How Green Bay Handles Trash & Recycling: A Practical Guide

Green Bay maintains 101 local ordinances across all categories, and 7 of those deal specifically with trash & recycling. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Green Bay falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Illegal Dumping

Dumping solid waste on property you don't own, control, lease, or have the owner's permission to use is banned citywide under § 32-9, with a forfeiture of $500 to $1,000, five times the chapter's usual minimum. A separate rule, § 32-4(d), bars dumping on streets, alleys, vacant lots and other public places entirely.

Key details: Dumping without authorization: $500-$1,000 forfeiture (§ 32-9(b)). Also banned: Dumping on streets/alleys/vacant lots (§32-4(d)). Also banned: Taking waste from another's cart or bin. General chapter penalty: $10-$2,000, up to 60 days jail. Enforcement: Director of Public Works, Police Chief.

Dumping on property without the owner's authorization draws a forfeiture of at least $500.00 and up to $1,000.00 under § 32-9(b), plus the costs of the action. Other Chapter 32 violations, including the § 32-4(d) bans on street, alley, and public-place dumping and on rifling through someone else's cart, carry the chapter's general forfeiture of $10.00 to $2,000.00 under § 32-7; default on payment can mean up to 60 days in jail, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense.

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

Collection Schedule

The Department of Public Works collects Green Bay residential waste once a week at no charge, up to one 96-gallon cart per property or unit purchased from the City. Carts must go to the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day, no more than 12 hours early, and come back in within 12 hours after pickup or a citation follows.

Key details: Collection frequency: Once a week, no charge. Cart limit: One 96-gallon City-purchased cart per unit. Curbside deadline: 6:00 a.m. on collection day. Free bulky pickups: 2 per year, up to 2 cubic yards. Free overflow pickups: 4 per year, up to four 32-gal bags.

General violations of Chapter 32 carry a forfeiture of not less than $10.00 nor more than $2,000.00 plus costs under § 32-7; a person who defaults on payment can be jailed up to 60 days, and every day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. A defective or damaged tipper cart not replaced within one week of the City's notice results in a citation under § 32-2(g)(3)d, and the Director of Public Works can withdraw collection service entirely from a household that keeps disregarding the rules.

Recycling Requirements

Green Bay makes curbside recycling mandatory for houses and buildings up to six units: co-mingled containers and paper go out in a City-purchased cart every two weeks, separate from trash. Buildings with seven or more units and nonresidential properties get no City pickup and must arrange their own recycling service instead.

Key details: Program: Mandatory curbside recycling. Pickup frequency: Every two weeks. City service covers: Buildings of six units or fewer. 7+ unit buildings: Owner must arrange own recycling. Separated materials: 17 categories under § 32-2(d)(1).

Chapter 32's general forfeiture applies to recycling violations: not less than $10.00 nor more than $2,000.00 plus costs under § 32-7, with default on payment punishable by up to 60 days in jail and each day of noncompliance treated as a separate offense. A landlord or business owner who skips the mandatory tenant notices or fails to provide separate recycling containers under §§ 32-2(e)-(f) is out of compliance with the chapter and subject to the same forfeiture range.

Yard Waste Collection

Green Bay requires brush cut into three- to eight-foot lengths at least half an inch thick for pickup, and won't collect brush from vacant lots, new construction, or contractor jobs.

Key details: Branch length: 3 to 8 feet. Minimum diameter: 1/2 inch. Yard waste max size: 6 inches diameter. Excluded: stumps, roots, root balls.

Brush that isn't cut to the required length and diameter, or that comes from a vacant lot, new construction, or a contracted job, is left uncollected, and the City can bill the owner for cleanup.

Dumpster Rules

Green Bay requires dumpsters and trash receptacles to sit at least 20 feet from any public street or sidewalk and be fully enclosed behind a six-foot, 90-percent-opaque screen.

Key details: Street setback: 20 feet minimum from street/sidewalk. Screen height: At least 6 feet tall. Opacity: At least 90% opaque. Lids: Secure, fully closing lids required.

Placing a dumpster or trash compactor closer than 20 feet to a street or sidewalk, or leaving it unscreened or uncovered, violates § 44-1917 and is enforceable as a zoning code violation subject to the City's standard citation process.

Bulk Item Disposal

Green Bay collects bulky waste, furniture, appliances, and similar large items, free twice a year up to two cubic yards per residence; at other times it's a paid special pickup or a free drop-off.

Key details: Free collections: 2x/year, up to 2 cu yd. Other times: Paid special collection. Drop-off: Free at City sites. Branch prep: 3–8 ft, ≥1/2 in diameter.

Unpaid special-collection charges become a lien on the property after 30 days, per Sec. 32-2(h) and Wis. Stat. § 66.0627; brush from vacant lots or contracted work left for the City is billed to the owner or contractor at actual cost.

Bin Placement Rules

Between collection days, Green Bay requires trash and recycling carts to stay 15 feet clear of the right-of-way and be fully screened from street view unless kept in a backyard or garage.

Key details: Right-of-way setback: 15 feet minimum. Street-side carts: must be fully screened. Lids: must stay closed. Heat sources: carts kept away from them.

Carts stored within 15 feet of the right-of-way, left visible from the street without screening, or kept near a heat source violate Sec. 32-2(g)(5)i and can trigger an order requiring an enclosure.

The Bottom Line

Green Bay'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 Green Bay is broadly strict or permissive.

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