Cass County Landfill & Recycling Center

Iowa's First (and only) Balefill Facility!

It has long been our wish and policy to educate the public as much as possible about just what goes on out here at the Cass County Landfill and Recycling Center. We hope this website will be another tool in opening the lines of communication between our facility and the county's residents.

Some very exciting steps forward have been taken over the past few years here at the landfill. Some of the push behind these efforts have been due to mandates set forth in 1992 by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Those mandates required all Iowa landfills to meet a 25% reduction in waste by 1995. One of the things the Cass County Landfill did to reach this goal was to start a very effective recycling program. It was also decided to complete some much-needed updates to the landfill facility. In 2002, we began operation as Iowa's first balefill facility. That means solid waste is unloaded inside the building, and then baled before it is transferred to the working face of the landfill. The better compaction rate has greatly increased the life of the landfill and weather no longer has an effect on operations. The same equipment used to bale solid waste is also used to bale recyclables, making for a very efficient operation!

Changing DNR requirements continue to have an significant impact on our facility - resulting in construction of lined cells. This will ensure the protection of our groundwater. Also among the exciting changes taking place at the Landfill, was the implementation of a Household Hazardous Waste collection/recycling program. That was followed by an "e-waste" recycling program. (E-waste includes computer monitors, televisions and other electronics)

We continue to face challenges presented by ever-changing regulations. Other landfills in Iowa also face these challenges. Some have chosen to convert to transfer stations and others have opted to close completely, leaving the communities they serve scrambling to find what options remain. We believe we have come too far and invested too much to give it all up now. By being proactive, we hope to ensure that Cass County residents will enjoy the benefits of a full service landfill for many years to come.

If you've never visited our facility, we would encourage you to call and set up a time when one of us can show you around. The Cass County Balefill and Recycling Center is the envy of other facilities and communities all over Iowa. Come see why!