Wausau, WI Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)

Wausau Municipal Code § 6.44.020(e) sets the core curbside containment rule: 'No person shall place any residential sold waste or recyclables at curbside for collection that is not contained within the proper cart with the sole exception, that during the month of January, Christmas trees cut into four-foot lengths may be placed at curbside.' Loose bags, boxes, or piles set beside the cart are not a lawful pickup regardless of whether they sit within view of the collector's regular route. Section 6.44.020(c) backs this containment rule with an enforcement tool: the City or its collector 'may refuse to furnish collection service' to any person who does not comply with the chapter and the City's collection rules, and if that refusal leaves waste accumulating on the property as a public or health nuisance under Chapter 9.24, the owner or occupant can be prosecuted under any applicable City ordinance.

The definitions in § 6.44.010 clarify that 'curbside' means within three feet of the curb, on the paved surface of the road, within the drive approach, or along the alleyway, at least four feet from any obstruction, or another location the collector designates where alleyways or tight spaces limit normal placement. These rules apply specifically to residential units; nonresidential properties arrange their own collection under § 6.44.020(b) and are governed separately for container standards under § 6.44.040. The current containment and refusal-of-service rules took effect with Ord. No. 61-6011, § 1, adopted March 24, 2026.