Garbage, Recycling, & Yard Waste Carts

To ensure your carts are collected on time and without issues, please follow these guidelines:

• Set out your carts in their designated location no later than 7:00 am on your scheduled pick up day.
• The best place to put your garbage or recycling cart is:
  • Curbside: Place carts in your driveway apron, not in the street
  • Alley: Place carts as close as possible to the alley edge
• Carts blocked by parked vehicles cannot be collected. Placing them in your driveway apron helps ensure clear access.
• Provide a minimum of three feet of clearance around each cart to provide access for our automated trucks.
• Position your cart with the front (lid opening) facing the street or alley. Carts facing other directions cannot be collected.
• All bags and materials must be placed loosely inside the cart prior to collection. Items packed too tightly can prevent the cart from being fully emptied.

Return Trips

If your cart was not set out, inaccessible or not able to be emptied when our trucks arrived for collection, we can make a return trip for a $25 fee. Please call us at (414) 471-8422 or make on online request to schedule this collection. Once you received confirmation, you can pay the return trip fee online.

You should routinely clean the inside of your cart with a soapy water solution to reduce rodent infestation and odors.

We can replace lids, wheels, and axles on your City-issued carts free of charge. Please call us at (414) 471-8422 or submit an online request for this service.

We are only able to service official City-issued yard waste carts. The City cannot repair or replace non-City-issued carts and is not responsible for damage to these containers. Broken or unwanted carts can be collected for a fee at your curb as a special collection or at the Drop Off Center.

If your City garbage, recycling or yard waste cart needs to be replaced, a new one can be purchased for a fee of $85 plus tax ($90.02 per cart). If we damaged your cart and we can’t repair it, we will replace the cart for free.

The fee for a second garbage cart is $100 annually. A second recycling cart has a one-time fee of $85 plus tax ($90.02 per cart). Call us at (414) 471-8422 or complete an online service request for an extra cart.

If you are regularly unable to get your garbage and recycling to the curb, you may sign up for a backyard collection for an annual fee. This fee may be waived for households with qualifying medical and financial hardships.

Complete the Backyard Collection Application form and arrange for this service by calling the Department of Public Works at (414) 471-8422 or completing the online service request.

Service Rules and Information

• Subscribers must use City-issued garbage carts.
• Completed applications and payments received by the 20th of the month will commence service on the 1st of the following month. Service commencing after January 1 will be pro-rated for the current year, then billed at the annual fee of $180.00 thereafter. No refunds will be granted during the collection year.
• Print the application and mail in the completed form with payment to the Public Works Department.
• Occupants of multiple unit dwellings must mark their containers such as upper/lower or address if applicable.
• Backyard household refuse shall be picked up at one location at each property. It must be outside of buildings and easily accessible to the collectors.
• A 3 foot wide path must be open to container locations. This path must be kept free of ice, snow and any other obstructions.