5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Polk County, Iowa.
Verified from official government sources
Most Polk County households use Metro Waste Authority (MWA) curbside service. Set your cart out by 6 a.m. on collection day (or after 5 p.m. the night before). Extra bags and large items need paid stickers.
Metro Waste Authority Cart Guidelines
Make sure to have it out by 6 AM as some haulers like to start before the sun rises. Alternatively, setting your cart out the evening before your collection day is one way to make the cut, just make sure it's after 5 PM!
Place your MWA cart within 18 inches of the curb on a level surface, lid closed, with the short metal bar facing the street. Keep three feet between carts, yard-waste bags, and structures.
Metro Waste Authority Cart Guidelines
There should be three feet between other carts, yard waste bags, and structures (I.e., mailboxes, lawn ornaments, bushes). Make sure to place your cart within 18 inches of the curb, on a level surface, with the lid closed. The short metal bar on the cart should be facing the street.
Large items (sofas, chairs, mattresses) go out curbside with $5 Large Item Stickers on your regular collection day, no scheduling. Appliances need seven $5 stickers and a scheduled pickup by calling 515.244.0021.
Metro Waste Authority – Extra Garbage & Large Items
Large Item Stickers are $5 each, with most items requiring one or two of these stickers and can be set out on your regular collection day with no scheduling needed. Common large items that are disposed of curbside are chairs, sofas, and mattresses.
Recycle paper, plastics with twist-off lids, aluminum and tin cans, and glass bottles and jars. Rinse them, keep them loose, and never bag recyclables – plastic bags are not recyclable in your cart.
Metro Waste Authority Recycling Guidelines
Accepted materials include paper, plastics with twist-off lids, aluminum and tin cans, and glass bottles and jars. Briefly rinse accepted recyclables, keep them loose, and don't put recyclables in plastic bags - plastic bags are NOT recyclable in your cart.
Iowa Code 455B.307A bans discarding solid waste onto any land or water of the state or into receptacles you're not authorized to use. Violators face a civil penalty up to $1,000 per violation, plus county nuisance abatement.
Iowa Code 455B.307A(1)
A person shall not discard solid waste onto or in any water or land of the state, or into areas or receptacles provided for such purposes which are under the control of or used by a person who has not authorized the use of the receptacle by the person discarding the solid waste.
1 cities in Polk County have their own trash & recycling rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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Polk County Ordinance Hub →