Cedar Rapids Today

The Palo City Council gathered on March 20 where they heard updates from the Rapid Linn County Solid Waste Agency about changes they will be making in the coming months, which includes various rate increase.

Communications Director Joe Horaney spoke with the council, saying the disposal rates will increase July 1 this year. They will go up to $45 per ton, which is an increase of $3 per ton. The minimum disposal charge will be $22 and there will be a flat fee of $12 for cars dropping off loads, and $15 for SUVs and minivans. Pickups and full-size vans will be $20 per load. Horaney said one of the major things the agency is looking to tackle is food waste.

“Last summer, the state of Iowa did a waste study,” Horaney said. “They went to 11 landfills across Iowa, including ours. It went in and they broke down the waste into 80 different categories that literally took out representative samples of every truck coming in, broke it up, took the garbage out, went through it, identified it. And across the state of Iowa from the biggest landfills, you know, metro, Iowa City to some of the smaller ones. Food waste makes up 20 to 25% of all the garbage that gets thrown away in Iowa. Linn County comes out to about 22%.”

Yard waste fees are scheduled to increase $2 per ton up to $20 per ton, with a $10 drop off minimum fee. Commercial recycling will increase up to $90 per ton, which is most used by public works departments of cities. There will be no charge to drip off recycling like paper, plastic, cardboard and glass. Appliances are set at $10 per unit and tires stay at $3 per tire. There will be no charge for scrap metal, batteries or sharps from residents. They will also continue to accept electronics and household cleaning supply waste from residents.

Horaney encouraged the city and its residents to use the curbside pickup for normal trash runs, as it will be cheaper than dropping off. He expressed his excitement in expanding operations and being more open to the public after the pandemic. Horaney said they will be opening up school tours again, as well.

Horaney told the city council that they have free compost and cheap wood chips available to residents who can load their trailers with however much they want, which is just in time for the landscaping season.