Trash and recycling in Grimes: who picks it up, on what day, and what it costs.

One of the first things you need in a new house is the trash day. Here is how collection works in Grimes, with the real prices and the places to take what does not fit in the cart.

Collection days

The Curb It! magnets with the 2026 calendar, which show recycling "lid weeks" and holiday delays, are available at City Hall. MWA lists Grimes recycling as a black lid week, and the sticker on your cart lid tells you which weeks to put it out. Recycling carts are green. Keep 3 feet between the recycling cart, the garbage cart, and any yard bags so the truck arm can grab them, and in snow, set carts in the driveway, not the street.

Holidays: the city says collection is delayed one day for New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas when they fall during the week. For example, a Monday holiday moves Monday pickup to Tuesday and Tuesday pickup to Wednesday, while a holiday that lands Wednesday through Sunday leaves Monday and Tuesday pickup alone. Delays are also announced on grimesiowa.gov.

How to start service and what it costs

Trash and recycling are billed with your monthly water bill, so you start service by setting up a city utility account, not by calling the hauler. Use the online service request or call Grimes City Hall (101 NE Harvey St, 515-986-3036). Under the rates effective July 1, 2026, garbage and recycling is $17.50 a month and an additional garbage cart is $12.37 a month. Our utilities guide has the full rate list.

More than fits in the cart

• Extra bags: an extra trash sticker is $1 per bag, sold at City Hall, local retailers, and online.
• Large items: put them at the curb with a $5 large trash sticker.
• Appliances: either haul them to Metro Park East Landfill in Mitchellville (smaller items can go to the Metro Hazardous Waste Drop-Off in Bondurant), where recycling an appliance is $15, or buy seven large item stickers and call MWA at 515-244-0021 to schedule a curbside pickup.

Leaves, brush, and limbs

• Compost It! curbside: picked up on your regular trash day from the first full week of April through the last week of November, plus two weeks after Christmas. Use Compost It! bags or stickers (bags and bundles up to 40 pounds), or subscribe to a 96-gallon yard waste cart through MWA.
• Brush bundles: no more than 4 feet long and 18 inches across, with branches under 2 inches thick, each with a sticker.
• Log & Limb: for bigger piles, call Public Works at 515-986-9636. The city hauls limbs on the 1st and 3rd Fridays from April 1 to December 1 for $50 per dump truck trip, payment due beforehand.
• Fall drop-off: the city announced a yard waste drop-off at Public Works, 1700 SE Destination Dr, starting November 14. Check grimesiowa.gov for the dates and times.

Cardboard, batteries, and hazardous waste

• Cardboard dumpsters: 1700 SE Destination Dr and 901 NE Main St, open 24 hours a day for cardboard only. Break boxes down.
• Batteries and electronics: a drop box at City Hall takes alkaline and button batteries, electronics with rechargeable batteries, and cords, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Household hazardous waste: a drop-off at MWA's Metro Northwest Transfer Station in Grimes is open the second Saturday of each month, March through December, 8 a.m. to noon, for up to 75 pounds at no charge. Houseside collection is $25 per collection.

Grimes trash and recycling: FAQ

Who picks up trash in Grimes, Iowa?

Metro Waste Authority (MWA) collects trash, recycling, and yard waste in Grimes. Service is billed through the City of Grimes on your monthly water bill, and MWA's number for missed pickups is 515-244-0021.

What day is trash pickup in Grimes?

Trash is picked up weekly on Monday if you live south of Highway 44 (1st Street) and on Tuesday if you live north of it. Recycling is collected every other week on the same day.

How much is garbage service in Grimes?

Under the city's rates effective July 1, 2026, garbage and recycling is $17.50 a month, and an additional garbage cart is $12.37 a month. It is billed with your water bill.

How do I start trash service in Grimes?

Set up a city utility account using the online service request or by calling Grimes City Hall at 515-986-3036. Trash and recycling are included when you set up your water bill.

What do I do with extra trash, large items, or an appliance in Grimes?

Extra bags need a $1 sticker and large items a $5 sticker. Appliances can be hauled to Metro Park East Landfill ($15 to recycle) or picked up at the curb with seven large item stickers after you call MWA at 515-244-0021.

Where can I drop off cardboard, batteries, or hazardous waste in Grimes?

Cardboard-only dumpsters at 1700 SE Destination Dr and 901 NE Main St are open 24 hours a day. Batteries and electronics go in the drop box at City Hall, and household hazardous waste is accepted the second Saturday of each month, March through December, at the Metro Northwest Transfer Station in Grimes.