Reference guide

Here's a quick reference guide for the rules and guidelines for using your collection cart.

• English

Using your recycling collection cart

Mandatory Recycling

• Recycling is mandatory in Madison. Recyclables must not be placed in the refuse cart.

 

Collection Schedule

• Recycling is collected every-other-week. Check your collection schedule calendar to learn when to place the recycling cart out for collection.

 

All Recycling Must Be Inside the City-Provided Green-Colored Recycling Cart

• The owner or occupant of each residence must use the city-provided green-colored recycling cart for their household recycling.
• All recycling must be placed inside the green-colored refuse cart.
  • Refuse items, yard waste, brush, and other hazardous materials are banned from the recycling cart.
• Recycling carts must be put out for collection prior to 6:30am on the scheduled day. Late set outs will not be collected until your next scheduled collection day.
• City ordinance states that no cart shall be placed at the curb edge more than 12 hours before collection day. They must be removed from the curb within 24 hours after the date of collection.
• The weight of the cart should not exceed 100 pounds to prevent the cart from falling into the collection truck.
• The lids of recycling carts should be closed when placed out for collection to protect the material inside from precipitation.
• Most recyclables inside the cart should not be bagged.
• All recyclables should be clean of debris and dry.
• If you have more recycling than can fit into the cart, you can
  1. Take the excess to a drop-off site
  2. Upgrade your cart size for free
  3. Purchase an additional cart
  4. If this is a limited time problem, follow the specific excess recycling guidelines below
  5. Contact the Streets Division for additional advice.

 

Placement of Recycling Cart

• Always place your cart so that the white serial numbers are facing the street. This places the lid opening in the proper position for emptying.
• Place your cart at the curb edge in your driveway apron or next to it so that it is four (4) feet away from obstacles such as parked cars, mailboxes, and utility poles.
• Carts should be side-by-side with adequate space between carts. Please do not stack one behind the other.
• Avoid placing collection carts in the street gutter. Carts in the street interfere with traffic, street sweeping and snow plowing.
  • If you live in the Clean Streets/Clean Lakes special street sweeping zone, never place your cart in the gutter on days when sweeping is scheduled.
  • In some neighborhoods, due to how heavily parked in they are during collection, carts placed in the street gutter to ensure collection is acceptable, but it is far from ideal.  Carts are still obstructions to other city services and should be moved soon after emptying.
  • If your cart is placed in the street, operators may empty the carts and place them out of the roadway, such as on the terrace or in the driveway apron so they are no longer an obstruction.
• When possible, place the recycling cart on the opposite side of your driveway from the trash cart so there is ample space between the two, and the collection operator can clearly see each cart.
• Improperly placed carts will not be collected.
• When carts are not in use, they must be stored in accordance with city ordinance. Building Inspection is the agency tasked with enforcing the codes related to cart placement and storage. They can be contacted at 608-266-4551 if there are questions.

 

• Winter Placement

  Carts in the street are an obstruction. Trash & recycling collectors will move the carts out of the streets, which is likely to be in driveway aprons.

• The best placement is on either side of your driveway after you have cleared it of snow.
• It can also be placed on a cleared area of your terrace.
• Do not leave your cart on the sidewalk or on top of a snow bank.

• Alley Placement
  • Carts must be placed at the alley edge.
  • Carts on private property or by the garage will not be collected.
  • When storing carts outside in the alley, please leave the lid closed. If your cart is missing a lid, please contact the Street Division offices that service your neighborhood to request it be repaired.

 

Damaged/Lost/Missing Carts

• Cart replacement and repair can be supplied upon contacting the Streets Division or by using the report-a-problem website.
  • Each situation that results in a damaged/lost/missing cart is different and residents may need to purchase their replacement.

What do you put into the recycling cart?

Now that you know how to use the cart itself, it's time to learn what can go into the collection cart.

What happens to your recycling?

Watch a video about the Pellitteri Waste Systems recycling facility sorts everything you have placed into the recycling carts.

recyclables outside the cart

Extra recyclables will be collected twice in a single calendar year, or at the discretion of the field supervisor, if you follow the below rules.  Failure to follow the below rules will result in the material not being collected.

• Recycling cart must be full
• A maximum of 10 bundles excess cardboard are allowed.
  • Excess cardboard has specific rules about how it must be handled to ensure collection. Go to the cardboard page for details.
• Excess recyclables must be in clear bags that cannot weigh more than 40 pounds a piece.
• You are limited to a maximum of 10 excess bags of recyclables.
  • Does it really need to be a in clear bag? Yes. This is the only way the workers at the sorting facility can tell there's recycables and not trash inside.

 

Other options?

Trade in your small recycling cart for a larger one at no cost. Use the online form or contact us to get on the exchange schedule.

Madison residents can also take excess drop-off sites.

Purchase an additional cart for your home.

Adjust your consumption habits to make less waste.