Safety for staff and visitors to the landfill is a top priority. All visitors must abide by the following Rules and Regulations pertaining to user behavior and waste loads. Winneshiek County Sanitary Landfill reserves the right to modify, amend, or update this document, including any rules, policies, or procedures, at any time without prior notice. The Landfill assumes no liability for any loss or inconvenience caused by such changes.
Any vehicle that does not have their load tightly secured and covered with a water-resistant, un-torn tarp will be assessed a $20.00 fee.
Secured Loads: All vehicles must have secured loads that prevent any leakage, littering, or run off of waste material or fluids. Loads must secured tightly with a water-resistant, untorn tarp. No exposed waste material should be visible. Drivers are not to prepare for unloading until arrival at the designated area of the landfill inside the fenced-in area (the working face). No tailgate of a vehicle is to be loosened or opened prior to unloading at the active working face.
Speed Limits: Speed limit on the scale is not to exceed 2 mph. On landfill property other than the scale, speeds are not to exceed 20 mph. Sudden stops and starts on the scale will not be tolerated, as scale damage may result. Any party who causes damage to the scale will be responsible for repairs.
Stop Signs: All waste-hauling vehicles must come to a full and complete stop at all stop signs.
Covered Load Policy: To avoid an additional $20.00 fee, all loads brought to the landfill must be entirely covered with a tarp. This includes lumber and large objects. Ropes alone are not considered a cover. Certain “difficult to cover loads” may be exempted on a case by case basis by staff.
Stuck Vehicles: Due to conditions of a landfill operation and lack of properly equipped tires on visitor vehicles, there may be times that vehicles become stuck in the active area of a landfill. When this occurs the following guidelines will be in effect: Driver is responsible for the vehicle and any damage resulting from the towing or pushing. Driver is to request assistance from the landfill operator for a push or pull. Driver is responsible for hooking the truck to the landfill equipment with the driver’s tow chain.
Departure: Drivers are to inspect their vehicles to make sure that they are clear of any waste debris prior to exiting the active area of the landfill. This includes clearing any waste from the roll-off boxes, closing the tailgate and re-tarping the vehicle if necessary to prevent leaking or littering. Boxes are to be lowered before exiting the active work face of the landfill to avoid debris and nails being strung along the roadways.
Penalties: Any violations of these rules and regulations will result in an enforcement action that ranges from a written warning to suspension of landfill dumping privileges. Please request a copy of the Violation Form for specific guidelines on the enforcement action.
Conduct: All persons entering the landfill will follow all instructions by landfill personnel and must follow landfill policies and posted rules for their own safety. Any person and/or persons refusing to follow all landfill rules, speed limits, policies, and instructions will be suspended from the premises and the use of the landfill until further notice. Factors contributing to suspension can include, but are not limited to, an individual being discourteous, disrespectful or disruptive, driving recklessly, or not abiding by Agency rules and guidelines.
Smoking: Smoking is prohibited.
Scavenging: Scavenging is prohibited.
User Responsibility: User hereby acknowledges that Winneshiek County Sanitary Landfill shall assume no responsibility for screening, examining or inspecting any or all loads delivered by User, except User shall permit, and hereby give its consent to allow Winneshiek County Sanitary Landfill to examine, screen and/or inspect any or all loads at any time. User has the responsibility, to the best of their ability, to ensure waste delivered was generated in the Agency’s planning area and does not contain any hazardous waste. Commercial haulers shall inform, and have agreements with, their clients to facilitate compliance. Winneshiek County Sanitary Landfill reserves the right to refuse any load it feels does not meet requirements.
Acceptable Material for Disposal: Users may only dispose at the landfill in accordance with permitted procedures: commercial, residential, and construction and demolition waste which originates from Winneshiek, Clayton, and Howard counties in Iowa, and the city of Postville in Iowa.
Construction and Demolition Waste: Includes solid waste from building materials, packaging, and rubble resulting from construction, remodeling, repair, and demolition operations on pavements, houses, commercial buildings, and other structures. Such waste may include brick, concrete, other masonry material, soil, asphalt, rock, lumber, pallets, crates, rebar, glass, flooring, carpet and pad, sheet rock, roofing, insulation, windows, siding and gutters, steel and other metals.
Items Not Acceptable for Disposal: Items not accepted for disposal include asbestos, liquids (such as paints, solvents, fuels, antifreeze), tires, yard waste, animals, hazardous, radioactive or infections waste, medical sharps including needles and scalpels, Freon containers, cardboard, fluorescent tubes, ballasts, untreated sewage, sludge, rechargeable batteries and cell phones, and hot loads. This list is not all inclusive and can change at any time. Landfill personnel have the right to refuse any material and/or load.
Household Hazardous Waste: May be disposed of at the Winneshiek County Recycling Facility at 2510 172nd Avenue in Decorah between 6 am-2:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Household hazardous materials in Iowa are defined as motor oils, oil filters, gasoline, diesel additives, degreasers, waxes, polishes, solvents and paints (with the exception of latex-based paint), lacquers, thinners, caustic household cleaners, spot and stain removers with a petroleum base, and petroleum based fertilizers. This program is at no cost to residents of Winneshiek County. Businesses and farms are classified as commercial generators and disposal fees may apply.
Recyclable Items: Televisions, computer monitors, CPUs, laptops and appliances are collected at Winneshiek County Recycling at a rate of $20.00 per item. Fluorescent ballasts are also collected at the recycling center. Recyclable items that are off-loaded at the Landfill working face will be charged a handling fee of $50.00 and the hauler will be responsible for these materials.
Contaminated Loads:Any load containing medical sharps-including needles and scalpels, will be charged a handling fee of $500. Any load containing an excessive amount of cardboard, as determined by the operator, will be charged at a rate of $150 per ton. Any material with a powder or fine particle consistency, as determined prior to hauling, will be charged at a rate of $150 per ton and must be delivered within one hour of opening. The landfill may require a Special Waste Authorization be submitted to, and approved by, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources prior to accepting said material. Per the Iowa DNR: “The intent of a special waste authorization from the department, is to assist in providing safe and proper management for disposal of wastes which present a threat to human health or the environment or a waste with inherent properties which make the disposal of the waste in a sanitary landfill difficult to manage. A waste may be a special waste because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or biological characteristics which may also require special handling, trained people, and/or special disposal methods.” Additionally, landfill personnel may request certain materials requiring special handling be dumped at set times.