Opened in 1972, the Metro Park East Landfill (MPE) is located nine miles east of the Des Moines city limits on U.S. Highway 163 (University Avenue). Sitting on nearly 1,350 acres of land, with only 400 acres being used for landfill space, MPE Landfill receives approximately 15 percent of the state's waste annually.

Unlike city dumps, MPE Landfill is a highly sophisticated, tightly regulated operation. Materials accepted at the landfill, as well as how they are handled, are closely controlled. State law bans the following items from all Iowa landfills: yard waste, car batteries, waste oils, scrap tires and free liquids.

After waste is deposited, it is compacted and covered daily with six inches of soil. The soil cover helps control odor, litter and public health problems. Many steps are taken to ensure that MPE Landfill is a responsible neighbor. A combination of a liner and collecting pipes are used to catch leachate, which results from precipitation that has seeped into and through the waste. Wells are used to monitor groundwater quality. Gases produced by natural biological processes within the landfill are collected to control their release into the atmosphere and are sent to the Metro Methane Recovery Facility and converted into electricity.

The Metro Park East Landfill has adequate space to meet the service area's projected waste disposal needs well into the 21st century. The life of the landfill can be extended if residents and businesses work together to meet waste reduction mandates.

For information on using the Metro Park East Landfill, click on the links at the left.