Yard Waste

Log & Limb Collection Program

Introducing the Log & Limb Collection Program! Schedule a time and the City will pick up larger amounts of tree limb and brush from your curb. The collection is offered on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month from April 1st to December 1st. Click here to learn more and schedule a pickup.

Compost It! Program

Through the Compost It! program, residents can conveniently dispose of yard and garden waste at the curb. Yard waste is also accepted at Metro Park East Landfill year-round. Collection is on the same day as trash pickup (Mondays south of 1st St; Tuesdays north of 1st St).

2023 Schedule

• Regular Season: April 3 through November 25, 2023
• Winter Collection: January 1, 2024, through January 12, 2024

Holiday Pickup Delay

Collection will be delayed one day for the following holidays when they occur during the week, not the weekend. For example, if New Year's Day occurs on a Sunday, collection will be on your normal day of Monday or Tuesday. If New Year's Day occurs on Monday, Monday collection will move to Tuesday, and Tuesday collection will occur on Wednesday. But if a holiday falls Wednesday - Sunday, collection will still occur on the normal days on Monday and Tuesday.

Collection options

Residents can choose to use bags & stickers or sign up for the cart service.

Bags, Stickers, & Bundles

Compost It! branded bags or stickers are required for curbside collection of yard waste. A Compost It! branded bag does not require an additional sticker, but a store-brand paper bag (such as Lowe's, Hy-Vee, or Yardmaster) do require a sticker.

Bundles of brush must be no more than 18 inches in diameter and no more than 4 feet long. Individual branches in bundles must be no more than 2 inches in diameter. Each bundle of brush needs a Compost It! sticker attached to it.

Bags or bundles may not exceed 40 pounds. Purchase bags and stickers online or at a local retailer.

Cart Service

For an upfront, one-time fee + annual collection subscription, residents can take advantage of the convenience of a 96-gallon cart for yard waste disposal. The 96-gallon cart can hold the equivalent of three yard waste bags. 

Sign-up with Metro Waste Authority or call 515-244-0021.

Annual Cart Renewal

Each year, residents pay for the upcoming season and receive a new sticker for the cart, indicating the service is current. The cost of the sticker covers the collection and processing costs. Existing customers can renew online. Stickers are mailed out for the season each February.

What's Accepted

• Grass clippings
• Leaves
• Garden waste
• Brush

What's Not Accepted

• Garbage
• Plastic bags
• Plastic flower pots
• Stumps
• Stone
• Concrete
• Building materials or other non-organic waste

Missing or Broken Carts

If your cart is lost, stolen, or broken, please call the Metro Waste Authority at 515-244-0021.

Missed Collection

If your pick-up is missed, or if you don't have a cart, please call the Metro Waste Authority at 515-244-0021.

Grow Gold Compost!

Made from local yard waste debris, Grow Gold Compost® promotes healthy, lush plant growth without the use of chemical fertilizers. It’s created on a nine-acre site, located at Metro Park East Landfill, from yard waste collected through the Compost It! program. Yard waste is ground once it arrives at the facility, then it's turned and maintained for nine to 12 months as it decomposes.

Finished compost is screened to 1/2 inch or less and then tested by a third party bi-monthly, except during winter months, and results are available for viewing. This can be used by everyone from home gardeners to professional landscapers.

Using compost adds nutrients to the soil, helps retain moisture, and reduces erosion. Plus, you’ll weed and water much less!

Grow Gold Compost is available for purchase from Metro Waste Authority.