Madison, WI Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- City curbside service
- Small residential/some small commercial only
- Schedule set by
- Streets Division Manager
- Other properties
- Must contract a private hauler
- Private hauler schedule
- Set independently by the hauler
- First-offense penalty
- $50-$200
Summary
Madison's Streets Division runs curbside trash and recycling collection only for certain smaller residential and commercial properties, with the Streets Division Manager setting each district's collection day under MGO § 10.18(3)(b). Properties not on City service, including most larger multi-family and commercial buildings, must contract their own private hauler on that hauler's own schedule.
The collection, disposal and recycling of solid waste in the City shall be in accordance with rules, procedures, and schedules as specified by the Streets Division Manager and as directed by State law... The Streets Division provides curbside trash and recycling collection services for certain City properties pursuant to adopted City policies, primarily serving small residential properties as well as some small commercial properties. Properties not served by the City must arrange for trash and recycling collections with private waste haulers.(b)Collection Schedule. The Streets Division Manager shall designate the days on which trash and recycling will be collected by the City under its curbside collections program in the various districts of the City, which said collection day shall be kept as nearly uniform as possible for the various districts. Private haulers shall establish their own collection schedule.
Full Breakdown
18(1) sets the City's overall solid-waste policy, directing that collection, disposal, and recycling follow rules, procedures, and schedules set by the Streets Division Manager consistent with the state waste-management priorities in Wis. 05(12): reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, energy recovery, then land disposal. 18(3)(a), the Streets Division provides curbside collection only for certain City properties under adopted policies, primarily small residential properties and some small commercial properties; any property not covered must arrange its own trash and recycling collection with a private waste hauler. 18(3)(b) puts the Streets Division Manager in charge of designating collection days for the City's curbside program, keeping the day as uniform as possible across each district, while private haulers set their own schedules independent of the City's calendar. 18(5), sized to at least a 20-gallon-per-unit weekly capacity or a 2:1 trash-to-recycling ratio.
Violations & Fines
A property owner or hauler who violates the collection rules in this section faces a forfeiture of $50 to $200 for a first offense within 12 months, $100 to $300 for a second, and $250 to $500 for a third or later offense in that period, with each day of violation a separate offense under § 10.18(7)(a).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the City of Madison pick up trash at every address?
Who decides what day my trash gets picked up in Madison?
Can I switch from City collection to a private hauler in Madison?
What recycling container requirements apply if I use a private hauler?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison
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Collection Schedule in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dane County handle collection schedule.