5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
Verified from official government sources
In Milwaukee County trash is collected by your municipality, not the county. In the City of Milwaukee, garbage is weekly and recycling every other week - find your day with the address lookup at city.milwaukee.gov/sanitation. Collection slides one day later after an observed holiday.
Milwaukee County sets no rules on where or when to place trash and recycling carts. Set-out timing, curb placement, and clearance are governed by each city or village that provides collection, such as the City of Milwaukee's DPW Sanitation Division.
Milwaukee County offers no countywide bulky-item pickup. Large-item disposal is arranged through each city or village. The City of Milwaukee operates DPW self-help drop-off centers and scheduled special collections for furniture and large debris.
Wisconsin's statewide recycling law, Wis. Stat. § 287.07, bans landfilling or burning aluminum, glass, plastic and steel containers, paper, and cardboard. Municipalities — not Milwaukee County — are the designated “responsible units” that run recycling programs.
Wis. Stat. § 287.07(4)
Beginning on January 1, 1995, no person may dispose of in a solid waste disposal facility, convert into fuel, or burn at a solid waste treatment facility in this state any of the following: [aluminum, corrugated paper, foam polystyrene, glass, magazines, newspaper, office paper, plastic and steel containers].
Wisconsin's littering statute, Wis. Stat. § 287.81, bans depositing solid waste on any public or private property, with forfeitures up to $500 (up to $1,000 for large items). Milwaukee County enforces dumping on its parks and land; municipalities enforce elsewhere.
Wis. Stat. § 287.81
No person may deposit or discharge any solid waste on or along any highway, in any waters of the state, on the ice of any waters of the state or on any other public or private property.
1 cities in Milwaukee County have their own trash & recycling rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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