Refuse & Recycling

Refuse

The City of Fairfield has contracted Waste Management (2026 Libertyville Rd) to provide curbside residential trash and recycling pick up. Household garbage must be placed by the curb and be in appropriate sized containers in order to be picked up.

Trash guidelines:

  • Everyone is allowed to place out for garbage pickup each week two (2) 33 gallon or smaller bags or cans, not to exceed a 40-pound weight limit to any can or bag.
  • Each additional can or bag (anything over two [2]) must have the "Jefferson County Waste Reduction Tag" attached to it. Place label on the handle of the can or on the bag. Do Not use the labels as bag ties.

Recycling

Single Stream Recycling is a convenient recycling opportunity that helps each of us recycle more materials, reduce the amount of trash we throw away, and help the environment, all at the same time.

Clean plastic bags may be recycled at the front entrances of Hy-Vee and Walmart.

How it Works

  • Place all your clean acceptable recyclables together in this cart, including newspapers, magazines, junk mail, cardboard, and chipboard. Rinse clean plastic bottles and jugs along with aluminum and metal cans. Mix paper and containers together.
  • Recycling collection service will be every other week. The new 96 gallon cart stores a high volume of material, therefore, the recycling truck will only need to service your neighborhood every other week. Each one of us will be able to recycle 2,496 gallons of recycling annually.
  • Please keep the recycling cart three (3) feet away from your trash bags, cans and other objects like mailboxes and cars, trees, and signs.
  • Your every-other week recycling collection will be on the same day as trash collection.
  • For questions, please contact Waste Management at 641-472-2952 or visit their Facebook page.
  • Rates effective July 1, 2023 are $8.78 / month for trash and $4.78 / month for recycling; this is scheduled to increase 3.5% on July 1st 2024.  There is also an inflation surcharge of $1.55 per account due to inflation increases and fuel rates.

Other Options

Connelly Recycling (2069 W Gear Ave.) will accept the following items to be dropped off free: appliances, electronic, scrap metals, light bulbs, small batteries and normal recyclables, as well as the following chemicals: oil based paint, paint thinner, oven or brass cleaner, drain cleaners, lawn chemicals, any & all toxic products, and partial/full aerosol cans.  

Connelly’s will also accept the following items for a fee: chairs, couches, mattresses, TV’s, toilets, fluorescent tubes, larger batteries, tires (both on-rim & off), oil, latex paint - please call 641-469-3188 for prices and hours.

2023 Holiday Refuse/Recycling Schedule

Waste Management observes the holidays below.  When your collection falls on or after one of these holidays, your pickup will be delayed by one day for that week only.

  • New Years Day: Sunday, January 1 - No delay
  • Memorial Day: Monday, May 29
  • Independence Day: Tuesday, July 4
  • Labor Day: Monday, September 4
  • Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 23
  • Christmas Day: Monday, December 25

Yard Waste

Yard and garden waste, such as grass clippings and leaves (no brush or limbs), must be separated out of the regular trash. Use biodegradable yard waste 30-gallon bags only, and place a "refuse only" sticker on each bag to be picked up. These Yard Waste bags should be placed on the curb in front of the residence, but no closer than 3 feet from the household trash, and they will be picked up on the same day as regular trash pickup. The yard and garden waste is taken to the city compost site, not the landfill.

Small amounts of brush will be picked up if bundles in lengths of no more than 36 inches long and no more than 18 inches in diameter. Individual limbs must be no more than 4 inches in diameter and all bundles are limited to no more than 40 pounds.

Compost Site at S 20th St. & Jackson Ave.

The City currently offers a composting service site to home owners within City limits for disposal of brush, grass and garden waste.  The purpose of the compost site is to be a place for homeowners to deposit yard waste from their residential property.  Rules are as follows:

  • For residential use only
  • Yard waste only - No trash
  • No railroad ties
  • Place items in proper place
  • NO contractors are allowed to bring in / unload any material

Please report any abuse to 641-472-4146.

NOTE:  This is a service for residents, contractors are not allowed to dump / unload in the City's compost site.  

Anyone may pick up mulch on their own at anytime or the streets department will load trucks on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays during the months April through November at 3:00 PM as long as there is a customer.

Burning

Burning of yard waste, leaves, and brush is allowed during the daylight hours only, in the months of April, October, and November on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only. Such burning is allowable only when wind conditions are appropriate and must be contained and supervised at all times. Burning is not allowed in streets or alleys. Burning of trash and household garbage and scrap building materials is not allowed.