Black Hawk County, IA Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Governs
- Unincorporated Black Hawk County only
- Enforcing agency
- Black Hawk County Health Department
- Civil penalty
- Up to $750 per offense, $1,000 repeat
- Misdemeanor track
- $65-$650 fine, up to 30 days jail
- Appeal window
- 20 days to Board of Health
Summary
In unincorporated Black Hawk County, Iowa, owners and occupants must keep yard waste separated from garbage and refuse and dispose of it only in areas the County designates. Dumping yard waste anywhere else, including at unauthorized sites, is a chapter violation carrying county-infraction penalties.
All yard waste shall be separated from all other garbage and refuse accumulated on the premises by the owner or occupant and disposed of as hereinafter provided. ... It shall be a violation of this chapter to deposit any garbage, refuse, hazardous materials, or yard waste in any location within Black Hawk County unless deposited as provided by County ordinance, or state or federal law.
Full Breakdown
05 applies to every farm, business, and dwelling unit in the unincorporated areas of the county; Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Evansdale, Hudson, La Porte City, Dunkerton, Gilbertville, Elk Run Heights, and Raymond each enforce their own municipal codes instead. 030 defines "yard wastes" as organic debris such as grass clippings, leaves, tree limbs, bark, branches, and flowers produced through yard and garden maintenance, but the definition excludes tree stumps, dirt, rocks, large branches, and other bulky or noncombustible material, along with manufactured flower and decorative products.
040 requires that all yard waste be separated from garbage and refuse on the premises and disposed of only as the chapter directs, and disposition must occur in areas the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors and the Black Hawk County Solid Waste Commission have designated. Depositing garbage, refuse, hazardous materials, or yard waste anywhere else in the county, outside a County ordinance or state or federal authorization, is itself a violation. 00 and up to 30 days in jail. 110.
Violations & Fines
Improper deposit or accumulation of yard waste outside designated County disposal areas is a chapter violation enforced by the Health Department. It is charged as a county infraction with a civil penalty of up to $750.00 per offense, rising to $1,000.00 for repeat offenses, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense; a simple misdemeanor track allows fines from $65.00 to $650.00 and up to 30 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put yard waste in with my regular trash in unincorporated Black Hawk County?
Does this rule apply inside Waterloo or Cedar Falls?
What counts as yard waste under the county code?
What is the penalty for violating the yard waste rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Black Hawk County
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