Wauwatosa, WI Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Collection frequency
- Weekly, by public works operations division
- Service options
- Curbside/alley cart or fee-based backyard pickup
- Commercial waste
- Not collected by city; licensed hauler required
- Food scraps
- Drained of liquid, securely bagged
- Hot ashes
- Never allowed for collection
Summary
Wauwatosa collects domestic solid waste weekly through its public works operations division, but only if it is prepared and stored the way § 8.24.020 requires; commercial and institutional waste is not handled by the city at all and must go through a private licensed hauler. Residents choose curbside/alley cart service or a fee-based backyard pickup option under § 8.24.030.
Domestic solid waste shall be collected and disposed of on a weekly basis by the public works operations division if prepared and stored in the manner prescribed in Section 8.24.030 or in Chapter 8.25. Commercial/institutional solid waste is not collected or handled by the city and must be managed properly through a service agreement between the commercial/institutional entity and a licensed waste hauler. ... Option 1. ... Use of a city-furnished wheeled refuse cart, stored on the premises at each residence, and placed at the curbside or alley for pickup and disposal by city forces. Option 2. Use of backyard collection service utilizing a city-furnished wheeled refuse cart stored in an off-street location on the premises for pickup and disposal by city forces and subject to payment of a nonrefundable annual user fee established by the common council.
Full Breakdown
25 requires; commercial and institutional solid waste, defined broadly to include churches, schools, charities and larger apartment buildings, is excluded entirely and must be handled through a private service agreement with a licensed waste hauler. 030: Option 1, standard curbside or alley pickup using a city-furnished wheeled cart stored on the premises, or Option 2, backyard collection using a city cart stored off-street, which carries a nonrefundable annual user fee set by the common council and excludes yard waste and special refuse pickups. 070; ashes must be dampened and bagged, with hot ashes barred entirely; and small dead animals may be bagged and placed in the cart.
The board of public works can also require an enclosure around refuse containers wherever weather, vandalism, or aesthetics make one necessary, so long as the enclosure allows containers to be slid rather than lifted out for collection.
Violations & Fines
Improperly prepared waste, such as food scraps left loose or liquid, or hot ashes set out for pickup, will not be collected. Commercial or institutional generators that rely on city collection instead of a licensed hauler are out of compliance with § 8.24.020, and the city's citation authority under § 8.24.120 applies to violations of the collection chapter generally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wauwatosa pick up trash weekly?
Does the city collect commercial trash in Wauwatosa?
What are my options for trash collection in Wauwatosa?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wauwatosa
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Collection Schedule in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Milwaukee County handle collection schedule.