West Des Moines trash & recycling schedule
Trash is picked up weekly; your day depends on your ZIP.
At a glance
| Trash | Weekly collection. All garbage in cart bagged; lid closed. Verified 2026-10-15 · wdm.iowa.gov |
|---|---|
| Curbside | Carts out no earlier than 5:00 p.m. day before and no later than 6:00 a.m. collection day; remove within 24 hours after pickup (Code 4-5-4(H)). Checklist Verified 2026-10-15 · wdm.iowa.gov |
| Recycling | MWA Curb It! Residential recycling — typically biweekly same weekday as garbage; day/zone via City Collection Day map + MWA tools. Verified 2026-10-15 · wdm.iowa.gov |
| Bulk | Oversized / extra solid waste with City-approved sticker in disposal bags ≤50 lb (Code 4-5-9); place curb/right-of-way 3–6 ft from carts per 4-5-4. Bulk page Verified 2026-10-15 · wdm.iowa.gov |
| Hauler | Metro Waste Authority (City of West Des Moines residential contract). |
| Contacts | MWA 515-244-0021; Water Works billing for service start. Verified 2026-10-15 · wdm.iowa.gov |
Curbside
Curbside checklist
City rules before collection day. Confirm with the city if anything looks off.
When
Carts out no earlier than 5:00 p.m. day before and no later than 6:00 a.m. collection day; remove within 24 hours after pickup (Code 4-5-4(H)).
Where
Curb; lid closed; extra/bulky stickered items 3–6 ft from carts/recycling; do not block travel lane improperly.
Limits
Cart capacity; stickered extras/bulky bags ≤50 lb; nonconforming containers left per Code 4-5-9.
Not allowed
Tricky Six recycling contaminants; unstickied extras; household hazardous waste via MWA programs not trash cart.
Bags
Required for garbage inside cart; bulky in approved disposal bags with stickers.
Verified 2026-10-15 · wdm.iowa.gov
Add curbside reminder to Google CalendarFind your pickup day
Verified 2026-10-15 · wdm.iowa.gov
Holidays
| Holiday | Date | Shift |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day 2026 | 2026-01-01 | — |
| Memorial Day 2026 | 2026-05-25 | — |
| Independence Day 2026 | 2026-07-04 | — |
| Labor Day 2026 | 2026-09-07 | — |
| Thanksgiving 2026 | 2026-11-26 | — |
| Christmas 2026 | 2026-12-25 | — |
Verified 2026-10-15 · wdm.iowa.gov
Private junk pickup
Same-week haul for furniture or a cleanout in West Des Moines. Not affiliated with Town Rulebook or your city — you book directly.
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Full details for West Des Moines: every rule, with sources
- Trash
- City provides garbage for SFH / duplex / triplex / 4-plex via West Des Moines Water Works billing; Metro Waste Authority (MWA) operates carts (515-244-0021 / whereitshouldgo.com). Weekly collection. All garbage in cart bagged; lid closed. Extra bags/boxes outside cart need MWA extra-trash stickers, placed ≥6 ft from cart.
- Recycling
- MWA Curb It! Residential recycling — typically biweekly same weekday as garbage; day/zone via City Collection Day map + MWA tools. Follow MWA accept list; avoid “Tricky Six” contaminants on city recycle guidance.
- Bulk pickup
- Oversized / extra solid waste with City-approved sticker in disposal bags ≤50 lb (Code 4-5-9); place curb/right-of-way 3–6 ft from carts per 4-5-4. Spring Cleanup week and appliance/tire drop-off events on 2026 Solid Waste Event Schedule (e.g. Spring Cleanup Jun 1–5 2026; appliance drop-offs Jun/Sep). Yard waste season Mar 30–Dec 4 2026 on normal trash day; winter yard/Christmas trees Dec–Jan windows published.
- Curbside: when
- Carts out no earlier than 5:00 p.m. day before and no later than 6:00 a.m. collection day; remove within 24 hours after pickup (Code 4-5-4(H)).
- Curbside: where
- Curb; lid closed; extra/bulky stickered items 3–6 ft from carts/recycling; do not block travel lane improperly.
- Curbside: limits
- Cart capacity; stickered extras/bulky bags ≤50 lb; nonconforming containers left per Code 4-5-9.
- Curbside: brush
- Yard waste on seasonal curbside rules (MWA/city yard-waste pages) — paper/kraft as required; Christmas trees in winter collection windows.
- Curbside: not allowed
- Tricky Six recycling contaminants; unstickied extras; household hazardous waste via MWA programs not trash cart.
- Curbside: bags
- Required for garbage inside cart; bulky in approved disposal bags with stickers.
- Curbside: fees and fines
- Specific citation dollars not listed on garbage-collection HTML.
- Holidays
- New Year's Day 2026 (2026-01-01): shift not yet confirmed
- Memorial Day 2026 (2026-05-25): shift not yet confirmed
- Independence Day 2026 (2026-07-04): shift not yet confirmed
- Labor Day 2026 (2026-09-07): shift not yet confirmed
- Thanksgiving 2026 (2026-11-26): shift not yet confirmed
- Christmas 2026 (2026-12-25): shift not yet confirmed
Not yet confirmed. Check your city.
- Hauler
- Metro Waste Authority (City of West Des Moines residential contract)
- Contacts
- MWA 515-244-0021; Water Works billing for service start
- Find your day
- Collection Day Map / MWA whereitshouldgo
- Sources
- Trash and recycling: wdm.iowa.gov
Bulk: wdm.iowa.gov
Holidays: wdm.iowa.gov
Curbside: wdm.iowa.gov - Verified
- 2026-10-15
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