Dubuque Residents Receive “Tipper Cart” Trash Bins Starting Today

According to the City of Dubuque Public Works Department, citywide distribution of 35-gallon trash tipper carts begins today, starting with Monday collection route customers.

All customers who do not yet have a City-issued tipper cart will receive a cart.  Deliveries to Monday collection route customers will continue until all customers have received a cart, which is estimated to take 7 to 10 working days.

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Once all Monday customers have received their carts, deliveries to Tuesday collection route customers will begin, estimated to start around April 12th; followed by Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday customers. Updates on the delivery schedule and status will be provided as each week day is completed. The City hopes that in switching to tipper carts it will improve efficiency in curbside collections and enhance safety for staff.

"Becoming a full-cart city has so many great benefits, and we can’t wait to provide a quality City-issued trash cart to all our customers.”

-Jake Jansen, Resource Management Supervisor 

Customers will not be charged for the carts beyond the monthly collection fee. In addition, the City currently has one automated collection vehicle, but plans to add two more in the coming year, with additional trucks to be added as needed.

Each cart will contain instructions for residents on proper use. All carts will also be marked with the assigned address on the lid. Additional set-out instructions for customers who receive carts include:

• Place cart at curb or alley line by 6am on collection day.
• The arrows on the lid should point toward the street/alley.
• Place the cart two feet away from other containers and objects like parked cars, poles, trees, and mailboxes.
• Do not overfill your cart. (If your cart is filled to capacity, place excess trash in a bag with a green extra trash sticker and place next to the cart.)
• When snow is present, place the cart in a cleared, flat area.

Residents are encouraged to repurpose their old trash cans/containers whenever possible, like storage for yard and garden equipment, compost, rainwater collection, storage for pet supplies, sports equipment, or firewood. All that being said, collection crews will dispose of empty containers at no charge if customers set them out on their normal collection day and they are marked with “TAKE.”

Customers who wish to have a larger cart than the standard 35-gallon cart are encouraged to choose the appropriate size for their needs, so they do not receive a 35-gallon cart when deliveries are made to their neighborhood. Other cart options that cost more per month are: 48-gallon, 64-gallon, and 96-gallon.

To “right-size” your trash cart Dubuque customers can visit this website to complete a short form that includes details for each cart size. Residents can also call 563-589-4250 to request a larger cart. Those who request a cart larger than 35 gallons will receive it after July 1st when supplies are available.