Landfill of North Iowa

What Landfill of North Iowa does

Landfill of North Iowa (LNI) is a publicly owned sanitary landfill and integrated solid waste management facility located at 15942 Killdeer Avenue in Clear Lake, Iowa. Founded in 1971, the entity operates on a 320-acre site processing over 93,703 tons of waste annually while serving approximately 80,050 residents across Cerro Gordo County, Franklin County, rural Hancock County, and numerous incorporated communities in North Central Iowa. Governance rests with a 30-member Board of Directors composed of local elected and appointed officials from each represented community, reflecting the entity's status as a government-owned entity rather than a private corporation.

LNI's core operations span four primary service lines: solid waste disposal with a convenience center for residential self-delivery, a Regional Collection Center (RCC) for household hazardous materials operating since 1996, recycling processing across multiple material streams (cardboard, mixed paper, plastics/glass, scrap metal, electronics, appliances, tires, batteries, bulbs), and organics diversion through yard waste composting and wood waste processing into animal bedding and mulch. The facility holds Tier 1 designation under Iowa's Environmental Management System (EMS) framework and partners with the Iowa Waste Exchange, which has matched over 3 million tons of material since 1990. Additional revenue and engagement lines include a Very Small Quantity Generator (VSQG) program for businesses and farmers, a biohazard sharps program, and an Education Center that hosts free field trips for schools and civic groups.

The revenue model is primarily transaction-based, anchored in tipping fees that vary by vehicle type and waste category (e.g., $19/1,000 lbs for cars and pickups, $38/ton for trailers and dump trucks, with higher surcharges for items such as stumps >12 inches at $90/ton). Unit pricing applies to appliances ($8), TVs/monitors ($13), tires ($8-$20), and animal carcasses ($38). Certain services such as household hazardous materials disposal and compost are free to service area residents, functioning as customer acquisition and community goodwill mechanisms. The direct-to-consumer distribution model relies on self-delivery to the landfill site, supplemented by partner drop-off locations and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore for material diversion. Customer segments include residential households, municipalities (Cerro Gordo, Franklin, and Hancock counties, plus multiple cities), agricultural operations, businesses requiring VSQG hazardous waste services, and educational institutions.

Name

Landfill of North Iowa

Legal name

Landfill of North Iowa

Website

https://landfillnorthiowa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Landfill of North Iowa is a publicly owned sanitary landfill and integrated solid waste management facility in Clear Lake, Iowa, serving approximately 80,050 residents across three counties with disposal, recycling, composting, and household hazardous waste services since 1971.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solid Waste Management

NAICS

Solid Waste Landfill (562212), Solid Waste Collection (562111), Hazardous Waste Collection (562112), Waste Management and Remediation Services (562)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfill Disposal (BPALACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hazardous Waste Landfill & Secure Disposal (RCRA Subtitle C) (BPALAFAF), Landfill Operations & Aftercare (Capping, Leachate Treatment, Monitoring, Closure/Post-Closure) (BPALACAH)

Keywords

• Solid waste management
• Sanitary landfill operations
• Household hazardous waste
• Recycling services
• Yard waste composting

Headquarters

HQ city

Clear Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tipping Fees - Garbage Disposal: The landfill charges tipping fees based on vehicle type and weight for garbage disposal. Fees vary by vehicle category: cars/pickups charged per 1000lbs with minimum, trailers/dump trucks charged per ton with minimums, and commercial vehicles charged at higher rates.
2. Recycling Processing Fees: Fees charged for specific recyclable materials including appliances ($8/each), TVs/monitors ($13/each), printers ($4/each), tires (varying by size), and animal carcasses ($38/each). Some materials like scrap metal and batteries are accepted free for residents in the service area.
3. Hazardous Waste Disposal - Residential: Household hazardous materials are accepted free of charge from LNI residents at the Regional Collection Center. This drives residential traffic and cross-selling of paid disposal services.
4. Business Hazardous Waste Disposal (VSQG Program): Very Small Quantity Generator (VSQG) program for businesses generating less than 220 pounds of hazardous materials per month. Businesses pay disposal fees based on material type, container size, and weight. Effective January 15, 2026, new pricing structure implemented.
5. Wood Waste Processing: Woodwaste processing with 50% reduction in tipping fees for separated, clean, grindable woodwaste from manufacturers. Products include wood chips and animal bedding sold at varying rates by trailer type.
6. Compost Sales: Yard waste is composted and made available free of charge to residents in the service area. This creates community goodwill and drives traffic to the facility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Landfill of North Iowa is a publicly owned sanitary landfill and integrated solid waste management facility that provides garbage disposal, comprehensive recycling, household hazardous waste collection through its Regional Collection Center, yard waste composting, wood waste processing, and environmental education services. The facility operates a 320-acre site serving approximately 80,050 residents across North Central Iowa with 93,703+ tons processed annually, supported by separate residential and commercial (VSQG) service programs.

