City Connect Explores Waste Collection

Published on June 12, 2026

AMES, Iowa – The next City Connect at the Sixty Forward Center, 205 S. Walnut Ave, will feature a presentation examining the history of waste disposal in Ames and the community's transition to residential curbside recycling. Fifty years ago, Ames became home to the nation’s first municipally operated waste-to-energy system.

The presentation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 18, and replaces the traditional coffee and conversation format.

Resource Recovery Plant Superintendent Mark Peebler and Public Works Director Justin Clausen will review the evolution of solid waste management in Ames and explain why a system considered cutting-edge in the 1970s is being replaced by a more traditional recycling program.

“Many residents are familiar with the Resource Recovery Plant, but fewer know the history behind it or the challenges communities face today in managing waste,” Clausen said. “This presentation will help residents understand how changes in technology, markets, regulations, and costs have shaped the City’s decision to introduce curbside recycling as part of a long-term strategy to reduce the amount of waste generated in Ames.”

The presentation will include opportunities for attendees to ask questions and learn more about the City’s recycling program and future waste reduction efforts.

Beginning in July, Ames residents living in single-family homes and multi-family buildings with four or fewer units will receive residential curbside recycling service.

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