Spring Cleanup

The spring cleanup event will be held on Monday, Apr. 17 (if you live west of 86th St.) and Tuesday, Apr. 18 (if you live east of 86th St.)
 Please place your items on the curb by 6 a.m., depending upon which date is your designated trash collection day. 
 
The Spring Cleanup Event allows residents to dispose of large household items on their regular trash collection day at no additional charge. All smaller items must be placed in bags or boxes. The average Johnston household pays around $6 per year (included in your monthly utility bill) for this Spring Cleanup Event, so take advantage of it! If you live in an apartment, condo, or townhome with private trash collection, you may not be a part of the Spring Cleanup Event. Please contact your association or management to find out.
 
For more guidance on what items can go at the curb, visit www.WhereItShouldGo.com/springcleanup or call Metro Waste Authority at (515) 244-0021.

Items Accepted

  • Books
  • Box spring
  • Cardboard boxes
  • Carpet (must be cut into 4-foot x 18-inches diameter rolls)
  • Computer monitor
  • Couch (as long as two people can reasonably lift it) 
  • Doors
  • Dresser
  • Headboard and footboard from a bed frame
  • Grill (as long as the propane tank is removed)
  • Fire pit (as long as the propane tank is removed)
  • Mattress
  • Old dishes
  • Patio heater (as long as the propane tank is removed)
  • Recliner
  • Smoker (as long as any fuel has been removed and two people can reasonably lift it)
  • Table/Chairs
  • Toilet (as long as tank and bowl are separated)
  • Vacuum cleaner

Items Not Accepted

  • Antifreeze
  • Appliances
  • Batteries
  • Bricks from a landscape project
  • Broken glass
  • Concrete
  • Dehumidifier
  • Dirt or sod
  • Drywall
  • Fences
  • Landscape material (railroad ties)
  • Logs, limbs and trees
  • Oil
  • Paint
  • Piano
  • Printer
  • Railroad ties
  • Television
  • Tires
  • Wood from an old swing set
  • Yard waste

View the 2023 Spring Cleanup Guide here (PDF).

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2023 Spring Cleanup guide (1)
2023 Spring Cleanup guide (2)
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Weight Rule - Will it Fit?

The total amount of debris on your curb must fit into the size of a flatbed truck, roughly 8 ft. x 5.5 ft. x 3 ft. Extra debris will not be collected.
 
 If two people can reasonably lift an accepted item, then it will be collected. Heavier items will not be collected. The average Johnston household pays around $6 per year (included in your monthly utility bill) for this Clean-up event, so take advantage of it!

Will it Fit? Spring Cleanup

Free Tree Branch & Tire Disposal

Johnston residents can drop off branches, limbs and passenger vehicle tires at the Public Works Facility, located at 6400 NW Beaver Drive, at no cost. 
 
Requirements

  • Please bring your ID for proof of residency.
  • Branches cannot be larger than 18 inches in diameter. Tree debris will be turned into mulch.
  • Only residential passenger and truck tires will be accepted. 
  • Each household will be allowed to deposit a maximum of five scrap tires (off rims).

Drop-off Hours

  • Thursday, April 20: 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.
  • Friday, April 21: 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 22: 8 a.m. to noon
The city will not accept:
  • Scrap tires generated from any business
  • Large semi tires
  • Farm or tractor tires
  • Solid tires 
  • Tires containing hazardous waste

Community Flag Drop Box

Spring cleaning is a perfect time to dispose of worn, torn, or faded American flags, which require proper disposal.

The community flag drop box is located behind the Public Safety Building, 6373 Merle Hay Road. This drop box was part of an Eagle Scout project that was installed in 2020.

The retirement of an American flag is a time-honored tradition and one that carries great significance. Taking your flag to this drop box will ensure the traditions and ceremonies are utilized in the flag’s retirement. Boy Scout Troup 44 has a community ceremony every year where flags from this drop box and other locations are retired.

Flag Dropbox_Spring Cleanup

Hazardous Waste Pickup & Drop-Off Information
To get rid of hazardous waste, such as lawn and garden chemicals, latex paint for $1 per gallon or $5 per five-gallon bucket, or other cleaners, Johnston residents have three options. Visit mwatoday.com/Johnston for more information.

First: We’ve teamed up with Metro Waste Authority for the house-side pickup of these items. Using this program ensures these items are disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner. Please visit WhereItShouldGo.com/Johnston to learn more about utilizing this pickup service at your house.

Hazardous Waste Image_MWA

Second: Residents may visit the northwest household hazardous waste drop-off site in Grimes, located at 4105 SE Beisser Drive. They are open Monday through Thursday by appointment. Please call 515.244.0021 to make an appointment. 

Third: Residents may also visit the metro hazardous waste facility located at 1105 Prairie Drive SW in Bondurant. They’re open Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. and on the first and third Saturdays of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Please call 515-244-0021 for more information.

For a complete list of accepted and non-accepted materials and more information about the Northwest Drop-Off location visit this page.