City of Dubuque Seeks Resident Input on Food Scrap Recycling Program

All residents are encouraged to take a survey about the program, regardless of whether they currently participate.

The City's current food scrap recycling program has been in place for several years and currently has more than 500 customers. Food scraps, including items like leftover fruits and vegetables are collected and transported to a composting facility where they are recycled into nutrient-rich soil. The Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency then distributes the compost for gardening and landscaping. Dubuque is one of only a handful of cities in Iowa that offers a food scrap recycling program.

"We're very proud of our food scrap recycling program in the Public Works Department - it's a unique offering in Iowa," says Resource Management Supervisor Jake Jansen. "With only about three percent of Dubuque households participating, we're eager to explore what will inspire more residents to join the effort."

The program costs just $1 per month for residential curbside collection customers. Participating customers are provided with a 13-gallon cart to collect their food scraps. Food scraps are collected on the same day of the week as the customers' trash and recycling. Larger-sized carts are available for an additional monthly fee.

The survey will gauge residents' interest in and knowledge of the food scrap recycling program. Questions have also been included to help identify barriers toward additional participation, gaps in resident information about the program, and resident preferences for receiving additional information.

A link to the survey and additional information about the food scrap recycling program can be found by visiting www.cityofdubuque.org/FoodScraps