Buena Vista County Solid Waste & Recycle Center

06/24/2026

🔥 Rechargeable Batteries DO NOT Belong in the Garbage! 🔥

Please help us prevent fires and keep our community safe by never throwing rechargeable batteries, including lithium-ion batteries, in your household trash.

When these batteries are crushed, punctured, or damaged in garbage trucks, transfer stations, or landfills, they can spark and start dangerous fires. These fires put garbage truck drivers, transfer station employees, landfill workers, equipment, and facilities at risk.

Rechargeable batteries can be found in many everyday items, including:
🔋 Cell phones
🔋 Power tools
🔋 Laptops and tablets
🔋 E-bikes and scooters
🔋 Rechargeable household devices

The good news? Battery recycling at BV Recycle Center is FREE!

By bringing your rechargeable batteries to us for proper recycling, you're helping:
✅ Prevent dangerous fires
✅ Protect workers and equipment
✅ Keep harmful materials out of the environment
✅ Recover valuable materials that can be reused

We hope to mitigate future fires at our transfer station and help protect everyone involved in hauling and managing our community's waste.

❓ Questions?
📩 Message us here on Facebook
📞 Call us at 712-732-7171
📍 Stop by our office at 1263 630th St, Storm Lake, IA

Hours:
🕢 Monday–Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

🌿 Yard Waste Area:
Open during regular business hours, weather permitting.

🌿 Seasonal Extended Yard Waste Hours:
• Monday & Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Saturday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Thank you for helping keep Buena Vista County safe!

06/22/2026

♻️ **Out with the old, in with the new!**

Upgrading your equipment this season? Before you toss those old items, remember; many of them qualify as **metal recycling** and can be disposed of **for FREE** in our designated roll-off!

🚜 Buying a new mower?
❄️ Replacing a snowblower?
🏃 Upgrading your treadmill?
🍔 Swapping out your old BBQ grill?

Bring your old metal items to the BV Recycle Center and place them in our metal recycling roll-off—no charge!

⚠️ **Please note:** Appliances are **NOT** considered metal recycling and are handled separately.

❓ Not sure what’s considered “metal recycling”? Just contact us using any of the methods below—we’re happy to help!

Let’s keep reusable materials out of the landfill and give them a second life. ♻️

📍 1263 630th St, Storm Lake, Iowa
📞 712-732-7171
💬 Message us right here on Facebook

🕒 Regular Hours:
Monday–Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

🌿 Yard Waste Area:
Open during regular hours (weather permitting)

🌱 Seasonal Extended Yard Waste Hours:
Monday & Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

06/21/2026

Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing dads out there! 💙

This year, celebrate Dad while also caring for the planet 🌎 with a few sustainable gift ideas and activities:

🌿 Build something together using reclaimed or recycled materials
🚲 Go for a family bike ride or enjoy the outdoors
🛠️ Fix or refurbish something instead of replacing it
♻️ Help Dad clean out the garage and recycle unused items
🌳 Plant a tree or start a garden together

Making memories doesn’t have to create waste; sometimes the best gifts are time, creativity, and care for our environment.

Stop by The BV Recycle Center to help make your Father’s Day a little greener!

📍 1263 630th St, Storm Lake, Iowa
📞 712-732-7171
💬 Message us right here on Facebook

🕒 Regular Hours:
Monday–Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

🌿 Yard Waste Area:
Open during regular hours (weather permitting)

🌱 Seasonal Extended Yard Waste Hours:
Monday & Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Wishing all the dads a relaxing and eco-friendly Father’s Day! 🌱

06/17/2026

🌪️ Storm Cleanup Update – BV Recycle Center 🌪️

Due to the recent storm, we want to remind Buena Vista County residents that brush may be brought to the BV Recycle Center at no charge 🌿

✅ Accepted for FREE (Residential Only):

Must come from your own home
Must be hauled by the resident

📏 Brush Requirements (per our contracted grinder):

No longer than 4 feet
No larger than 12 inches in diameter

❗ Please Note:

Businesses will be charged
If someone else is hauling the brush for you, standard fees will apply
Businesses and haulers must come during normal business hours only

🕒 Hours:

Monday–Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
(Yard waste area is open during these hours)
Seasonal Extended Hours:

Monday & Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

📬 Questions?
Message us here on Facebook, call 712-732-7171, or stop by the office.
Stay safe, and thank you for helping keep our community clean! ♻️💚

06/15/2026

⚠️ **Important Safety Information: PCB Ballasts** ⚠️

Did you know some older light ballasts may contain **PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)**? These chemicals were commonly used in fluorescent light ballasts before 1979 and are now known to be hazardous to both human health and the environment.

🚫 **Why are PCBs dangerous?**
PCBs can leak from old or damaged ballasts and may cause skin irritation, long-term health effects, and environmental contamination if not handled properly.

🔍 **How to Identify and Handle Hazardous Ballasts:**

• **Age Check:** If the light fixture was installed before 1979, the ballast likely contains PCBs.

• **Label Inspection:** If the ballast is not specifically labeled “No PCBs,” assume it contains them.

• **Physical Damage:** Look for oily, black, or discolored residue on the ballast or inside the fixture—this may indicate a leak.

