Appleton, WI Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest set-out
- 5:00 p.m. day before pickup
- Latest set-out
- 3:00 a.m. on collection day
- Containers off curb
- by midnight of collection day
- Single-family containers
- two City-issued polycarts
- Brush bundles
- max 45 lbs, 3-inch diameter
- Penalty
- $250-$500 forfeiture (Sec. 15-35)
Summary
Appleton residents must place solid waste, recyclables, yard waste and brush at the curb no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before pickup and no later than 3 a.m. on collection day, per Municipal Code Sec. 15-31. Containers must sit at ground level next to the curb even in winter and be pulled back by midnight of collection day.
(a) All solid waste, recyclables, yard waste or brush must be placed for pickup by 3:00 a.m. on the day of collection, but not before 5:00 p.m. of the day preceding the regularly scheduled pickup. Containers shall be returned to the point of storage no later than midnight the day of collection. (b) All solid waste and recyclables shall be placed at the ground level next to the curb. During the winter months, containers must still be placed at ground level next to the curb. This may be accomplished by placing the containers in the driveway, or a suitable area can be shoveled out on the street side of the boulevard.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
The Department of Public Works governs how trash, recyclables, yard waste and brush must be set out under Chapter 15, Article II of the Appleton Municipal Code. Sec. on collection day itself; empty containers have to come back off the curb by midnight of that same day. Sec. 15-31(b) requires everything to sit at ground level right next to the curb, and during winter months residents must either place containers in the driveway or shovel out a spot on the street side of the boulevard so crews can reach them.
Single-family households get two City-issued polycarts under Sec. 15-28(a): one for solid waste, one exclusively for recyclables, with overflow allowed only in tagged bags. Sec. 15-30 spells out prep rules that determine whether a set-out gets picked up: brush must be cut into four-foot lengths, bundled to no more than two feet in diameter and forty-five pounds, with branches no thicker than three inches; cardboard has to be broken down and fit inside the recycling cart; and grass clippings, leaves and other yard waste can never be mixed into the same container as household or commercial trash.
Sec. 15-32 makes it unlawful for anyone besides City employees or the county's recycling contractor to sort through or remove items from a cart already set out for pickup. Fees for overflow tags, tire disposal and can charges are set by the Department of Public Works under Sec. 15-34 and are on file in that office rather than fixed in the code itself.
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Chapter 15's solid waste article, including the set-out timing and preparation rules, carries a forfeiture of not less than $250 nor more than $500 per Sec. 15-35. Waste set out too early, left past midnight, or improperly bundled simply won't be collected, and scavenging from a cart already at the curb is a separate offense under Sec. 15-32.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I put my trash out for pickup in Appleton?
Can I leave my cart at the curb during winter?
Is someone else allowed to take items out of my recycling cart?
How is brush supposed to be prepared for pickup?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Appleton
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