Hunter
10/16/25
A local waste management company that faced a ban on doing business in Johnson County as early as this Saturday has met conditions to continue operations.
Hawkeye Waste Systems has acquired Workers Compensation Insurance as required by Iowa law and met conditions set by the County Attorney’s Office by showing that coverage is paid up through at least January 26th.
The Press-Citizen reports Hawkeye Waste acquired the insurance two months after they were sued by the County Attorney’s office for failing to maintain coverage.
Attorneys for Hawkeye Waste said the company was unaware of a requested audit that led to cancellation of their policy after the fact. Once they found out about the lapse, they say Hawkeye Waste took every step possible to regain coverage.
The two sides came to a temporary agreement that allowed Hawkeye Waste to continue operations as long as it maintained the insurance.
The company reportedly let the coverage lapse again, and County Attorney Rachel Zimmerman Smith renewed her request earlier this month to stop the company from doing business unless certain conditions were met. In the brief, Zimmerman said, “By continuing to operate without coverage from September 10, 2025, until the County notified them of their lapse, Defendants demonstrate a lack of regard for the safety and welfare of their workers, the public, or the Court’s order.”
With current conditions met, Hawkeye Waste and its owners can continue operations.
The company still faces felony charges for failure to maintain workers’ compensation insurance, stemming from an October 2024 incident at their Iowa City location that led to the death of an employee. A trial is scheduled to begin January 27th.