Composting (Food Scraps & Yard Waste)

Compost Food Scraps and Yard Waste

The City of Dubuque offers curbside composting services. Residents who receive City solid waste services can place food scraps and yard waste at the curb to be collected and transported to the DMASWA’s composting facility.

Regular weekly collection of yard waste and food scraps occur from the beginning of April until the end of November. During that time, collections are made on a customer's regular collection day with no appointment required. Starting in December, all yard waste must be scheduled by appointment to be collected on the normal collection day.

What Can Be Composted?

Curbside Composting

Compost Self-Load BunkerFinished Compost

Residents looking for small quantities of compost (less than 1 cubic yard) can utilize self-load bunkers. There is no fee for residents self-loading small quantities from the bunkers.

Self-Load Bunker Locations

  • Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency Landfill 
    • 101 Airborne Rd., Dubuque, IA 52003
  • Dubuque Municipal Services Center - Fuel Station 
    • 925 Kerper Ct., Dubuque, IA 52001

Larger amounts of compost can also be requested by appointment for $30 per cubic yard on the DMASWA website.

Leaf Rake OutLeaf Rake-Out Appointments 

The City offers leaf rake-out collections by appointment each fall. Rake-out appointments are currently closed. Acceptable items in the leaf rake-out include loose leaves, pine needles, and pine cones. Grass, brush, plants, and rocks are not accepted.

Rake-Out Instructions

  1. Schedule an appointment before raking leaves into the street. 
    NOTE: Appointments should NOT be scheduled on the same day of the week as the customer's regular weekly curbside collection.
  2. Leaf piles should be placed in the street at the curb no sooner than the day before the scheduled appointment. 
  3. Crews cannot enter private property or alleys to collect a leaf rake-out.
  4. Vehicles must not be parked on the street within 10 feet of the leaf pile. 
  5. Utilities such as fire hydrants, utility boxes, or storm sewer catch basins should not be covered. 
  6. A $20 charge is added to the utility bill for an equivalent of 40 leaf bags. An additional charge will be applied for more than a 40-bag equivalent.
  7. Schedule an appointment for a leaf rake-out online or call 563-589-4250.

Mulching Your Leaves

An alternative to raking and bagging your leaves each fall is to mulch them by mowing them into your yard. This is a great eco-friendly solution for small amounts of leaves that adds nutrients to the soil and is beneficial to your lawn. Leaves can also be mulched and spread across garden beds to provide protective cover that will break down into nutrients by spring.

Christmas Trees (Merry Mulch)

The City collects Christmas trees the first two weeks of January. Only natural non flocked Christmas trees under 8 feet will be collected. Trees must be placed at the curb with a yellow yard waste sticker attached.