Madison Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling & Yard Waste 2026

Find your Madison Streets Division collection day, recycling week, large item work order, brush and yard waste set-out dates, and drop-off site hours.

City of Madison · Streets & Urban Forestry Division · Updated May 2026

⭐ Collection Day Finder

Find Your Madison Collection Day

Select your trash pickup day to see your full schedule — garbage, recycling week, and key holiday impacts for 2026. Your exact calendar is address-specific.

👈 Select your day above to see your Madison collection schedule and holiday impacts.

Don’t know your day or recycling week? Enter your address at cityofmadison.com/streets to get your exact calendar PDF.  More contact options ↓

At a Glance

Madison Waste Collection — Quick Facts

The City of Madison Streets & Urban Forestry Division provides two-cart curbside collection for all eligible Madison residences: a tan cart for trash (weekly) and a green cart for recycling (every other week). Recycling is mandatory — recyclable items must not go in the trash. Brush, yard waste, large items, and food scraps each have their own separate set-out or scheduling systems.

🗑
Garbage
Weekly
Tan cart, by address
Recycling
Every other week
Green cart, mandatory
🌿
Yard Waste & Brush
Seasonal, Sun set-out
Separate schedules
📦
Large Items
Work order required
Sun set-out, week pickup
🏢
Drop-Off Sites
3 locations
Trash, recycling, HHW, more
⚠ Recycling is required by law in Madison. Do not put recyclable items in the tan trash cart. If your cart contains banned recyclables, it may be carded and left uncollected. All properties using City of Madison recycling carts are covered by the Resource Recovery Special Charge (RRSC) on their Municipal Services (water) bill.
Two-Cart System

Madison’s Two-Cart System — Tan Trash & Green Recycling

Every Madison residence served by the Streets Division receives two color-coded carts collected on the same assigned weekday. Trash is collected weekly; recycling every other week. Your specific recycling week is shown on your personal collection calendar — get it by entering your address at cityofmadison.com/streets.

🗑

Tan Cart — Trash

All non-recyclable household waste. Put trash in bags inside the cart. Keep the lid closed.

Weekly • Rate-Based

Green Cart — Recycling

Paper, cardboard, plastic containers, metal cans, glass bottles and jars. Loose — never bagged (exception: shredded paper in a clear bag). Mandatory.

Every Other Week • Mandatory

⏰ Cart Placement Rules

  • Carts out by 6:30 a.m. on collection day (not earlier than the evening before).
  • Place within arm’s reach of the curb or alley on a level surface.
  • 4 feet from trees, cars, utility poles, mailboxes, fire hydrants, and other obstructions.
  • Keep the lid closed to protect recyclables from rain and snow.
  • Do not place carts under low-hanging wires or branches.
  • Recyclables must be at least 3 inches tall to be sorted properly by machinery.
📌 Your recycling week is address-specific. Do not follow your neighbor’s recycling schedule — they may be on a different week. Download your personal collection calendar PDF at cityofmadison.com/streets. The Streets Division also offers an email update list for schedule changes.
Holiday Schedule

Madison Holiday Trash Collection Schedule 2026 — A Unique System

Madison’s holiday system is different from most US cities. Only the residents whose collection day falls on the holiday are affected — not everyone. For single-day holidays, affected residents collect the next work day. For back-to-back double holidays, Madison uses a special rule: if your day falls on the first holiday, you collect one day early; if it falls on the second holiday, you collect the next work day after the break.

