Recycling

Blue recycling bins are available at Great River Regional Waste Authority, 2092 303rd Avenue in Fort Madison. Once service has been started with the Water Department and you receive your first water bill, take it to GRRWA to receive a free bin. Any additional bins are $7.00. Utilizing old garbage cans is accepted as well, as long as it displays a large blue rectangle with 'recycling' in white letters.

Recycling trash canRecycling Bin

Acceptable Recycling Items

  • Cardboard - Cardboard includes cardboard boxes, brown paper sacks, cereal boxes (remove all liners), chipboard, beverage containers, and pizza boxes. Brown corrugated cardboard must be broken down and put underneath the recycling bin. All other cardboard is to be broken down and placed in the bottom of the recycling bin. Any boxes not broken down will not be picked up on the residential recycling route.
  • Newspapers and Magazines - Newspapers, advertising supplements, unwanted residential mail, magazines, catalogs, phone books and paperback books are all acceptable. Please remove all plastic wrap around magazines and catalogs. Do not bind newsprint or magazines. All recyclable paper must be placed in the bottom of recycle bin.
  • Office Paper - Computer, typing, writing and photocopy paper, envelopes, and file folders are all recyclable. Do not bind or tie. All paper products must be placed in the bottom of recycle bin.
  • Plastic Bottles and Jugs - Plastics accepted for recycling are #1 through #7. Check the bottom of the container for the recycling logo. The number identifying the type of plastic is inside the logo (i.e. food containers, milk jugs, detergent bottles, yogurt containers, soda, juice and water bottles, shampoo bottles, butter containers, bleach jugs, pet containers). All plastic must be placed in recycling bin on top of paper product.
  • Tin Cans - All tin and aluminum cans are acceptable. They must be empty. Place in recycle bin on top of paper product.

All residential recycling must be loose in bin and broken down cardboard under the bin.

Unacceptable Recycling Items

If non-recyclables are in the recycling bin, it will not be picked up. Any product left in plastic bags will not be picked up. Unacceptable items include:

  • Carbon paper, blueprint paper, film, photographs or anything with a spiral binder or fastener
  • Glass
    • Glass (bottles, jars, containers) can be left at the 24-hour recycling drop off site on GRRWA property or at the city's glass collection site at 22nd Street and Avenue L (west of Elmwood Cemetery)
    • If glass is left on curb for residential pick-up, it will be left on the curb
  • Plastic bags
  • Plastic toys, dishes, waste cans, laundry baskets, buckets, etc.
  • Styrofoam, food waste, toys, insulation, house siding, clothes, or household trash of any kind
  • Syringes (hypodermic needles) or medical equipment of any kind
    • You can obtain syringe containers and drop off full containers at the GRRWA offices at 2092 303rd Avenue (across from Tri-State Rodeo Arena)

More Information

2023 Recycling/Yard Waste/Holiday Trash Schedule.

For further information please contact 372-7700.