August Moving Days: Daily Collections of Carts in Student Move Area

Starting at 6:30 a.m. on Monday August 5, 2024 residents in the downtown moving days area can place trash and recycling collection carts out for daily pickup.

The Streets Division will have crews patrolling the move-out area emptying collection carts beginning on August 5 as staffing and time allows.

The plan is for crews to finish their daily assignments, and when time allows, they will perform extra collections in the move out area.  

As more carts and items are placed out for pickup, additional staff will be reassigned from their normal duties to assist with collection duties.

The goal is to provide daily collection opportunities during workdays in the moving days area starting on Monday, August 5 and ending on Friday, August 23.

If you live in the downtown moving days area, and especially if you are moving out of your apartment in the days ahead, use this opportunity to fill and re-fill your collection carts again and again.

Using carts correctly and often makes Streets Division collections during the August move out faster and safer for everyone.

Plus, using the carts appropriately keeps our city looking cleaner, and prevents piles of loose garbage stacked up along the street.

Guidelines for Trash Collection

• Put trash inside the tan refuse cart.
• Place trash that cannot fit in the carts into trash bags. 
• Do not pile trash loose on the ground.
• Do not put trash in cardboard boxes. 
  • Boxes are recyclable. When you stuff garbage into them, those boxes go to the landfill instead of being recycled.
• Keep trash and recycling separated from each other.

Guidelines for Recycling Collection

• Place only appropriate recyclables into the green cart.
• Do not place clothes, bedding, or other incorrect things into the green recycling cart.
• Extra recyclables at the curb should be placed into clear bags.
  • The bags must be clear, otherwise they will be considered trash.
• Do not pile recyclables loose on the ground.
• Flatten and bundle cardboard boxes for recycling.  Do not stuff cardboard boxes inside a larger box.
• Keep the recycling lid closed when out for collection.
• Keep your recycling separated from the trash. 

Cart Guidelines

• Keep your carts away from obstructions so they can be safely lifted and emptied.
• Keep trash and recycling carts separated from each other.
• Leave the collection carts at the rental property. Do not take them. The carts belong to the City and must remain for the new tenants.

Drop-off Sites

Residents that have more recycling or trash than can fit into the carts can bring the excess to a Streets Division drop-off site.

Residents can bring one load a day of refuse, recycling, large items, or the other items accepted at the drop-off site.

The single load cannot be larger than what would fit into a standard pick-up truck bed or small single-axle trailer. Loads larger than those guidelines will be denied access.

Learn the locations, hours, and restrictions of the drop-off sites at www.cityofmadison.com/DropOffSites.

Additional Information

If there are questions, all residents are encouraged to contact the Streets Division.

Residents who live east of S. Park Street, and that includes the isthmus, should call 608-246-4532.

Residents west of S. Park Street, and that includes the neighborhoods around Camp Randall, should call 608-266-4681.

Additional information can also be found on the Streets Division’s Moving Days website, the Streets Division’s electronics recycling website, and the Recyclopedia.

Don’t forget to watch and share the Streets Division’s YouTube video on how to have a fast and safe move out.