City of Dubuque’s Weekly Organics Collection Starts April 6th

Spring is here, and that means yard work is on the schedule. The City of Dubuque will resume its weekly curbside organics collection on Monday, April 6th, 2026. This service makes it easier for residents to get rid of yard debris and food scraps without extra trips to the landfill.

Organics will be picked up on your regular curbside collection day, and no appointment is needed. There are several ways to set out your yard waste. You can use a 35-gallon rigid container with a yellow single-use yard debris sticker or the city’s 2026 annual yard debris decal. If you have a city-issued organics tipper cart, you can use that as well. Those tipper carts come in 13-gallon and 64-gallon sizes.

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If you have brush or limbs, you can bundle them with City of Dubuque brush ties and attach a yellow single-use sticker. Limbs should be no larger than three inches in diameter and no longer than five feet. Yard debris can also go in brown paper yard debris bags with a yellow sticker. Bags should be used for yard debris only and not include food scraps.

Yellow stickers are available at City Hall, 50 W. 13th St., and many local grocery and hardware stores. Residents who need a city-issued organics cart or a 2026 annual yard debris decal can visit City Hall, go online, or call 563-589-4144.

Remember, organics should not be placed in plastic bags and must be kept separate from trash. Collections must be set out by 6 AM. Containers or bundles cannot weigh more than 40 pounds.

The city also offers a free tool called “ReThink Waste Dubuque”. It helps residents remember trash, recycling, and organics days, stay informed about schedule changes, and learn what can and cannot be recycled.

Even better, once it's all composted, residents can feel free to reuse it. If you're looking for small quantities of compost (less than 1 cubic yard) citizens can utilize self-load bunkers. There is no fee for residents self-loading small quantities from the bunkers located here:

• 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 even be requested by appointment for $30 per cubic yard on the DMASWA website.

Dubuque is making spring cleanup easier than ever: make sure your organics are ready for collection starting April 6th.