⚠ Madison observes 11 City holidays, including Ho-Chunk Day (the Friday after Thanksgiving), Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve — which most other cities do not observe. The simplest approach: download your own address-based collection calendar, which has all holiday adjustments already incorporated.
Holiday2026 DateImpactWhat Happens
New Year’s DayThu, Jan 1Thu & Fri OnlyPart of New Year’s Eve/Day double holiday. Thu customers collect Wed Dec 31; Fri customers collect Mon Jan 5.
MLK Jr. DayMon, Jan 19Mon OnlyMonday customers collect Tuesday Jan 20.
Memorial DayMon, May 25Mon OnlyMonday customers collect Tuesday May 26.
JuneteenthFri, Jun 19Fri OnlyFriday customers collect Monday Jun 22.
Independence DaySat, Jul 4NormalFalls on Saturday — no weekday impact. Regular service all week.
Labor DayMon, Sep 7Mon OnlyMonday customers collect Tuesday Sep 8.
ThanksgivingThu, Nov 26Thu: 1 Day EarlyPart of Thanksgiving/Ho-Chunk double. Thu customers collect Wed Nov 25 (one day early).
Ho-Chunk DayFri, Nov 27Fri: Next Work DayPart of Thanksgiving/Ho-Chunk double. Fri customers collect Mon Nov 30.
Christmas EveThu, Dec 24Thu: 1 Day EarlyPart of Christmas Eve/Day double. Thu customers collect Wed Dec 23 (one day early).
Christmas DayFri, Dec 25Fri: Next Work DayPart of Christmas Eve/Day double. Fri customers collect Mon Dec 28.
New Year’s EveThu, Dec 31Thu: 1 Day EarlyPart of NYE/NYD double. Thu customers collect Wed Dec 30 (one day early).
💡 Double holiday rule explained: When two City holidays fall back-to-back, the first holiday moves collection earlier (the day before), and the second holiday pushes collection to the next work day after the break. For Thanksgiving: Thursday customers collect Wednesday before Thanksgiving; Friday customers collect the following Monday. Always download your personal calendar to be sure.
Recycling — Green Cart

Madison Recycling — What Goes in the Green Cart

Madison uses single-stream recycling in the green cart, collected every other week on your regular trash day. All items must be clean, empty, dry, and placed loose (not bagged). Recycling is mandatory — carts with banned items may be tagged and left uncollected. Items must be at least 3 inches tall. If you have more recyclables than your cart holds, an additional cart is available from the Streets Division.

✅ Accepted in the Green Cart

  • Plastic bottles, jugs, dairy tubs, and other plastic containers (rinsed)
  • Flattened cardboard boxes (including pizza boxes)
  • Junk mail, newspaper, office paper, magazines, packing paper
  • Paper cups and cartons (milk, juice, broth, soy milk, etc.)
  • Glass bottles and glass jars (all colors, rinsed)
  • Aluminum cans, tin cans, steel cans
  • Aluminum foil (balled up) and clean empty saucepans
  • Jar lids and other metal lids
  • Shredded paper — must be in a clear bag

🚫 Banned from the Green Cart

  • Batteries → drop-off sites or retailers
  • TVs, computers, electronics → drop-off sites (free)
  • Plastic bags and film → grocery store drop-off
  • Black, gray, or white opaque bags
  • Ropes, hoses, Christmas lights, other tangly items
  • Clothing, bedding, towels, all textiles
  • Wood and lumber
  • Light bulbs (including fluorescent) → retailers or drop-off
  • Styrofoam → drop-off sites accept it for recycling
  • Needles and medical sharps → pharmacy take-back
  • Propane tanks and hazardous waste → Dane County Clean Sweep
  • Yard waste and brush → separate seasonal collection
  • Regular trash
💡 Just because it’s plastic doesn’t mean it can be recycled. Madison accepts specific plastic containers only (bottles, jugs, tubs, dairy containers). Frisbees, toys, bicycle helmets, shower curtains, straws, and other plastic items are not accepted in the cart. When in doubt, look up your item in the Recyclopedia on the Streets Division website.

🚫 Carded Carts — What Happens If You Have Banned Items

If your green recycling cart contains banned items, a Streets Division crew member may leave a cart card on your cart and not collect it. The card explains what the problem is. Remove the banned items and put the cart back out for collection. Contamination ruins entire truckloads of recyclables. See common carded cart problems at cityofmadison.com.

Brush & Yard Waste

Brush & Yard Waste — Separate Seasonal Collections with Sunday Set-Out Dates

Madison treats brush and yard waste as two entirely separate collection streams, each with its own schedule and crew. They will not be collected if mixed together. Both follow a Sunday set-out system: you put your materials out on the assigned Sunday, and crews collect during the work week that follows. Set-out dates vary by address and are address-specific — look yours up at cityofmadison.com/streets/brush-yard-waste.

