where sustainability, creativity, & community meet
Dubuque Glass Recycling
Keeping glass recycling local! We offer curbside glass pickup, recycling drop off, DIY classes, upcycled artisanal goods, and recycled landscaping materials.Our goal is to inspire you to have FUN with sustainability, to rethink how you consume, and how you waste.
We are now accepting free glass recycling drop off at the farmer's market! Visit our booth, K6, right next to Jubeck's--save up your glass and bring it to the market if curbside isn't for you :) please check event calendar for dates we are there, we are not at the market every weekend.
our story
Another one of Danny's crazy ideas
Dubuque Glass Recycling was born in the fall of 2024, founded by us—a husband-and-wife duo, Danny and Zoë! We kept hearing the same story from Dubuque natives: how curbside glass recycling used to exist, then disappeared, only to be replaced by drop-off centers. But why not bring curbside pickup back? Let’s just say Danny had another one of his crazy ideas—and this one stuck...
our story cont.
How can we bring our hearts into this work?
A couple of months into running the business, I (Zoë here!) began to see it in a new light. It wasn’t just about picking up recycling; it was about something bigger. We are passionate about nature, creativity, connection, and community. So we asked ourselves: How can we bring these values into our business? How can we inspire people to reduce their waste in a way that’s fun and meaningful? Most importantly, how can we bring our hearts into this work?
our story cont.
DGR's true purpose was born.
Yes, we’re here to pick up your glass—but we’re also here to inspire you to rethink waste. Glass is one of the easiest materials to reuse, and the possibilities are endless! Instead of tossing that pasta jar, why not use it for food storage? Or turn it into a candle holder, a water bottle, or even a piece of art? You could break it and create a mosaic, paint it and plant a succulent inside, or cover it in tissue paper and place a tea light inside for a glowing lantern. You can even utilize our library’s amazing maker space and engrave something beautiful on it!
The more we connect with our creativity, the more we connect with ourselves. The more we connect with ourselves, the more we connect with each other—all while caring for our Mother Earth. See what this gets to become?
curbside pickup
Recycle your glass.
Sign up today for only $9.99 a month. Or better yet, make something cool and send us a photo!Place your glass within one of our bins, and leave it on the curb the night before the first Friday of the month. We will do the rest!
find answers here
FAQs
How does it work?
1. Sign up here.
2. Purple bin gets dropped off.
3. Put glass in the bin.
4. Put it on the curb the night before the first Friday of the month.
5. We pick it up. Done!
Repeat next monthAll glass recycled with us stays local and is given a new life. We create upcycled goods, teach creative workshops, and crush the glass down into recycled sandy aggregate (no, its not sharp☺).
Who is Dubuque Glass Recycling?
Dubuque Glass Recycling is a not affiliated with the City of Dubuque, or DMASWA, PLEASE DO NOT PLACE GLASS IN YOUR YELLOW RECYCLE BIN.We are a family owned business; we look forward to growing and filling this need within our great community!For more information on our story, mission, and vision, click the button below!
When does my glass get picked up?
The morning of the first Friday of the month. Please place your bin out the night before.
What does this service cost?
This service costs only $9.99 per month for monthly pickup.
What is the difference between you and the purple drop off bins the city provides?
The purple drop off sites that the city provides are through Ripple Glass, located out of Kansas City. The large purple containers get picked up by Ripple Glass once they are full, and taken back to Kansas City to make new products. We are 100% locally based. We collect glass, and repurpose it all here in Dubuque!
What if I have more glass than my bin can fit?
No problem! We are currently still observing the needs of our clients and may give the option for bigger containers in the future, if there is a need. Until then, just place it in a bag next to your container :)
What kind of glass can I recycle?
Any glass that can fit in your container! If it cannot fit in your container, send us an email using our contact page and we might be able to work something out if it isn't too large.
Where do I put my glass?
Our purple bins are conveniently sized so you can store them easily anywhere in your home. Store your recycled glass within our purple bin, and place it on your curb the night before the first Friday of the month.
Where does my glass go?
All of the glass we collect stays here in Dubuque! It gets stored within our garage as it awaits a new life. It becomes art, glassware, vases, tumbled 'sea' glass, and crushed back to sand--it's the ciiiiircle of liiiife--among many other things! The goal is to have fun creating through repurposing.
When do I put my bin out?
Please place your bin out the night before the first Friday of the month.
What if I forget to put my bin out?
If you forget to place your bin out after we have already been to your residence, we might be able to get it later that day. Send us an email, but no promises! Otherwise you'll have to wait until your next pick up, sorry we missed you!
When does my subscription renew?
It will renew one month after you purchased your subscription. If you subscribed on the first, it will renew on the first; subscribed on the 15 it will renew on the 15.
Why should I recycle glass?
If you throw your glass away it just sits in the land fill; up side to that is glass does not leach harmful chemicals into our planet the way plastic does--BUT--it does contribute to taking up space in our landfills which can cause run off and then harms the planet. We want to avoid throwing things in our landfills as much as we can, and glass is a very easy material to find new life for.
Contact Us
workshops & more...
Join us @ the DBQ Main Street Farmer's Market!
booth K6, next to Jubeck's Brewery
We are there most Saturday's! Below are the Saturdays we are not there.absent on:
September 6 & 20
October 4 & 18
We are now accepting free glass recycling drop off at our booth, K6, right next to Jubeck's! Save up your glass and bring it to the market if curbside isn't for you :)