Author: Winneshiek Waste

Electronic & Scrap Metal Recycling Day

Winneshiek County Recycling is hosting an electronic and scrap metal recycling event on September 26th from 8:00 to 11:00 AM at the Winneshiek County Recycling Center. The address of the facility is:

2510 172nd Ave

Decorah, IA 52101

 

ITEMS ACCEPTED INCLUDE:

 

Televisions, computer monitors, computer towers, appliances, printers, cords and cables, and other electronic or metal items. We can accept most things with a cord. Some items such as appliances, televisions, and monitors require a recycling fee.

 

These materials can also be brought to the Recycling Center during regular business hours (6:00 AM to 3:00 PM Monday through Friday), but the September 26th event provides a convenient option for those who cannot make it during the week.

 

Payment is currently accepted by cash or check only. Checks should be made payable to Winneshiek County Recycling.

 

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO RECYCLE SCRAP METAL?

 

Recycling scrap metal is good for both the environment and our local community. Metals such as steel and aluminum can be recycled and used to make new products, reducing the need to extract and process new raw materials. Recycling metal also saves energy and keeps valuable materials out of the landfill.

 

There is also a financial benefit to recycling metal locally. Winneshiek County Recycling receives revenue from the sale of recyclable metals, and that revenue goes back into the County’s General Fund. Landfilling these items also has a cost, so by recycling them, you are not paying a tipping fee and taking up air space in the Landfill.

 

For more information about accepted items and fees, visit winneshiekwaste.com or contact Winneshiek County Recycling. We’re happy to help!

 

Thanks for helping us keep valuable materials out of the landfill! We hope to see you on September 26th!

 

This picture contains a list of items that we charge for when they are dropped off at Winneshiek County Recycling.

 

A QUICK REMINDER ABOUT PLASTIC RECYCLING!

Winneshiek County Recycling is now accepting #5 plastics (polypropylene) in addition to the #1 and #2 plastics we have accepted in the past.

In summary, this means we are currently taking HARD plastics stamped with a #1, #2, or #5. We DO NOT accept any soft plastics (plastic bags) at this time. Please reuse plastic bags or put them in your garbage. Some grocery stores might be able to accept plastic bags.

We also have an update about plastic bottle caps:

CAPS CAN NOW BE LEFT ON PLASTIC BOTTLES!

Here’s how to prepare your containers:

– NO Iowa 5 cent deposit? Remove the cap, flatten the bottle, and then put the cap back on. Flattening the bottle helps remove air and allows for better compaction when we bale the plastic.

– Iowa 5 cent deposit? DO NOT SMASH OR FLATTEN THE CONTAINER. Leave the cap on and keep the container intact so it can be handled as a deposit container.

–CAN’T RECYCLE THE BOTTLE? If you’re somewhere that only has trash cans available, such as an event or venue, please remove the cap before throwing the bottle away. Bottles with caps on can trap air and eventually work their way to the surface of a landfill. When this happens, landfill staff have to bury them again.

–MOST IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE ALL CONTAINERS ARE EMPTY! Please empty bottles and containers completely before placing them in your recycling bin.

Thank you, and please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions!

NEW PLASTIC RECYCLING UPDATE!

We are excited to announce that our facility is now officially accepting hard plastics stamped with a #5!

This is in addition to the hard plastics we already accept with a #1 and #2 stamp.

WHAT ARE #5 PLASTICS?
#5 plastics are made from polypropylene (PP). Some common examples include:

-Yogurt, sour cream, and cottage cheese containers
-Reusable food storage containers
-Margarine and butter tubs
-Some takeout/food containers
-Some plastic cups
-Some small plastic tubs and containers

REMEMBER: LOOK FOR THE #5 RECYCLING SYMBOL ON THE ITEM TO MAKE SURE IT QUALIFIES.

Please make sure plastics are empty and clean before putting them in the bins.

Have questions about whether an item is recyclable? Please reach out to us. We’re happy to help!

Thanks for helping us keep valuable materials out of the landfill!

Decorah Recycling Collection Site Notice for Saturday, July 25

If possible, please avoid using the Decorah recycling containers on Goose Island Drive between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 25th, as the Nordic Fest Elvelopet Race finish line will be located in that area.
To help reduce traffic and keep participants safe, we encourage you to recycle before or after those hours, or use one of our other recycling locations if needed.
Thank you for your patience and for helping make the event a success! If you have any questions, please reach out to us.

Help Prevent Fires: Keep Rechargeable Batteries Out of Trash and Recycling Bins

Rechargeable batteries are becoming more common in everyday items such as phones, power tools, laptops, toys, and e-bikes. While convenient, these batteries can become extremely dangerous if they are thrown into trash or recycling containers.

When rechargeable batteries are crushed or damaged during collection or processing, they can ignite and cause serious fires, putting employees, equipment, and facilities at risk.

To help keep our community and staff safe, please do not place rechargeable batteries in your trash or recycling containers. Instead, bring them directly to the Winneshiek County Recycling Center and hand them to a member of our recycling team. This ensures they are handled safely and recycled properly.

Rechargeable batteries are accepted at the Winneshiek County Recycling Center Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Thank you for helping protect our employees, our equipment, and our community by recycling rechargeable batteries the safe way.

Winneshiek County Recycling 2025 Commodity Tonnage

Did you know that our recycling center processed 1,439 tons of cardboard in 2025? That amount made up nearly 60% of the 2,407 tons of recyclable material we collected last year. Curious what else made up that 2,407 tons? Here is a graph of the various commodities. In order to obtain this data, each of these materials had to be sorted. That is why we rely on you to sort your waste products. Thanks for supporting our operation, and again, don’t hesitate to reach out with questions!

Clustered bar graph displaying tonnage of each commodity processed by Winneshiek County Recycling in 2025

Electronics & Scrap Metal Collection Event Recap

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our Electronics & Scrap Metal Recycling Event this past Saturday! Because of the support from our community, we were able to responsibly collect and recycle a large amount of material that may have otherwise ended up in a the landfill.
Here’s a look at some of the items collected during the event:
47 TVs
21 Dehumidifiers
12 Computer Monitors
10 Microwaves
7 Air Conditioning Units
7 Refrigerators/Freezers
6 Washers/Dryers
2 Stoves/Ovens
Total: 112 units
We also received a lot of scrap metal and other small units.
Events like this help keep valuable metals out of the landfill while ensuring electronics and appliances are handled safely and responsibly. We appreciate everyone who took the time to clean out unwanted items and support recycling efforts in our community!
Couldn’t attend the event and still need to recycle electronics or appliances? No worries! We accept all these items during our normal business hours! We are open Monday to Friday from 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Thank you again for making the event such a success!

Electronics & Scrap Metal Recycling Day

We are excited to announce that Winneshiek County Recycling and Winneshiek Energy District are hosting an electronics and scrap metal collection event on Saturday, May 16th from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the Winneshiek County Recycling Center! Our address is:
2510 172nd Ave
Decorah, IA 52101
Please see the attached flyer for more information. We hope to see you there! Remember, you can recycle any of these items during our normal business hours (6 am to 3 pm M-F), but this is your chance to do it over the weekend!
Information about the electronic and scrap metal collection event and includes a list of items we can take.

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