Milwaukee Garbage Schedule 2024 (Holidays, Recycling & Bulk Pickup)

Milwaukee (zip code: 53223) is a city near Oshkosh in the state of Wisconsin, in the United States. Like other cities in the country, Milwaukee offers its residents a trash collection program through which the citizens can get rid of their daily household trash, recyclables, hazardous waste and bulky items.

Following are the details about the Milwaukee garbage schedule.

Milwaukee Trash Pickup Schedule

Trash collection takes place once every week in the city of Milwaukee. However, the collection days vary from street to street.

Moreover, the curbside collection starts at 7 am on your pickup day, so you have to place the carts at the curbside before this time, and remove the carts from the curbside before 10 pm on the same day.

You can have your complete Milwaukee trash schedule and garbage collection days checked from this trash collection map:

Don’t use someone else’s bin as it might cause issue for you.

Some national holidays might alter your trash pickup schedule, so you can check the holiday schedule from here.

Milwaukee Holiday Trash Schedule

Here is the complete holiday trash schedule for the city of Milwaukee.

Martin Luther King Day – January 16, 2023 – No change in schedule in trash, recycling and yard waste pickup schedule.
Presidents Day – February 20, 2023 – No change in schedule in trash, recycling and yard waste pickup schedule.
Patriots Day – April 17, 2023 – No change in schedule in trash, recycling and yard waste pickup schedule.
Memorial Day – May 29, 2023 – No collection takes place. The schedule is shifted to the next day till the end of the week.
Juneteenth – June 19, 2023 – No change in schedule in trash, recycling and yard waste pickup schedule.
Independence Day – July 4, 2023 – No collection takes place. The schedule is shifted to the next day till the end of the week.
Labor Day – September 4, 2023 – No collection takes place. The schedule is shifted to the next day till the end of the week.
Columbus Day – October 9, 2023 – No collection takes place. The schedule is shifted to the next day till the end of the week.
Veterans Day – November 11, 2023 – No collection takes place. The schedule is shifted to the next day till the end of the week.
Thanksgiving Day – November 23, 2023 – No collection takes place. The schedule is shifted to the next day till the end of the week.
Christmas Day – December 25, 2023 – No collection takes place. The schedule is shifted to the next day till the end of the week.
New Year’s Day – January 1st, 2024 – No collection takes place. The schedule is shifted to the next day till the end of the week.

Milwaukee Recycling Schedule

Recycling collection schedule carries in the city depending upon weather conditions and some other factors. To know your complete yearly recycling schedule, check out this recycling collection tool: https://city.milwaukee.gov/sanitation/GarbageRecyclingSchedules

Enter your address and a complete calendar containing the pickup days schedule will appear in front of you.

Recyclables include newspaper, office paper and magazines, plastic bottles, envelopes and wrapping paper, construction paper, junk mail, books and paper bags, catalogs, glass jars and bottles, food cans etc.

Milwaukee Bulk Pickup Schedule

Bulky waste items are those which are very heavy and large and hence cannot be placed inside regular trash cans. These items include mattresses, furniture, carpets and rugs etc.

Milwaukee residents have two ways for them to get rid of their bulky items. If the large item is not more than one cubic yard in size, one bulky product can be placed at the curbside on your regular trash collection day.

Another way is to schedule a special pickup. For material more than 1 cubic yard in size, a special pickup can be placed by paying an additional fee.

For things ranging from one to four cubic yards, a fee of $50 is charged.

For 4 – 6 cubic yard items, a fee of $150 is charged. One can schedule a special pickup by calling at 414-286-CITY (2489).

You can also donate your heavy items like furniture if it is in a usable condition. Drop-off center also accepts bulky items in Milwaukee city.

Milwaukee Yard Waste Collection

Yard waste includes tree branches, leaves, grass, brushes and other vegetative materials. Dirt, rocks and sand, cement and concrete, wood to which glue is added, recyclable items, animal waste and dead animals should not be added to yard waste.

Brush collection in the city can be scheduled by calling at 414-286-CITY (2489) or requesting online. However, the tree branches must not be larger than 2 cubic yards, otherwise they should be taken to the drop-off center.

The branches should not be greater than 6 inches in diameter and 4 cubic yards in length.

Leaf Collection During Fall

Leaf collection from the streets of Wisconsin city will take place from the week of October 26 to November 15. During these weeks, make sure you gather the leaves and have them ready for collection anytime the city truck passes your street.

Here is the collection schedule of leaves in fall: https://city.milwaukee.gov/sanitation/Yard-Food-Waste/FallLeafCollection

Composting Organic Items

If you have food waste and other organic waste, it is best to compost it. Composting results in the formation of nutrient rich material, which can be provided to the soil as it results in the better growth of plants. If you are not sure how to compost your food items, here is a tutorial.

Milwaukee Hazardous Waste Disposal

Household hazardous waste can not be collected from the curbside, instead, one has to take the hazardous items to drop-off centers. This must be done only on the household hazardous waste collection days as indicated by the drop-off center. Following are the locations and their available hours in which you can take your hazardous items for disposal.

South Drop Off Center located at 3879 W Lincoln Avenue

Thursday – Saturday from 7 AM to 3 PM

6060 S. 13th St. located at the north of College Ave.

Tuesday (11 AM – 6 PM)

Saturday (8 AM – 2 PM)

You can know more about the collection days by checking out the city’s website.

Hazardous items are the ones which can catch fire easily or which contain toxic chemicals dangerous for human health.

Some of the examples are batteries and cells, glues and adhesives, furniture polish, swimming pool chemicals, brake fluid, photographic chemicals, medications, shoe polish, paints, pesticides and insecticides, fertilizers, varnishes etc.

See What Happens When Landfills Are Full?

City of Milwaukee Trash Guidelines

Following are some trash guidelines for the Milwaukee residents.

Do not overfill the carts. This may result in the trash being thrown on the streets which will litter your area.
Trash carts must be placed having a minimum of three feet distance with each other.
Throwing garbage on the streets and roads is not allowed and should not be practiced by the citizens.
Wash and dry the containers on a regular basis to ensure proper cleanliness.
In case of any query or if you need any information regarding the Milwaukee trash schedule, call the city’s waste management department by dialing 414-286-CITY (2489).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I throw away a couch in Milwaukee?

Couches are included in bulk waste and can be gotten rid of by donating them, if possible. You can schedule a special pickup by calling at 414-286-CITY (2489).

How do I get a new trash bin in Milwaukee WI?

In case your trash bin got damaged or broken, or you need an additional cart, you can do so by calling 414-286-CITY (2489) or filling the online request form.