Milwaukee, WI Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Curbside pickup
- None: self-haul only
- Disposal frequency
- At least every 2 weeks
- Grass clippings
- May stay on lawn or compost
- At drop-off site
- Debag before depositing
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Public Works
Summary
Milwaukee does not collect yard waste at the curb. Residents must haul grass clippings, leaves and garden debris to sites the commissioner designates, at least once every two weeks during the season.
YARD WASTE. Yard waste shall
not be collected by the department. Residents
shall dispose of yard waste generated on their
properties at sites designated by the
commissioner.
a. Yard waste shall be disposed of at
least once every 2 weeks during the yard waste
season as determined by the commissioner,
except that residents may allow grass clippings to
remain on their lawns rather than adding them to
other yard waste which may accumulate on their
properties, or grass clippings and garden debris
may be composted in a manner specified by the
commissioner.
b. Between disposals, yard waste
shall be stored in bags, boxes or other containers
in a manner preventing creation of a nuisance.
c. Upon disposal at approved sites,
residents shall debag or otherwise
decontainerize all yard waste before depositing it
in the yard waste receptacles provided.
12. OIL FILTERS AND OIL
ABSORBENT MATERIALS a. No person may
place a used oil filter in mixed municipal solid
waste.
b. No person may place oil absorbent
materials in mixed municipal solid waste, except
for the disposal of less than one gallon of oil
absorbent materials that contain waste oil
resulting from a nonroutine spill.
13. ELECTRONIC DEVICES.
a. Electronic devices as specified in
s. 287.07(5), Wis. Stats., shall be collected by the
department as provided under s.79-6.5-9.
b. No person may place an electronic
Full Breakdown
Under city code, yard waste is excluded from regular department pickup: residents are responsible for taking it to drop-off sites designated by the commissioner. Disposal must happen at least once every two weeks during the yard waste season, though residents may leave grass clippings on the lawn instead of hauling them, and grass clippings and garden debris can be composted in a manner the commissioner specifies. Between trips, yard waste must be stored in bags, boxes or other containers so it doesn't create a nuisance, and once at the drop-off site, residents must debag or otherwise decontainerize the material before depositing it in the yard waste receptacles.
Violations & Fines
Yard waste stored loosely between disposal trips, or left bagged inside the drop-off receptacles instead of decontainerized, can be treated as a nuisance and draw code enforcement from the Department of Public Works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Milwaukee pick up yard waste at the curb?
How often do I need to dispose of yard waste?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Milwaukee
Compare Milwaukee to another location·View the Wisconsin trash & recycling overview
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Yard Waste Collection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Milwaukee County handle yard waste collection.