Trash & Recycling in De Pere, WI: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in De Pere or are thinking about moving there, trash & recycling are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. De Pere has 7 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of trash & recycling, and some of them might surprise you.

Bin Placement Rules

City Code section 82-4(a)(1) requires De Pere garbage and recycling polycarts to be set within three feet of the curb with the arrow pointing toward the street, spaced at least four feet from each other or any object, kept clear of parked cars, and out of snowbanks in winter.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 82-4(a)(1). Curb distance: Within 3 feet of curb. Cart spacing: At least 4 feet apart. Winter rule: Shoveled area only, never on a snowbank. Screening (§ 82-3): Required if no garage/enclosure available.

Placement violations, like leaving carts more than three feet from the curb or piled on a snowbank, are enforced under section 82-10(b) by municipal citation, with the forfeiture amount set by resolution of the common council. Each 24-hour period the violation continues is a separate offense, and the street superintendent can also simply decline to collect from a noncompliant setout.

Bulk Item Disposal

De Pere sets curbside placement rules for brush, bulk refuse and yard waste under City Code § 82-5: brush must be stacked parallel to the curb within four feet of it, loose refuse staged for easy truck loading, and yard waste piled within six feet of the curb. The Board of Public Works sets collection timing, and violators face a municipal forfeiture under § 82-10.

Key details: Brush placement: Stacked parallel to curb, within 4 ft if no sidewalk. Yard waste placement: Piled within 6 ft of curb line. Collection schedule: Set by Board of Public Works. Drop-off site: Residents only; no bags allowed. Enforcement: Forfeiture by municipal citation, § 82-10.

Failing to prepare or place brush, refuse or yard waste as § 82-5 requires, or ignoring a health officer's cleanup order under § 82-9, exposes the owner or occupant to a forfeiture collected by municipal citation under § 82-10, with each 24-hour period of continued violation counted as a separate offense. The city may also step in, remove the waste itself, and assess the cost against the property.

Yard Waste Collection

City Code section 82-5 requires brush, refuse and yard waste to be prepared for pickup exactly as specified: brush stacked parallel to the curb, refuse cleared of sharp edges, and yard waste piled neatly within six feet of the curb without blocking the gutters or sidewalk.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 82-5. Brush setback: 4 feet from curb if no sidewalk. Yard waste setback: Within 6 feet of curb. Refuse condition: No jagged edges, nails or screws. Drop-off sites: City residents only, no commercial rubbish.

Improperly prepared brush, refuse or yard waste, such as an unstacked brush pile blocking a sidewalk, is enforced under section 82-10(b) by municipal citation, with the forfeiture set by resolution of the common council. Each 24-hour period the violation continues counts as a separate offense, and the department of public works can require correction before waste is collected.

Illegal Dumping

De Pere bans depositing, throwing, placing or leaving solid waste anywhere in the city except a place the code sets aside for collection, under section 82-7(b). The rule covers streets, alleys, vacant lots, yards and the Fox River, and it also bars taking solid waste that has already been set out for someone else's collection.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 82-7(b). Covered locations: Streets, alleys, vacant lots, yards, Fox River. Burning/burying ban: Prohibited citywide (§ 82-7(a)). Set-out carts protected: No tampering without street superintendent's direction. Enforcement: Municipal citation under § 82-10(b).

A dumping violation is enforced by municipal citation under section 82-10(b), with the forfeiture amount set by common council resolution rather than fixed in the ordinance. Each 24-hour period the dumped material remains, or the refusal to comply continues, is treated as a separate offense, so per-day exposure accumulates until the waste is removed.

Compared to other cities, De Pere takes a harder line on illegal dumping. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Collection Schedule

De Pere collects residential garbage once a week and collectable recyclables once every two weeks under City Code section 82-2(b), capping single-family pickup at two 200-pound garbage polycarts on a garbage-only week or three polycarts, one of them recycling, on a combined week.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 82-2(b). Garbage frequency: Once weekly. Recycling frequency: Once every 2 weeks. Single-family cap: 2-3 polycarts, 200 lbs each. Multifamily: No city collection (§ 82-2(c)).

Exceeding the polycart limits or otherwise violating the collection-cycle rules in section 82-2 is enforced under section 82-10(b) by municipal citation, with the forfeiture set by resolution of the common council. The street superintendent can also decline to collect from a parcel that repeatedly exceeds its cycle's weight or cart limits, per section 82-9(b) and (c).

Dumpster Rules

De Pere allows only one portable storage container per property at a time under City Code § 54-13, capping use at 30 days unless the building inspector grants an extension. Containers can't exceed eight feet wide, 20 feet long, and eight feet high, and construction dumpsters must leave within 30 days of project completion.

Key details: Containers allowed: One portable storage container per property. Storage time limit: 30 days without inspector-approved extension. Maximum size: 8 ft wide by 20 ft long by 8 ft high. Surface required: Hard surface only: concrete, asphalt, or brick pavers. Dumpster removal: Within 30 days of project completion.

Placement and duration violations of section 54-13 fall under the chapter's general penalty at section 54-14. A conviction carries a forfeiture set by common council resolution plus the costs of prosecution, and if the forfeiture goes unpaid the violator can face imprisonment of one day up to six months. Each 24-hour period a container sits past its 30-day limit, or blocks a right-of-way, counts as a separate violation, so fines can compound daily until the container is removed.

Recycling Requirements

City Code section 82-4(c) requires every single- to four-unit residence in De Pere to separate collectable recyclables from garbage 'to the greatest extent practicable' and keep them clean of contaminants like produce residue, oil, grease and household hazardous waste before setting them out in the recycling polycart.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 82-4(c). Standard: Separate recyclables from garbage 'to the greatest extent practicable'. Multifamily duty: Written tenant notice at move-in and semiannually. DNR exception: Facility recovering recyclables 'as pure as technically feasible'. Enforcement: Municipal citation under § 82-10(b).

Failing to separate recyclables as chapter 82 requires is enforced by municipal citation under section 82-10(b), with the forfeiture amount set by resolution of the common council rather than fixed in the ordinance. Each 24-hour period the violation continues counts as a separate offense, and department of public works staff are authorized to inspect recycling materials, sites and collection vehicles to verify compliance.

The Bottom Line

De Pere's trash & recycling rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming De Pere is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on De Pere's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.