Iowa City, IA Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)

The Code does not mention the leaf vacuum. It defines yard waste in § 16-3H-2 as "Grass, leaves, trees, brush and garden residue," so every leaf falls under § 16-3H-6(F), which prohibits placing yard waste in the trash to be landfilled. Section 16-3H-5(A)(4) lets the director make rules on schedules and routes for collection by city personnel, and the Streets Division runs the vacuum on its own published program.

The City's 10/08/2026 release says the first day of the Leaf Vacuum program is Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. It starts in Zones 7 and 1, proceeds in numerical order, moving to Zone 2 after Zone 1 is completed, and repeats until the program ends on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2026. No fixed collection day is printed for each zone. Crews rotate, the schedule is updated daily, and the program page says to have all leaves at the curb by 7 a.m. on the first day your zone is scheduled to guarantee pickup. Enter your address in the interactive zone map at icgov.org/leafvacuum, call 319-356-5181, or pick up a printed map in City utility bills, at the City Hall information desk at 410 E. Washington St., or at the Streets Division Office at 3800 Napoleon Lane.

For the vacuum, rake leaves into a pile on the City right-of-way between the sidewalk and the street curb. Keep the pile no further than five feet back from the curb, because the vacuum hose will not reach beyond that length. Put in only leaves: no sticks, brush or garden refuse. One pile should be at least the equivalent of one yard waste bag. Do not pile leaves around mailboxes and signposts, and do not rake them into the street, where they can wash into the storm sewer and cause flooding. On streets with calendar parking, vacuuming happens on the side without parking, and the Streets Division can review a request for "No Parking" signs on heavily parked streets.

The alternatives run through curbside service. Paper yard waste bags (any brand, 50 pound limit) need a $2 City yard waste sticker per bag or bundle, sold at the City Hall Revenue Office and participating retailers. Yellow-top organics carts (95-gallon or 25-gallon) cost $3.50 a month on the utility bill and go out by 7 a.m. on your curbside day. The release says bags and carts are collected on your regular day through January, while the program page says year-round. Residents can also haul leaves to the Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center at 3900 Hebl Ave.