Madison, Wisconsin resident guide
Madison trash, recycling & bulk pickup
Find regular trash and recycling information alongside bulky-item schedules, set-out rules, accepted items, and holiday changes.
Official source links checked on August 27, 2026.
Regular household service
Trash and recycling service
Start here for the recurring household collections residents use most often.
Madison collects the tan trash cart weekly for eligible city-serviced properties. Carts should be at the collection point by 6:30 a.m. on the address's scheduled day.
The green recycling cart is collected every other week. Residents whose recycling is privately collected may owe recycling fees for certain large appliances or items that city-recycling customers have covered through the Resource Recovery Special Charge.
Need it gone before the city service?
Compare independent pickup when the local date is too far away or an item is excluded.
Start here
How Madison service works
Complete the official Large Item Work Order before setting anything out, list the items, pay any applicable recycling fee, and choose the Sunday set-out date. Crews collect during the following work week.
City rules at a glance
Local limits before set-out
Madison Streets Division collects eligible large items by work order from city-serviced properties with eight or fewer residential units.
Complete the official Large Item Work Order before setting anything out, list the items, pay any applicable recycling fee, and choose the Sunday set-out date. Crews collect during the following work week.
The work order controls the approved items and date. Properties with more than eight units have not been eligible for city large-item collection since January 1, 2025 and must use their property manager, private hauler, or an eligible drop-off option.
Set items out on the selected Sunday, not early or late. Items must be under eight feet long, four feet from obstructions, out of the street and sidewalk, and separated into metal or appliance and nonmetal piles.
Local detail that matters
What makes Madison service different
Madison's selected Sunday is the set-out date, not a guaranteed truck-arrival date. Leave the approved items in place for the following work week and keep metal or appliances separated because different crews collect those materials.
Item guidance
What may go in the bulky-item pile
Accepted examples
Couches, mattresses, tables, pianos, tires, microwaves, air conditioners, fence posts, and other items too large or inappropriate for city carts may qualify when listed in the work order.
Not accepted
Private dumpsters and Bagster-style containers are not collected by the Streets Division. Electronics, batteries, building material, and other regulated items may use separate city instructions or drop-off rules.
Holiday collectionMadison holiday collection guidancePublished city guidance
Madison does not collect on city holidays. A single holiday moves only affected addresses to the next workday; during two-day holiday closures, the first day's route moves earlier and the second day's route moves after the closure.
TrashDayFinder does not fill this section with assumed federal-holiday dates. A specific delay or makeup date will appear after it is confirmed in published local guidance.
Common questions
Madison collection FAQ
Can Madison residents set out a couch without scheduling?
No. Eligible properties must complete the Large Item Work Order before setting out the item and use the Sunday selected in that order.
Does Madison collect large items from big apartment buildings?
Not from properties with more than eight units. Residents there should contact the property manager or private hauler, or check city drop-off eligibility.
Sources used for this guide
Official supporting information
TrashDayFinder used these public sources to prepare the resident guidance above. They were checked on August 27, 2026 and are provided here as evidence.
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