Product overview

Landfill of North Iowa is an integrated solid waste management facility serving approximately 80,050 people across North Central Iowa. The facility operates as a publicly owned sanitary landfill offering a comprehensive suite of waste disposal and recycling services. Core offerings include garbage/solid waste disposal with a convenience center for residential vehicles, and household hazardous waste disposal through its Regional Collection Center (RCC). The facility's recycling portfolio spans cardboard, mixed paper, mixed plastic and glass, scrap metal, electronics, appliances, tires, brush/mulch, yard waste/compost, and wood waste/animal bedding. Additional services include an Education Center with free field trips and programs, text alert notifications, biohazard sharps disposal, a VSQG business hazardous materials program, flyover tours, and business credit accounts. The facility operates under Iowa's Solid Waste EMS program framework with 320 acres of capacity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Garbage/Solid Waste Disposal Per-weight tipping fee garbage disposal for residential and commercial vehicles, with separate rates for cars/pickups, trailers, dump trucks, and commercial vehicles. Convenience Center allows residential vehicles to unload without appointment for most items; mattresses and bulky items accepted at garbage rate.
• Recycling Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 93,703 tons of waste processed annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996LNI was one of the first in Iowa to open its Regional Collection Center (RCC) in 1996, designated by the DNR to assist the public and VSQG businesses with proper management and disposal of household hazardous materials. LNI participates in Iowa's Environmental Management System (EMS) program as a Tier 1 designated facility.
• Iowa Waste Exchange (IWE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990Since 1990, LNI has participated in the Iowa Waste Exchange program administered by Iowa DNR. The IWE matches businesses with materials they no longer need to other businesses that can use them, diverting waste from landfills and saving Iowans money. Since 1990, over 3 million tons of waste have been matched with new owners, saving $72 million.
• Cell Phones for SoldiersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLNI serves as a drop-off and collection point for unwanted cell phones. Collected phones are sent directly to Cell Phones for Soldiers program, a national nonprofit serving troops and veterans with free communication services and emergency funding.
• North Central Iowa Habitat for Humanity ReStoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLNI has partnered with the ReStore to provide a convenient drop-off location for reusable building materials and household items. Donations accepted free of charge, keeping items out of the landfill and supporting Habitat's mission.
• Midwest Electronic RecoveryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a recycling resource partner for electronics recovery on LNI's educational links page, providing additional information and resources for responsible e-waste management.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Casella Waste Systems: Regional solid waste, recycling, and resource management operator in the northeastern U.S. Comparable integrated disposal + recycling business model; differs in geography and private-company structure versus LNI's government ownership.
• Republic Services: Major U.S. solid waste and recycling company with landfill, collection, and recycling operations. Comparable core offering (landfill disposal + recycling + HHW) but at a national, multi-site scale versus LNI's single-site regional model.
• Waste Management, Inc. U.S. national leader in solid waste collection, landfill disposal, and recycling. Overlaps with LNI on core MSW landfill services and recycling, but operates at vastly larger scale and a national footprint rather than a single regional site.
• Waste Connections: Large North American solid waste services company operating transfer stations, landfills, and recycling centers across multiple states. Compares on the integrated disposal/recycling offering though at a multi-state scale.
• Clean Harbors: Provider of hazardous waste management, treatment, and disposal services. Comparable to LNI's RCC / VSQG hazardous waste collection services, though Clean Harbors operates across the full hazardous waste chain at a national scale.

Regional players

• Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health: County government entity that co-governs environmental and waste-related services in LNI's primary service area. Not a direct disposal competitor but a regional counterpart shaping waste policy and outreach.

Others

• Iowa Waste Exchange (IWE): Iowa DNR-administered program that matches businesses with reusable waste streams. LNI is a long-standing participant; IWE itself is an ecosystem partner enabling industrial symbiosis rather than a direct competitor.
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR): State regulatory body that designates RCCs and oversees EMS compliance. LNI's Tier 1 EMS status and RCC designation flow from this regulator; DNR also runs statewide programs (e.g., Iowa Waste Exchange) that intersect with LNI's service.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles33 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Landfill of North Iowa