Refuse and recycling carts at the curb
Streets & Urban Forestry

Ending Collection for Properties Over 8 Units in 2025

Starting on January 1, 2025 the Streets Division will no longer provide large item collection for multi-family properties that have more than 8 units.  This includes apartments, condominiums, and all properties that would have more than 8 units. Certain commercial properties will also be prevented from using large item collection.

Why was this change made?

The Streets Division has been unable to grow staff and equipment to keep pace with the growth of the city.

From 2019 to 2023, the city added approximately 10,000 homes in properties  greater than 9 units. An additional 2,000 homes were added from properties that have 8 units and less.  

Neither of those numbers include the attachment of the Town of Madison, or smaller similar additions. 

We've added at minimum 12,000 new homes eligible for large item collection in just the last 4 years with more transformative growth coming.

The growth is happening at a time when budgets cannot add staff or equipment to continue providing the service at the level and frequency that residents expect. 

With these challenges in mind, new policy for large item collection was passed to restrict who can receive large item collection. 

Why is the restriction set at properties over 8 units?

Streets Division trash and recycling collection is currently restricted to properties of fewer than 8 units by a 2010 resolution.

Most properties over 8 units already have a relationship with private trash and recycling collection companies.

These private companies all have the capacity to provide large item collection to their customers.

 

If my building/apartment uses City of Madison carts and my building is more than 8 units, will I still be able to have large item collection in 2025?

If you are in a property that is larger than 8 units, and you still receive collection of trash and recycling from the Streets Division, large item service is not guaranteed to continue in 2025.

Properties over 8 units that receive recycling collection from the Streets Division pay the Resource Recovery Special Charge (RRSC) on the monthly Municipal Services bill.  All residents who receive recycling collection from the Streets Division pays this special charge.

The RRSC does not cover the costs of large item pickup. 

 

Student move out

The Streets Division's August move out operations downtown will not change with this new policy policy.

The August student move out is a special event that requires a special response. 

Well over 30,000 Madison residents move out of their homes on roughly the same day in neighborhoods clustered on the isthmus and near the University of Wisconsin campus.  This is roughly equivalent to the entire City of Sun Prairie all moving out of their homes at the exact same time. 

We remain committed to working hard to keeping the city clean and welcoming during this annual event. 

 

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