Local Guidelines
Cities across the United States, and even across Iowa, have slightly different recycling rules. The key to a successful, sustainable recycling program is to recycle the correct items, reducing the amount of contamination (garbage) that winds up in sorting facilities.
What makes something recyclable? There are two primary elements:
- A manufacturer has a demand for the product and the ability to reuse it.
- The recycling sorting facility has a process to separate the material from the others.
When these factors align, residents can recycle product in their curbside bins or at a local drop-off facility. As the industry and technology evolves, new materials may be accepted. For this reason, it's important to stay up-to-date on your local recycling guidelines.
Learn where, when and how >
America Recycles Day partners with Earth 911 to provide a recycling locator. Use it to find out how to recycle in your community.
Contact your Local Landfill >
The local landfill is one of the best resources to determine what is recyclable and what belongs in the garbage. If they don't manage the recycling program in your area, they can point you in the right direction.
Learn about Iowa's Bottle Bill > Iowa's Beverage Containers Control Law, also known as the "Bottle Bill," helps reduce and clean up litter by recovering beverage containers for recycling.