Divert it and convert it
One of the nation’s premiere materials exchange programs.
FIND YOUR AREA RESOURCE SPECIALIST
NO-COST
NON-REGULATORY
CONFIDENTIAL
Why a Materials Exchange in Iowa?
There are two big reasons why the Iowa Waste Exchange (IWE) is important for Iowa. First, our landfills are overcrowded, and reducing waste load is good for the planet. Second, there’s a huge market for waste materials and by-products — and exchanging waste materials is good for your bottom line.
Participants can:
- Obtain low- or no-cost materials
- Reduce disposal costs
- Reduce materials’ purchase costs
- Generate revenue from waste materials
- Free up storage space
- Help divert waste from our landfills
4.5 MILLION
tons of material material diverted since 1990
87,360
companies helped by IWE reps
$142 MILLION
cost savings since program inception
Whether you want to list available materials, find items for reuse or learn more about our services from a regional specialist, IWE is your confidential partner in responsible waste management and environmental stewardship.
When you divert it and convert it with the IWE, nothing goes to waste!
Learn more about what we do
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Save disposal costs, free up space and get questions answered.
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Learn about education programs, free waste audits and more.
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Iowa Waste Exchange Success Stories
Commerce. Collaboration. Creativity. There’s much more to materials waste exchange than meets the eye. Read about some of IWE’s recent exchanges and see how everyone wins.
DNR Expands Food Waste Diversion Efforts: Iowa Waste Exchange Ready to Help
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The Drive-by that Drove Change: A Student's Quick Action Sparked a Waste Diversion Win
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Iowa Waste Exchange Assists North Liberty Community Pantry in Relocation Usable Equipment to Local Nonprofits
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Exploring Waste Reduction Solutions for Colleges
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Stay Connected with Iowa Waste Exchange
Recent news, newsletter, social media and more are great ways to keep up with all IWE-related goings on.
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Iowa Waste Exchange
(opens in a new tab)Proudly serving the entire State of Iowa.
Discover the People, Partnerships, and Possibilities Turning Iowa's Unused Surplus into Opportunities! Inside this issue: Big Results, New Opportunities, and Stories from Across Iowa. IWE The Closed Loop: drive.google.com/file/d/1PHqCr5v99YW4n0x8Tu3YmnYzSvQJxzS4/view?usp=drive_link
The Iowa Waste Exchange will be at the 2026 Food Rescue Workshop to share information about their free, confidential, non-regulatory landfill diversion program.Learn more about the Workshop and register for free: foodrescueqc.org/events/2026-food-rescue-workshop/
We love a good fair! 🎡🐄The 2026 Iowa State Fair set an all-time attendance record with 1,218,834 fairgoers! That’s impressive, Iowa!At the Iowa Waste Exchange, we have some impressive numbers of our own.During FY2026, IWE helped divert 175,281 tons of material from Iowa landfills.That’s more than 350.5 million pounds of material.Now, let’s put that into perspective:If we spread all that diverted material across every person who attended the 2026 Iowa State Fair, each fairgoer would have to carry a nearly 288-pound backpack! 🎒175,281 tons diverted⬇️350.5 million pounds⬇️1,218,834 fairgoers⬇️≈ 288 pounds per personNow that’s a lot to celebrate!Every pound diverted from the landfill makes a difference—and together, Iowa is making a BIG difference. ♻️Thank you, Iowa, for helping us do the good work!Want to help add to these numbers? Connect with your Area Resource Specialist at IowaWasteExchange.org.Illustration created with ChatGPT.
05
Nov
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure
“One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure” highlights how the Iowa Waste Exchange (IWE) is redefining what’s possible for surplus materials across the state
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08
Oct
Iowa Waste Exchange sees recycling challenges shift
Tackling the next generation of recycling challenges head-on as material streams shift and new, complex waste items emerge
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