🌿 Yard Waste (Raked/Pulled Material)

  • Leaves, weeds, grass clippings, garden trimmings
  • Twigs less than 18 inches long
  • Pumpkins, crab apples, vines, corn stalks, pinecones
  • Turned into compost after collection
  • Available seasonally (spring and fall periods)
  • Look up your Sunday set-out date by address

🌳 Brush (Cut from Trees & Shrubs)

  • Sticks, branches, tree limbs you cut from trees or shrubs
  • Between 18 inches and 8 feet long
  • Less than 8 inches in diameter
  • Ground into wood mulch after collection
  • Available seasonally — look up your Sunday set-out date
  • Do not mix brush with yard waste piles
⚠ Mixed piles will not be collected. Keep yard waste (leaves, grass, small twigs under 18 in.) completely separate from brush (branches and limbs 18 in. to 8 ft). Two different crews collect them on separate days. If piles are mixed, neither crew will collect. You can also take both types to the drop-off sites year-round.

🎄 Christmas Tree Collection

Holiday trees are collected curbside in January under the brush collection schedule. Place your tree out on the correct Sunday set-out date for brush. Remove all ornaments, tinsel, lights, and stands. Do not bag it in plastic. Check cityofmadison.com/streets/brush-yard-waste for the specific holiday tree collection set-out Sunday for your address.

Large Items & Appliances

Large Items & Appliances — Work Order System with Sunday Set-Out

Madison requires you to complete a Large Item Work Order before putting any large items at the curb. You choose your set-out Sunday during the work order process. Crews collect during the work week following your chosen Sunday. Most large items are free for residents who pay the Resource Recovery Special Charge (RRSC) on their Municipal Services bill. Properties with more than 8 units are not eligible for curbside large item collection (policy effective January 1, 2025).

📅 How to Schedule Large Item Pickup

  1. Go to cityofmadison.com/LargeItemWorkOrder and complete the online work order. List your items and choose your set-out Sunday. If any items have a recycling fee, you will pay it during the work order process.
  2. Place items at the curb on the exact Sunday you chose — not early, not late. Items set out early may be cited as a code violation.
  3. Keep items separated: metal items and appliances separate from non-metal furniture. Different crews collect metals and non-metals on different days. Metals are recycled; non-metals are landfilled.
  4. Keep items 4 feet from trees, cars, utility poles, mailboxes, and fire hydrants. Items must be less than 8 feet long. Avoid placing under low-hanging wires or branches.
  5. Crews collect during the work week following your set-out Sunday. Holidays, fall leaf collection, and severe weather may cause delays.

✅ Accepted via Large Item Work Order

  • Sofas, chairs, tables, dressers, bed frames
  • Mattresses and box springs
  • Appliances (fridge, washer, dryer, AC, stove, dishwasher, microwave) — free for RRSC payers; fee applies otherwise
  • Pianos, tires (take to drop-off sites)
  • Fence posts, doors, shelving
  • Items must be less than 8 feet long

🚫 Not Collected Curbside

  • Properties with more than 8 units → use drop-off sites
  • Items set out without a work order → code violation risk
  • Mixed brush and yard waste piles
  • Construction or demolition debris
  • Commercial or business waste
  • Private dumpsters (WM Bagsters, etc.) → schedule with WM directly
💡 Alternatively, take large items to a drop-off site. The three Madison drop-off sites accept large items year-round during site hours. If you have only one or two items, a drop-off site trip may be faster than waiting for a work order pickup. See drop-off site locations and hours below.
Drop-Off Sites

Madison Drop-Off Sites — Three Locations for Residents & Taxpayers

Madison residents and taxpayers can bring trash, recycling, brush, yard waste, electronics, large items, styrofoam (for recycling), cooking oil, and batteries to the city’s three drop-off sites. Proof of residency or taxpayer status is required. All sites are closed on City holidays. A new Central drop-off site at 1504 Quann-Olin Parkway opened April 11, 2026.

🚩 East Drop-Off Site

4602 Sycamore Ave, Madison

East Office also located here

📞 East: 608-246-4532

🚩 West Drop-Off Site

402 South Point Rd, Madison

📞 West: 608-266-4681

🚩 Central Drop-Off Site New in 2026

1504 Quann-Olin Parkway, Madison

Opened April 11, 2026. Enter from Olin Avenue. Two-way traffic — drive slowly.

