Muscatine and Fruitland residents can now recycle cardboard and co-mingled items as part of the recycling program at the Muscatine transfer station. The expansion began Tuesday, December 14. Acceptable items like paper and cardboard should be flattened, and co-mingled recycling should be rinsed and not contain food or liquids. Co-mingled items include glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles and jugs and aluminum and steels cans. Styrofoam, plastic bags, food waste, batteries and electronics and bagged recyclables are not accepted. A drop-off area for food waste is at the orange bin located outside of the entrance of the recycling center.
“Individuals with plastic bags to recycle need to contact one of the local grocery stores who have a program to recycle the plastic bags,” Dave Popp, Solid Waste Manager for the City of Muscatine, said. “Plastic bags are not accepted in our recycling program because they can potentially damage the machines that separate the recycled material.”
Those who want to drop off recyclables inside the recycling drop-off center should park in the area reserved for customer parking and check in at the transfer station office to complete the recycling drop-off center form. The center will be open during the transfer station operating hours, weekdays from 7:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. until noon. The drop-off area is funded as part of the monthly trash and recycling fee that residents pay each month as part of their Muscatine Power and Water (MPW) bill.