violation is a misdemeanor, not just a civil infraction.
Illegal Dumping Penalties in Waterloo, Iowa
Heavy RestrictionsWaterloo City Code § 4-3A-4
B. Dumping In Authorized Places: It shall be unlawful for any person to use any lot, open space, street or roadway in the city instead of the location provided for and established by the city council, for the dumping or depositing of dead animal matter, garbage matter, and offensive materials and substances, and other refuse, rubbish, recycling material or yard waste. ... C. Penalty: Any pe...
Yard Waste Collection
Waterloo defines yard waste as small vegetative debris like grass, leaves and branches under 2 1/2 inches thick and offers a voluntary curbside pickup program under City Code § 4-3-6(A)(2). Service runs mid-April through November for at least 18 scheduled weeks, with no routine collection from December through March.
Waterloo Yard Waste Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsWaterloo City Code §§ 4-3-1, 4-3-6
YARD WASTE: ... Vegetative wastes resulting from the care and maintenance of residential yards, flowerbeds, and gardens, including, but not limited to, grass clippings, leaves, tree limbs, bark, garden waste, brush and small twigs, and branches not exceeding two and one-half inches (21/2") in diameter and three and one-half feet (31/2') in length. ... ... 2. Disposal Of Yard Waste: A fixed sum ...
Dumpster Rules
City Code § 4-4-6(B) requires every business establishment in the City of Waterloo, Iowa to store its refuse in containers, using refuse receptacles, bulk containers or detachable containers, so wind-driven debris and litter do not spread around the premises. The health department decides how many containers each business needs.
Business Dumpster Containerization Rules in Waterloo
Some RestrictionsWaterloo City Code § 4-4-6B
B. Business Establishments: All business establishments shall store their refuse in containers as specified herein so as to eliminate wind driven debris and unsightly litter in and about their establishments. Approved methods of containerization include refuse receptacles, bulk containers and detachable containers. The number of containers necessary for each business establishment shall be as...
Collection Schedule
City Code § 4-3-4 requires the city to provide garbage, refuse, recycling and yard waste disposal service to every premises in Waterloo, except that business establishments and multiple dwellings must use a private licensed collector for garbage and refuse. Enrolled single-family customers pay a fixed monthly fee for one automated garbage container weekly under § 4-3-6(A)(1).
Waterloo Mandatory Trash Collection Service
Some RestrictionsWaterloo City Code §§ 4-3-4, 4-3-6
The city shall provide, to every premises within the corporate limits of the city, disposal service for garbage, refuse, recycling materials and yard waste, with the following exceptions: A. Business establishments shall have a private licensed collector remove garbage and refuse. B. Multiple dwellings shall have a private licensed collector remove garbage and refuse. C. Hazardous materials sha...
Recycling Rules
City Code § 4-3-5(F) requires everyone in Waterloo to separate recycling materials from garbage, refuse and yard waste and to use only the container the city provides for recyclables; putting non-recyclable excluded waste in that container under § 4-3-7(D) means it won't be emptied until it's fixed.
Waterloo Recycling Separation and Container Rules
Some RestrictionsWaterloo City Code §§ 4-3-1, 4-3-5, 4-3-7
RECYCLING MATERIALS: Solid waste designated by the city as appropriate for recycling, such as newsprint, magazines, catalogs, cardboard, metal cans, and plastic containers, as set forth in the rules and regulations established by the public works manager or designee and approved by resolution of the city council. ... ... F. Recycling Materials And Yard Waste ... s: ... 1. Recycling materials an...
Looking for Black Hawk County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Waterloo city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Black Hawk County →