📅 Drop-Off Site Hours (Apr 11 – Dec 3, 2026)

Mon: 7:30am–2:30pm

Tue & Thu: 7:30am–7:00pm

Wed: Closed

Fri: 7:30am–2:30pm

Sat: 9:00am–4:00pm • Sun: Closed

🏢 What the Drop-Off Sites Accept

  • Excess trash and recyclables (beyond cart capacity)
  • Extra cardboard
  • Electronics (TVs, computers, phones, tablets) — free
  • Batteries (all types)
  • Styrofoam — accepted for recycling (not landfill)
  • Cooking oil
  • Yard waste and brush
  • Large items and appliances
⚠ Winter hours (Dec 4, 2026 – Spring 2027): All sites are open Monday through Friday 7:30am–2:30pm only. Saturday and Sunday are closed. Wednesday remains closed year-round. Check cityofmadison.com/streets/drop-off-sites before visiting, as severe weather may cause unexpected closures.
Food Scraps & Composting

Food Scraps & Composting in Madison

Madison does not currently offer curbside food scrap collection. Instead, the city provides free food scrap drop-off through seasonal farmers’ market locations (April–October) and year-round Dane County Scrap Stop sites. Home composting is also encouraged.

🌳 Westside Community Market

505 S Rosa Rd, Madison

Saturdays, 7am–12:30pm

April 11 – October 31, 2026

🌳 Madison Eastside Farmers’ Market

202 S. Ingersoll St (McPike Park)

Tuesdays, 4pm–7pm

April 28 – October 27, 2026

🌳 South Madison Farmers’ Market

1602 S. Park St (corner of S. Park & W. Wingra)

Tuesdays, 2pm–6pm

May 19 – October 27, 2026

🌳 Capitol View Farmers’ Market

5901 Sharpsburg Dr (near City View Park)

Wednesdays, 3pm–7pm

May 27 – October 14, 2026

💡 Dane County Scrap Stops available year-round. When farmers’ market sites are closed (November–April), use a Dane County Scrap Stop for food scrap composting. There are three locations in Madison plus others throughout Dane County. Registration may be required. Home composting in your backyard is also always an option — see the Streets Division’s home composting resources.
HHW & Electronics

Hazardous Waste & Electronics in Madison

Madison residents should take electronics and hazardous household waste to the city’s drop-off sites (electronics and batteries accepted free) or to the Dane County Clean Sweep program for paint, chemicals, and other hazardous materials.

✅ At Madison Drop-Off Sites

  • Electronics: TVs, computers, phones, tablets, monitors
  • Batteries (all types including lithium — tape terminals before dropping off)
  • Styrofoam for recycling
  • Cooking oil
  • Motor oil (check Recyclopedia for specifics)
  • Fluorescent bulbs — also accepted at many retailers

🔧 Dane County Clean Sweep (HHW)

  • Paint (latex and oil-based)
  • Garden chemicals, pesticides, herbicides
  • Pool chemicals and solvents
  • Propane tanks
  • Visit landfill.danecounty.gov/clean-sweep for locations and hours
📌 Batteries must be taped before drop-off. Lithium and nickel batteries can cause fires when terminals contact each other. Tape the terminals (positive and negative ends) with clear tape before bringing batteries to a drop-off site. See the Streets Division guidance on how to identify and tape lithium batteries.
💡 Household sharps (needles). Madison residents with medical sharps should use pharmacy take-back programs. Do not place sharps loose in any cart or drop-off container. See cityofmadison.com/streets/sharps for Madison-specific guidance.
Missed Pickup

What to Do If Your Trash Wasn’t Collected in Madison

  1. Confirm your collection day and recycling week. Enter your address at cityofmadison.com/streets and download your personal calendar. Do not rely on neighbors for your recycling week.
  2. Check the holiday schedule. Madison observes 11 City holidays with its unique system. If your day fell on a holiday, check whether you should have put carts out earlier or later. Download your calendar for the most accurate information.
  3. Verify cart placement: out by 6:30 a.m., lid closed, 4 feet from all obstructions, not under low-hanging branches or wires.
  4. If recycling was left behind, check for a cart card. If your green cart had banned items, it may have been carded and not collected. Remove the offending items, then report the collection as missed.
  5. Report a missed collection through the online missed collection report form or by calling Streets East at 608-246-4532 or Streets West at 608-266-4681 (Mon–Fri, 7:30am–4pm).
Local Tips

Madison Trash & Recycling Tips Every Resident Should Know

🏠 New to Madison or Just Moved In?

