Dubuque, IA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Recycling in Dubuque runs through the same refuse collection article as trash, City Code Title 13, Chapter 6, Article A, but Section 13-6A-4 sets its own rules for what the City provides and what it will actually pick up. Every dwelling gets one City-owned curbside recycling container at no separate charge beyond the base collection rate, and Section 13-6A-4(A) lets the City issue a second container to any household that needs more capacity. The materials list in Section 13-6A-4(B) is narrower than many residents expect: only rigid plastics carrying a recycling symbol between #1 and #5, paper, cardboard and newspaper, and metal materials such as cans, clean foil and pans qualify as curbside recyclable materials, which means glass, plastic film, and unnumbered or non-rigid plastics are not part of the curbside program under this section.

Availability differs by account type: Section 13-6A-2(B) makes solid waste collection mandatory for Class I premises, while Section 13-6A-2(E) treats recycling for Class II and Class III premises as something those accounts must apply for through the City Manager rather than receive automatically. Recycling for Class II premises that opt in comes with its own fee schedule, billed per ninety-six (96) gallon container or its volume equivalent, separate from the base residential rate.