Recycling Events

Leaf Collection Days

This four-week program held in the fall allows Ankeny residents to dispose of leaves free of charge. 

• Residents residing within the city limits of Ankeny may participate in this program.
• Drop leaves off at Prairie Ridge Aquatic Center, 1220 NW Prairie Ridge Drive, Ankeny
• The leaf collection site is open for leaf disposal 24 hours a day. 
• City crews will assist residents from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays only. 
• Leaves collected in yard waste bags are permitted, and may be disposed in the containers provided. 
• Plastic bags and other containers shall be removed by the resident following leaf disposal.
• This recycling event is just for leaf collection. Check with your private trash hauler regarding other yard waste disposal options

If you miss Leaf Collection Days, options are still available to dispose of your leaves, including:

• Mulching or composting on your own property
• Bagging and placing them at the curb for your trash hauler to pick up (contact your trash hauler for complete details)

Tree & Branch Recycling Days

• Held three times each year, Tree and Branch Recycling Days allows Ankeny residents to dispose of trees and branches free of charge. 
• The designated site for Tree and Branch Recycling Days is at the City Maintenance Facility, located at 211 SE Lorenz Drive, Ankeny.
• Participation is restricted to Ankeny residents living within the corporate city limits. 
• There is no fee, however participants will be asked for proof of residency. 
• Trees and branches must have a trunk size no larger than 8" in diameter and no smaller than 1” in diameter. Larger sizes will not be accepted because of its inability to be recycled through the chipper. 
• Tree roots, stumps and other yard waste material will not be accepted because it may clog and jam the chipping machine. Residents are asked to have the cut end of their branches stacked at the end of their vehicles for easy removal. 
• Ensure that your vehicle or trailer is clear of items before loading with branches. Items such as ropes, chains, and fence posts have been pulled into the chipper by branches causing damage to equipment and injury to City staff.
• Commercial vehicles and trucks larger than a pickup are prohibited from participating in this recycling program. 

If you miss Tree and Branch Recycling Days, contact your trash hauler to arrange for the pick-up of your trees and branches.

Christmas Tree Pick-Up

Jan. 3, 2023

• Place the Christmas tree along the curb, in the right-of-way. 
• City crews will make one pass through the community beginning Jan. 3 at 7 a.m. 
• Residents living in private developments or on private streets should also place their trees upon the city right-of-way to be picked up. City crews cannot access private streets or drives to pick up trees. 
• Trees should be free of all ornaments, decorations, tree stands, and plastic hauling bags. 
• Artificial trees and flocked trees will not be accepted. 
• Please secure your tree to keep the tree from blowing onto the street and creating a traffic hazard. 
• No other trees or branches will be collected during this program.

Ankeny Cleanup Days

• Held every spring, residents can dispose of large unwanted items free of charge. 
• The designated site for Cleanup Days is at Ankeny Sanitation headquarters, located at 7002 SE Delaware Avenue, Ankeny.
• Residents residing within the corporate limits of Ankeny may participate in this program. 
• Trucks larger than a pickup are prohibited from participating in the disposal of cleanup debris. 

Recycle Tires at Ankeny Cleanup Days

Residents may bring tires, off the rim (limit 5 per household) and place them in a separate dumpster at the event provided by Metro Waste Authority, These will not be landfilled like the rest of the debris, they will be recycled. View more details about tire recycling on Metro Waste Authority's website.

The following list of materials and debris are not accepted at the cleanup site: