The City of Cedar Rapids Solid Waste & Recycling Division uses a pay-as-you-throw program to make sure 
the cost of waste disposal is fairly distributed across households.
Pay-As-You-Throw
Every customer is allotted one 35-gallon GARBY cart. You must bag your garbage and place the bag in your cart for collection. If you have more garbage than will fit in your GARBY, you will need to purchase an extra garbage sticker for each additional item.
Residents can add an extra GARBY cart to their collection services. There is a one-time charge of $50.24 to establish the service, and an ongoing monthly fee of $9.45 which is added to the customer's utility bill. To add a second GARBY cart, call the Solid Waste & Recycling Division at 319-286-5897. Customers must be enrolled in our automatic bill payment program in order to receive a second GARBY. Please note: additional GARBY carts remain property of the City of Cedar Rapids and are NOT owned by the customer.
Automated Garbage
The Cedar Rapids Solid Waste & Recycling Division uses a fully automated garbage collection system in order to reduce worker injury and staffing needs. In order to help ensure collection is safe and efficient, customers should leave 3 feet between their GARBY, YARDY and CURBY carts and any other objects like mailboxes or utility poles.
How to use GARBY
- You can put up to 100 pounds of bagged garbage in the GARBY cart each week.
- Garbage carts must be acquired through Solid Waste & Recycling; residents may not use personal cans.
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Leave 3 feet between GARBY and other objects.
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All garbage must be bagged before placing it in GARBY for collection.
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Extra garbage must be placed in a 35-gallon, 40 pound or less, bag with an extra garbage sticker attached. Extra garbage can be placed on top of the GARBY cart with the sticker clearly visible from the street or next to the GARBY cart.
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Use the GARBY cart even if you only have a small bag of garbage each week.