Enter your address at cityofmadison.com/streets to download your personal collection calendar as a PDF. This shows your exact trash day, recycling weeks, and all holiday adjustments for the year. Your tan and green carts should be at your address when you move in. If missing, contact Streets East or West. Subscribe to the Streets Division email list for schedule change alerts.

🏫 August Student Move-Out

Madison’s large University of Wisconsin student population creates enormous trash volumes each August around lease changeovers. The Streets Division has a special August Student Move-Out program with guidance for items students leave behind. See cityofmadison.com/streets/move-out for specific guidelines if you are moving in or out in August.

🚫 5 Common Mistakes Madison Residents Make

  • Putting recyclables out on the wrong recycling week (follow your own calendar, not your neighbor’s)
  • Putting plastic bags, clothing, tangly items, or electronics in the green recycling cart — these will cause your cart to be carded and not collected
  • Setting out large items without completing a work order first — this can result in a code violation
  • Mixing brush (branches) with yard waste (leaves/grass) into one pile — neither will be collected if mixed
  • Missing the 6:30 a.m. cart set-out time — Madison collection trucks run early; late carts are left behind

📚 Free Recyclopedia & Recyclopedia Booklets

Not sure what to do with a specific item? Look it up in the online Recyclopedia at cityofmadison.com/streets. Free printed Recyclopedia booklets with all rules and guidelines are also available at any Madison Public Library location, or can be mailed to your home by request. Free copies can also be requested by contacting the Streets Division directly.

Contact

Contact Madison Streets Division & Waste Services

ContactDetails
Streets East (Customer Service)📞 608-246-4532 — Mon–Fri, 7:30am–4pm • East office at 4602 Sycamore Ave
Streets West (Customer Service)📞 608-266-4681 — Mon–Fri, 7:30am–4pm • West office at 1501 W Badger Rd
Streets Division Emailstreets@cityofmadison.com
Collection Schedule Lookupcityofmadison.com/streets/trash-recycling — enter address for personal calendar PDF
Large Item Work Ordercityofmadison.com/LargeItemWorkOrder — required before setting out large items
Report a Missed CollectionOnline missed collection report form
Brush & Yard Waste Set-Out Datescityofmadison.com/streets/brush-yard-waste — address-based lookup for your Sunday set-out date
Drop-Off SitesEast: 4602 Sycamore Ave • West: 402 South Point Rd • Central: 1504 Quann-Olin Pkwy • Closed Wed & Sun
Holiday Schedulescityofmadison.com/streets/holidays — and built into your personal calendar PDF
Recyclopedia (Item Lookup)cityofmadison.com/streets — Recyclopedia — look up any item to find proper disposal method
Food Scraps Drop-Offcityofmadison.com/streets/food-scraps • Farmers’ market sites Apr–Oct • Dane County Scrap Stops year-round
Dane County Clean Sweep (HHW)landfill.danecounty.gov/clean-sweep — paint, chemicals, propane, hazardous waste
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions — Madison Trash Pickup