• **Safety Precaution:** If the ballast is leaking, do NOT touch it with bare hands. Use gloves, place it in a sealed plastic bag (double-bag if possible), and handle it as hazardous waste.

• **Disposal:** Never throw old ballasts in the trash.

♻️ **Buena Vista County residents:**
You can bring PCB ballasts to the BV Recycle Center for proper disposal (fees apply). We’ll make sure they’re handled safely and responsibly.

📍 1263 630th St, Storm Lake, Iowa
📞 712-732-7171
💬 Message us here on Facebook

🕒 Regular Hours:
Monday–Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

🌿 Yard Waste Area:
Open during regular hours (weather permitting)

🌱 Seasonal Extended Yard Waste Hours:
Monday & Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Help keep our community safe; when in doubt, dispose of hazardous materials the right way! 💚

06/08/2026

Did you know? 🌳 The average American uses the equivalent of 7 trees every year for paper, wood, and other everyday products.

That’s a powerful reminder of why recycling matters! By recycling paper, cardboard, and other plant-based products, we can help conserve natural resources, reduce waste, and protect our environment for future generations.

♻️ Let’s work together to make a difference, every item you recycle counts!

📍 Visit us at: 1263 630th St, Storm Lake, Iowa
📞 Call us: 712-732-7171
💬 Or message us right here on Facebook!

🕒 Regular Hours:
Monday–Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

🌿 Yard Waste Area:
Open during regular hours (weather permitting)

🌱 Seasonal Extended Yard Waste Hours:
Monday & Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Together, we can turn small actions into big impact! 💚

06/05/2026

🌍♻️ Happy World Environment Day from The BV Recycle Center! ♻️🌍

Today is a great reminder that small actions make a big difference. Whether you're recycling, composting, or properly disposing of yard waste, you're helping keep our community clean and green!

We’re here to help make it easy:
📍 Stop by: 1263 630th St, Storm Lake, Iowa
📞 Call us: 712-732-7171
💬 Contact us anytime on Facebook

🕒 Regular Hours:
Monday – Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

🌿 Yard Waste Area:
Open during regular hours (weather permitting)

🌱 Seasonal Extended Yard Waste Hours:
• Monday & Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Saturday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Let’s work together to protect our environment today and every day! 💚

06/01/2026

🌟 WE’RE HIRING — PART‑TIME SCALE ATTENDANT! 🌟
Buena Vista County Recycling Center & Solid Waste Agency

We’re looking for a dependable, friendly person to join our team as a Part‑Time Scale Attendant/Office Assistant. This position is opening due to a well‑earned retirement, and we’re excited to welcome someone new to our crew.

What you’ll do:
• Greet and assist customers at the scale
• Operate the scale system and process transactions
• Answer phones and provide basic information
• Help with light office tasks, cleaning and recordkeeping
• Support daily operations in a safe, team‑oriented environment

Schedule:
• Weekday daytime hours
• Occasional Saturday mornings

Who we’re looking for:
Someone reliable, customer‑service minded, comfortable with computers, and ready to learn.

This is an IPERS covered job.

📨 How to Apply:
Submit an application in person at our office or online at

Start your career at Buena Vista County Recycling.

06/01/2026

🔌♻️ Recycle Your Old Appliances the Right Way! ♻️🔌

Got an old refrigerator, microwave, or washing machine taking up space? Don’t toss it, recycle it!

Recycling appliances is important because:
🌍 It keeps harmful materials out of landfills and protects the environment
🔄 It allows valuable metals and parts to be reused
🏡 It helps keep our community clean and clutter-free

The good news? Recycling is easy! Just bring your appliance to the BV Recycle Center!

💲 Appliance recycling fee: $12 per item
(*Prices are subject to change*)

❓ Not sure if you’ve got an “appliance”? Contact us to get confirmation!

📍 Visit us: 1263 630th St, Storm Lake, Iowa
📞 Call: 712-732-7171
💬 Contact us on Facebook

🕒 Regular Hours:
Monday – Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

🌿 Yard Waste Area:
Open during regular hours (weather permitting)

🌱 Seasonal Extended Yard Waste Hours:
• Monday & Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Saturday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Do your part, recycle your appliances and help protect our environment! ♻️

05/28/2026

🚨 CITY CLEAN‑UP TICKET USERS — PLEASE READ 🚨
We are very busy today and likely tomorrow with residents trying to use their Clean‑Up tickets before they expire tomorrow.
⏳ Expect long wait times and help us keep things moving by coming prepared.

📝 1. Check in while you wait in line
Come into the office and tell the scale operator what’s in your load.
👉 Don’t forget to hand her your ticket.

📺 2. Be ready to list specific items
We need to know:
• TV sizes + how many
• Types of appliances
• Whether you have tires
These items all go to different locations. After you weigh in, start unloading these items in their designated areas while you wait to enter the transfer station.

🔧 3. Scrap metal can be unloaded early
You may unload scrap metal in the scrap metal bin before weighing.
⚠️ Reminder: Appliances are not scrap metal and must be weighed.

⏰ 4. Arrive by 3:30 PM
Due to heavy traffic, arriving after 3:30 may result in being turned away.
We close at 4:00.

⚖️ 5. Don’t forget to weigh out empty- if you leave without weighing, we will call you to come back.