Cedar Rapids, IA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

09(a) makes separation mandatory for each single dwelling unit and each unit in buildings of four dwellings or fewer; larger multifamily buildings fall outside this specific mandate. 09(b) designates six recyclable categories and sets placement rules for each: high-grade paper and newspaper go in a covered recycling container within 5 feet of the curb or alley line; corrugated cardboard must be flattened, bundled and tied, or bundled into pieces no larger than 3 feet by 2 feet in diameter, and can sit beside the recycling container; glass food and juice bottles and jars must be emptied, rinsed and sorted into separate clear and colored glass containers of no more than 5 gallons each, with metal lids removed and recycled and plastic lids removed only if they carry a numbered recycling triangle; aluminum food and beverage containers, foil and foil trays must be emptied, rinsed and placed in the recycling container; metal food and beverage containers follow the same rule; and plastic bottles and containers numbered 1 through 7 must be emptied, rinsed and placed in the container with their numbered caps removed and recycled separately.

09(d) clarifies that nothing stops a resident from donating or selling their own recyclables instead. A separate license under Chapter 24A applies to any private curbside recycling business, and Chapter 24B bans landfill disposal of recyclable corrugated cardboard in Linn County.