If you live in or near Algona, sooner or later you’ll need to get rid of something curbside pickup won’t take. An old refrigerator, a stack of worn tires, or a truckload of yard waste all fall outside regular trash service. The facility most people mean when they say the Algona transfer station is the Kossuth County Transfer Station in Burt, about 10 miles from downtown Algona. It serves the whole county, Algona included, so it’s worth knowing the hours, what you can bring, and what you can’t before you load up the truck.
Hours and Location · What You Can Drop Off · What’s Not Accepted · Fees and Costs · Good to Know
Hours and Location
The Kossuth County Transfer Station sits at 2900 130th Ave, Burt, IA 50522, about one mile east and one mile south of Burt itself. It’s roughly a 15 minute drive from most Algona addresses. The Kossuth County Waste Management Association runs the site. It became the county’s transfer point after the old landfill on the same property closed in 2007.
If you live inside Algona city limits, you likely already get recycling pickup through your regular garbage service, so a drive out to Burt isn’t always necessary. Algona also has a recycling drop box at the corner of McGregor St and Thorington St for anyone who wants to recycle without waiting for pickup day.
Quick FactsAddress: 2900 130th Ave, Burt, IA 50522
Phone: (515) 924-3739
Hours: Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed weekends and holidays.
In-town recycling drop box: McGregor St and Thorington St, Algona
What You Can Drop Off
The transfer station takes more than household garbage. Here’s a rundown of what you can bring and any prep work each material needs.
Household Trash and Recycling
General household garbage is accepted during all posted hours. For recycling, tin cans need to be food containers only, cleaned and rinsed out. Plastic containers marked 1, 2, or 3 are accepted if you remove the lid and rinse them, think milk jugs, shampoo bottles, and detergent containers. Cardboard should be clean, flattened, and free of any waxy coating. Glass food containers are accepted too, rinsed, with lids off, and sorted by color: clear, brown, or green.
Yard Waste
Green waste, grass clippings, leaves, brush, and similar yard debris are accepted at the transfer station. If you’d rather skip the drive for a routine cleanup, bagging it and setting it out with your regular trash service is usually the easier option for in-town residents.
Appliances and Electronics
Metal white goods like washing machines, stoves, refrigerators, and water heaters are accepted for a $15 fee per appliance. Electronic waste is accepted as well. Televisions and radios aren’t treated as standard appliances here, so it’s worth calling ahead if you’re unsure whether yours qualifies.
Tires
Tires are accepted at the transfer station. If you’re clearing out a garage or shed and found a stack of old tires, this is the place to take them instead of leaving them at the curb.
Household Hazardous Waste
Paint, pool chemicals, insecticides, weed killers, paint thinner, motor oil, batteries, and fluorescent bulbs all count as household hazardous waste, and the transfer station handles these differently than a regular drop-off. Collection runs by appointment only, seasonally from May through September, on Wednesday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon. Call (515) 924-3739 ahead of time to reserve a spot. It’s free for residential customers.
What’s Not Accepted
A few common household items don’t make the cut. Knowing these ahead of time saves a wasted trip.
- Styrofoam, plastic bags, and hard plastics like toys, floor mats, or Tupperware
- Containers that held bleach, oil, antifreeze, or anything toxic, whether plastic or tin
- Light bulbs, mirrors, window glass, dishes, and ceramics, which are different from rinsed food-container glass
- Catalogs, textbooks, carbon paper, blueprints, and photographs
- Televisions and radios, which aren’t accepted as standard appliances
If you have something that isn’t on any list, the transfer station staff would rather answer a quick phone call than sort through a load that has to be turned away.
Fees and Costs
Most household garbage and recycling drop-off has no separate charge beyond your regular service if you’re an in-town resident. Appliances run $15 each. Household hazardous waste is free for residential customers, though commercial customers who meet EPA requirements can also use the service through separate arrangements and fees. Exact rates for other materials are listed in the county’s own rate sheet, so it’s worth a quick call if you’re bringing in something unusual or in bulk.
Good to Know
Good to KnowPosted hours can shift around holidays, and some online listings show slightly different opening times than the county’s own site. Call (515) 924-3739 before making a special trip, especially early in the morning, so you’re not stuck waiting at a locked gate.
For the county’s own rundown of accepted materials and current rates, the Kossuth County Transfer Station page is the most reliable reference. It’s worth a look before a big cleanout trip.
Local TipIf you’re moving into a Hunt Rentals apartment, a transfer station run is a normal part of settling in. Plan one trip for boxes, packing materials, and anything the old place left behind, rather than making several smaller ones.
Whether you’re clearing out a garage after a move or just keeping up with routine yard work, knowing the transfer station’s hours and rules before you go makes the trip a lot smoother.
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