Your collection day depends on your specific address. Enter your address at cityofmadison.com/streets/trash-recycling to see your next collection dates and download a full annual calendar PDF. You can also call Streets East at 608-246-4532 or Streets West at 608-266-4681 (Mon–Fri 7:30am–4pm).
Enter your address at cityofmadison.com/streets. The site will show your next two collection dates and a link to download your full annual calendar as a PDF. Your recycling week is address-specific — do not follow your neighbor’s schedule, as they may be on a different alternating week.
Yes. Recycling is required in Madison. Do not put recyclable items in the tan trash cart. If your green recycling cart contains banned items, it may be tagged with a cart card and left uncollected. Recyclables are collected every other week on your regular trash day. An additional green cart can be requested from the Streets Division if you have more recyclables than fit in your cart.
Madison observes 11 City holidays. Only residents whose collection day falls on the holiday are affected. For single-day holidays, those residents collect the next work day. For back-to-back double holidays (Thanksgiving & Ho-Chunk Day; Christmas Eve & Christmas Day; New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day), the first holiday moves your collection one day earlier, and the second holiday moves collection to the next work day after the break. Your personal calendar download already has all holiday adjustments built in.
You must complete a Large Item Work Order at cityofmadison.com/LargeItemWorkOrder before setting anything out. During the work order, you choose a Sunday set-out date. Crews collect during the work week that follows. Most items are free for residents who pay the Resource Recovery Special Charge. Properties with more than 8 units are not eligible for curbside large item pickup and must use the drop-off sites. Alternatively, you can take large items directly to any of the three drop-off sites.
Place clean, empty, and loose items in the green cart: plastic containers (bottles, jugs, dairy tubs), flattened cardboard, paper products (newspaper, junk mail, magazines, office paper, paper cups, cartons), glass bottles and jars, aluminum and steel cans, and aluminum foil (balled up). Shredded paper must be in a clear bag. Not accepted: plastic bags, batteries, electronics, clothing, Styrofoam, light bulbs, tangly items, or food waste. When in doubt, use the online Recyclopedia at cityofmadison.com/streets.
Yard waste (leaves, grass clippings, weeds, garden trimmings, twigs under 18 inches) and brush (branches and limbs 18 inches to 8 feet long, under 8 inches diameter) are collected separately on an address-based Sunday set-out schedule. Look up your set-out Sundays at cityofmadison.com/streets/brush-yard-waste. Do not mix brush and yard waste into one pile. Both types can also be dropped off at the three drop-off sites year-round.
Electronics (TVs, computers, phones, tablets) and batteries are accepted free at all three Madison drop-off sites during open hours. For hazardous household waste (paint, chemicals, propane, pesticides), use the Dane County Clean Sweep program at landfill.danecounty.gov/clean-sweep. Always tape battery terminals before dropping off batteries.
Madison does not offer curbside food scrap collection. Free drop-off is available at four farmers’ market locations April through October, and at Dane County Scrap Stop sites year-round. You can also compost food scraps in your own backyard. See cityofmadison.com/streets/food-scraps for locations and hours.
Use the online missed collection report form or call Streets East at 608-246-4532 or Streets West at 608-266-4681 (Mon–Fri 7:30am–4pm). Before reporting, verify your cart was out by 6:30 a.m., confirm it was the correct recycling week, check for a cart card on the recycling cart, and check the holiday schedule for your specific pickup day.
Official Source

Still Can’t Find Your Collection Day?

The official Streets Division address lookup is the most accurate tool for Madison residents. Enter your address to see your next collection dates and download your full personal annual calendar PDF with all holiday adjustments already included.

🔍 Official Madison Streets Division Lookup & Contact Options

All of the following are free and will confirm your exact schedule for your specific address:

🔍 Collection Schedule Lookup 📞 Call Streets East: 608-246-4532
Collection Schedule (Address Lookup)cityofmadison.com/streets/trash-recycling — enter your address to see upcoming dates and download your annual calendar PDF. Holidays are already built into your personal calendar.
Streets East608-246-4532 • Mon–Fri, 7:30am–4pm • 4602 Sycamore Ave
Streets West608-266-4681 • Mon–Fri, 7:30am–4pm • 1501 W Badger Rd
Emailstreets@cityofmadison.com
Large Item Work Ordercityofmadison.com/LargeItemWorkOrder — required before setting any large item at the curb.
Brush & Yard Waste Set-Out Datescityofmadison.com/streets/brush-yard-waste — enter your address for your Sunday set-out dates.
Recyclopedia (Any Item Lookup)cityofmadison.com/streets — Recyclopedia section — type any item to find out how to dispose of it properly.

You will leave this website when using any of the links above. The Streets Division website is the authoritative source for all Madison waste collection information.

Outside City of Madison limits? Surrounding communities including Fitchburg, Middleton, Monona, Sun Prairie, Verona, and unincorporated Dane County areas have their own waste providers. Contact Dane County at landfill.danecounty.gov or your municipality’s public works department for local collection resources.
Other Cities

Trash & Recycling Schedules for Other US Cities

Looking for waste collection information in another city? Here are cities we’ve already covered with full schedules, recycling rules, and bulk pickup guides: