Recycling & Trash

In our consumer culture, it’s easy to buy low-cost goods that will ultimately end up in a landfill. The true cost of living that way is one we’ll all end up paying. On this encore edition of Talk of Iowa, different ways to reduce, reuse, repair, recycle and compost. Host Charity Nebbe spoke with Jane Wilch, the recycling coordinator for the City of Iowa City; Joe Bolick, the director of the Iowa Waste Reduction Center; Laura Crosett, communications lead for the Iowa City Repair Cafe, and Jamie Nicolino, owner of The Collective, a sustainable 'general store' in Des Moines. (This show was originally produced on July 15, 2025)

A study by Iowa State University researchers found that using industrial soap to clean plastic in recycling transferred chemicals from the plastic to the water. The findings could help processors remove harmful chemicals from the final recycled product.

The initiative encourages Johnson County residents to donate or pick up new and gently used art, craft, school and upcycling supplies at no cost.

How to avoid creating trash in Iowa — from repairing your things instead of replacing them, to recycling and composting and more.

What can individuals do to combat climate change? Three authors of the Iowa Climate Statement share how people can be a part of the solution.

Thomas Dambo, a world-renowned Danish artist and environmental activist, will install his whimsical creations in Clinton next year. He's created over 150 trolls in 17 different countries out of recycled wood and scraps.