Refuse and recycling carts at the curb
Streets & Urban Forestry

Large items and appliances

On this page, you will find:

What are "Large Items"?

These are items too big or inappropriate for your collection carts.

Think of it like couches, tables, pianos, tires, microwaves, air conditioners, fence posts, and many, many other items.

These can be scheduled for pickup at the curb or taken to a drop-off site.

Bagsters and Other Dumpster Services

The Streets Division does not collect private dumpsters, including the WM Bagsters. Bagsters are a service you have to schedule to pickup from WM. 

  1. Schedule Collection with a Large Item Work Order

    Fill out the form to tell us what items need to be picked up, and you will choose the Sunday when you will set them out for us. 

    If any items have a recycling fee, you will pay the fee in the work order system. 

    Schedule your large item collection

    You must complete the work order before setting the items out for pickup. 

    No Collection for Properties Over 8 Units

    As of January 1, 2025, the Streets Division no longer provides large item collection for multi-family properties with more than 8 units.  

  2. Put items out on the date you picked

    Put your items out for collection on the set-out Sunday you chose in the work order.

    Do not set items out early. Crews will not arrive before your set out date.

    Do not set items out late. If you wait, you may miss the pickup you scheduled.

    (You will not receive a sticker for scheduled items. Just set them out on the date you picked.)

    Set Out Guidelines

    • Items must be less than 8 feet long.
    • Keep large items separated from collection carts.
    • Keep large items away from brush piles and yard waste piles.
    • Keep large items 4 feet from trees, cars, utility poles, mailboxes, fire hydrants, and other obstructions.
    • Avoid placing your items under low hanging wires or low branches.
    • Separate metal items and appliances from non-metal items like furniture. Different crews collect items separately. Metals and appliances are recycled. Other items are landfilled.

  3. Wait for collection

    We will collect your items sometime during the work week after your set-out Sunday.

    Delays

    Holidays, fall leaf collection, winter storms, and severe weather may delay large item collection. 

Do you charge for large items?

There are recycling fees for a small group of large items and appliances and only these items.

The fees apply for curbside pickup and the drop-off sites for those who need to pay the additional fee.

Who needs to pay fees for these large items?

Whether or not you need to pay for these select items depends on if you pay the Resource Recovery Special Charge (RRSC). 

If the City of Madison collects your recycling...

You do not pay recycling fees for items during pickup or at the drop-off sites. 

Any additional costs for these items are covered by the Resource Recovery Special Charge you pay on your monthly your Municipal Services (water) bill.

If your recycling is picked up by a private company...

You need to pay recycling fees. 

If you use large metal dumpsters or if the carts at your home do not say “City of Madison” then that means you are serviced by a private company. Since you do not use City of Madison recycling pickup, you do not pay the Resource Recovery Special Charge. 

For curbside collection, you will pay any required fee when scheduling large item collection.

For drop-off sites, you will need to buy a fee sticker online or in person at our offices before taking items to a site.  Drop-off site attendants cannot take payments.

Drop-off Sites

You can take large items to a drop-off site.

Drop-off Site Location, Hours, and Information

Recycling Fees for Drop-off Items?

The same rules for curbside pickup applies to who needs to pay for certain large items also applies at the drop-off sites.

Large Items Requiring a Fee

How to Pay the Recycling Fees for the Drop-off Sites if It Applies to You

If this applies to you,  use the work order system to buy the correct recycling fee sticker online. 

We will mail you the sticker after purchase. Put the sticker on your item before bringing it to the drop-off site.

If you are purchasing online, you need to have the sticker on the item before it will be accepted at the drop-off site. 

You can also buy fee stickers in person or over the phone from the Streets East or Streets West offices. 

Drop-off site attendants do not take payments.

Recyclopedia

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