Refuse and recycling carts at the curb
Streets & Urban Forestry
  1. Drop-off Sites Now on Winter Hours

    South Point & Sycamore sites on winter hours until April 11, 2026.

    Olin Avenue site permanently closed.

    More details...

  2. Leaf Collection Suspended

    Curbside collection will resume in 2026

    For details...

Drop-off sites

Madison residents and taxpayers can take trash, recycling, brush, yard waste, electronics, large items, styrofoam for recycling, and cooking oil to the drop-off sites.

Proof of residency or taxpayer status is required to use the site.

On this page you will find:

Locations

 

East Drop-off Site

West Drop-off Site

Winter Hours (Current)

Winter weather events may cause temporary closures.

East and West Drop-off Sites

In effect December 5, 2025 to April 10, 2026.

Monday7:30am – 2:30pm
Tuesday7:30am – 2:30pm
WednesdayClosed
Thursday7:30am – 2:30pm
Friday7:30am – 2:30pm
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed

Central Drop-off Site

New location opening in spring 2026.

Additional details coming soon.

 

 

Expanded Hours (Starts April 11, 2026)

Hours may adjust during the year. Be sure to double-check this site to stay current. 

East, Central, and West Drop-off Sites

Hours in effect from 4/11/26 to 12/3/26

Monday7:30am – 2:30pm
Tuesday7:30am – 7:00pm
WednesdayClosed
Thursday7:30am – 7:00pm
Friday7:30am – 2:30pm
Saturday9:00am – 4:00pm
SundayClosed

New Centrally Located Drop-off Site?

New location opens on April 11, 2026. 

More details about the precise location and how to enter the site will be published closer to April 11, 2026. 

Recycling Fees

Some residents need to pay a recycling fees for some large items, appliances, and electronics. If this applies to you, then you will need to pay these fees before you drop off your items.

If the City of Madison collects your recycling, you do not need to pay recycling fees. The fees are covered on your Municipal Services (water) bill, under Resource Recovery Special Charge.

If the City of Madison does not collect your recycling, then you will need to pay. The reason why is that you do not pay the monthly Resource Recovery Special Charge, so fees for your items are not covered. 

You can find a list of the fee items on the large item section of our website.

Paying recycling fees

If your item has a recycling fee and Streets does not collect your recycling, you need to buy a fee sticker before you come to the drop-off site.

Buy a fee sticker online

We will mail you a recycling fee sticker. Put the sticker on your item before bringing it to the drop-off site.

You can also buy fee stickers at the Streets East or Streets West offices during office hours. (Office hours are different than drop-off site hours.)

Free Mulch for Madison Residents

Starting on July 14, 2025, free mulch will be available at the South Point and Sycamore sites.

How much can you take?

You are limited to 30 gallons. 

This means you can take up to 6 five-gallon buckets.

Free mulch supply will be limited 

Mulch is not guaranteed to be available when you arrive. Free mulch will be restocked as staffing allows.

We work to keep the free mulch stocked as much as we possibly can. 

Where is the free mulch?

Sycamore Mulch Pile Location:

Free mulch is located in southwest corner of the Sycamore Dog Park parking lot.  

South Point Mulch Pile Location:

Free mulch is located within the drop-off site area. It will only be available during drop-off site hours. Ask the attendant if you cannot find the pile.

What the Drop-off Sites Accept

You must follow the drop-off site rules for us to accept your items.  Read them so you know what they are.

If you don't know if you can bring what you have to the drop-off site, look up your item or items in the Recyclopedia.

At the drop-off sites, we accept many things, including:

If you can't find the answer in the Recyclopedia, contact us.

Recyclopedia

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Trash & Recycling