Wauwatosa, WI Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Collection frequency
- Every other week, year round
- Cart weight cap
- 200 lbs of recyclables
- Residential noncompliance fine
- $50 first, $100 repeat
- Multi-family/nonresidential fine
- $250 first, $500 repeat
- Multi-family container minimum
- 24 gallons/unit/week
- Bags allowed in cart
- No plastic bags
Summary
Wauwatosa's curbside recycling cart is picked up every other week, year round, by fully automated truck, capped at 200 pounds per cart. Municipal Code Section 8.25.170 sets the collection mechanics; noncompliance with the program draws a $50 fine the first time and $100 after that.
Separated recyclables prepared according to Section 8.25.160 above shall be placed in the recycling cart for fully automated curbside collection. Provisions which govern curbside collection of recyclables include the following. Only recyclables in the recycling cart shall be picked up for curbside collection year round, every other week according to schedules published by the city. Recycling carts shall only be filled to a maximum weight of two hundred pounds of recyclables. Recycling carts are to be handled separately from garbage carts and containers according to the provisions of Chapter 8.24 of this code for solid waste collection and disposal. Failure to comply with the city's curbside recycling program shall be subject to the penalties established by the city and identified in Section 8.25.250. ... Failure to comply with the city's residential curbside recycling program as required in Section 8.25.120 or 8.25.170: Fifty dollars first violation, One hundred dollars second and subsequent violations;
Full Breakdown
160 requires occupants of single-family and two- to four-unit residences to prepare recyclables for the city's single stream program by placing them loose in the recycling cart or in an open paper bag; bagged-in-plastic materials are not permitted. 170 then governs the actual curbside pickup: only material inside the recycling cart is collected, the truck comes every other week year round on the city's published schedule, and each cart may hold no more than 200 pounds. 24. 125 covers the cart itself, which the city delivers, retains ownership of, and tracks by serial number tied to the property; residents are responsible for normal care and for reimbursing the city for damage caused by negligence.
24 apply here too. 210 require owners or agents to provide adequate separate recycling container capacity, at minimum 24 gallons per unit per week or a 2:1 trash-to-recycling volume ratio, and to notify tenants or occupants of the program in writing at move-in and at least twice a year thereafter.
Violations & Fines
Failure to comply with the residential curbside recycling program under Section 8.25.120 or 8.25.170 carries a $50 forfeiture for a first violation and $100 for a second and each subsequent violation under the Section 8.25.250 fee and penalty schedule. Multiple-family dwelling or nonresidential facility noncompliance with Section 8.25.200 or 8.25.210 carries a steeper $250 first-violation forfeiture and $500 for a second and subsequent violations, and the city may discontinue collection service until fees and corrective action are completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is recycling picked up in Wauwatosa?
Is there a weight limit on the recycling cart?
Can I bag my recyclables in plastic before putting them in the cart?
What recycling capacity must an apartment building provide?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wauwatosa
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Recycling Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Milwaukee County handle recycling requirements.