Nourish any plant growing in your yard or garden, and improve soil health with the use of compost made at the Iowa City Landfill!

Compost can be used as a soil supplement in flower beds, vegetable gardens, lawns, planting a new tree or shrub, and seed starting mixtures, and the City has plenty for sale right now.

Where is compost made locally?

The Iowa City Landfill’s Compost Facility (3900 Hebl Ave. SW) receives about 13,500 tons of yard waste and food waste from across Johnson County every year. The facility produces about 3,000 tons of compost for sale each year, and about 1,700 tons of wood chips.

The facility is permitted by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to process up to 15,000 tons of organic material annually and is in the process of expanding the facility to accept more material for composting.

As part of the compost facility expansion, funded in part by the EPA’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program, the Landfill is encouraging residents and businesses to purchase compost now while it is available and to assist in making room for the spatial transitions needed for the expansion construction. 

Where do I get Iowa City Community Compost?

• Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center:
• For large quantities, staff can load a truck or trailer. For small quantities, please take containers and a shovel to self-load. Compost at the Landfill is $20/ton, with a $2 minimum.
• East Side Recycling Center (small quantities only, please):
• Customer must provide container and must hand-load compost. Compost at East Side is $0.50 per five-gallons. Pay via the ParkMobile app (48212) or by cash at ReStore during its regular business hours. 

How do I use compost? 

According to the EPA, you can add compost to your flower and vegetable beds, window boxes, and container gardens; incorporate it into tree beds; mix it with potting soil for indoor plants; or spread it on top of the soil in your yard.

Compost can be used as a soil amendment or as a mulch. As a soil amendment, mix in two to four inches of compost into the top six to nine inches of your soil. As a mulch, loosen the top two to three inches of soil and add a three-inch layer of compost on the surface, a few inches away from plant stems and tree trunks. Please visit the EPA’s website for more information.