Wausau, WI Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest set-out
- 3:00 p.m. the day before collection
- Latest removal
- 11:00 a.m. the day after collection
- Front yard carts
- Prohibited at any time
- Winter duty
- Must keep a snow-free path to carts
- General penalty range
- $10.00 to $1,000.00 per violation
Summary
Wausau carts can't sit at curbside more than 20 hours around collection day: not before 3 p.m. the day prior, and gone by 11 a.m. the day after. Carts are also barred from front yards, and residents must keep a snow-free path to them in winter.
(e)Location of waste containers on property. No carts or other waste containers of any type shall be located at any time in any front yards except in compliance with section 6.44.060. ... Carts shall be set out at the curbside by residential unit owners, occupants, or other persons in charge of the residential unit, or as may be otherwise directed by the City, or by the collector. Any cart not placed at curbside on the day designated for collection by the City or collector will not be collected. ... Carts shall not be placed out at curbside prior to 3:00 p.m. of the day prior to the collection day, and the carts shall not be left at curbside after 11:00 a.m. of the day after the collection day.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
070 sets a tight curbside window for residential carts. ' During winter, the resident must also keep a snow-free travel way to the carts so the collector can reach them. 060. Responsibility for both the timing and the placement rule falls on the property owner, occupant, or person in charge of the residential unit. 28. Both the curbside timing and front-yard placement rules were adopted by Ord. No. 61-6011, § 1, on March 24, 2026.
Violations & Fines
Neither § 6.44.040(e) nor § 6.44.070 appears on the enhanced-penalty list in § 6.44.140(c)(1), so a placement or set-out timing violation falls under the general forfeiture in § 6.44.140(c)(2): not less than $10.00 nor more than $1,000.00 for each violation, assessed against the property owner, occupant, or person in charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early can I put my trash cart out in Wausau?
How long can my cart stay at the curb after pickup?
Can I keep my trash cart in the front yard in Wausau?
Am I responsible for clearing snow around my cart?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wausau
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Bin Placement Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Marathon County handle bin placement rules.