Madison Recycling Guide & 2026 Calendar
Single-stream recycling pickup is listed for Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Item-specific answers appear below.
Madison recycling calendar 2026
Regular collection days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Check the current holiday delay notice for changes to regular pickup.
A verified 2026 recycling calendar has not been provided. Get the official calendar and confirm your route.
Accepted & prohibited recycling
Accepted items
- Cardboard boxes and pizza boxes (flattened and empty)
- Paper, magazines, junk mail, office paper, and packing paper
- Cartons (milk, juice, soup, and broth cartons)
- Plastic bottles, jugs, dairy tubs, and plastic containers
- Aluminum, steel, and tin food and beverage cans
- Glass food jars and beverage bottles (clean, empty, dry)
Prohibited items
- Plastic bags and plastic film (never bag recyclables; place loose in cart)
- Batteries of all kinds (fire hazard; use designated battery drop-off)
- Styrofoam cups, food containers, and foam packaging
- Electronics, televisions, computers, monitors, cords, and wires
- Clothing, bedding, towels, and textiles
- Yard waste, leaves, and brush
- Medical needles, syringes, lancets, and prescription medicines
Can you recycle these items in Madison?
Can you recycle cardboard in Madison?
Not verifiedThis item’s local curbside acceptance and preparation requirements are not verified. Confirm with the official sanitation office.
Can you recycle pizza boxes in Madison?
Not verifiedThis item’s local curbside acceptance and preparation requirements are not verified. Confirm with the official sanitation office.
Can you recycle plastic #1 in Madison?
Not verifiedThis item’s local curbside acceptance and preparation requirements are not verified. Confirm with the official sanitation office.
Can you recycle plastic #2 in Madison?
Not verifiedThis item’s local curbside acceptance and preparation requirements are not verified. Confirm with the official sanitation office.
Can you recycle plastic #3 in Madison?
Not verifiedThis item’s local curbside acceptance and preparation requirements are not verified. Confirm with the official sanitation office.
Can you recycle plastic #4 in Madison?
Not verifiedThis item’s local curbside acceptance and preparation requirements are not verified. Confirm with the official sanitation office.
Can you recycle plastic #5 in Madison?
Not verifiedThis item’s local curbside acceptance and preparation requirements are not verified. Confirm with the official sanitation office.
Can you recycle plastic #6 in Madison?
Not verifiedThis item’s local curbside acceptance and preparation requirements are not verified. Confirm with the official sanitation office.
Can you recycle plastic #7 in Madison?
Not verifiedThis item’s local curbside acceptance and preparation requirements are not verified. Confirm with the official sanitation office.
Can you recycle glass in Madison?
Not verifiedThis item’s local curbside acceptance and preparation requirements are not verified. Confirm with the official sanitation office.
Can you recycle aluminum in Madison?
Not verifiedThis item’s local curbside acceptance and preparation requirements are not verified. Confirm with the official sanitation office.
Can you recycle shredded paper in Madison?
Not verifiedThis item’s local curbside acceptance and preparation requirements are not verified. Confirm with the official sanitation office.
DPW & sanitation contact
City of Madison Streets Division · municipal dpw
Phone: 608-266-4681
1501 W Badger RdMadison, WI 53713
These collection rules cover Zone City of Madison Curbside Collection Districts.
Trash & recycling questions
What days is trash collected in Madison, WI?
Listed trash collection days are Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Set containers out Put carts out by 6:30 a.m. on your collection day. Place carts on the terrace or at the end of the driveway apron on top of the curb, never in the street.. These rules apply to Zone City of Madison Curbside Collection Districts.
Is garbage pickup delayed for holidays in Madison?
As of 2026-09-23: No observed holidays this week. Collections follow the regular schedule. A listed holiday shifts that day and the remaining collection days in its service week by one day. Observed holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. These rules apply to Zone City of Madison Curbside Collection Districts.
How do I schedule bulk trash pickup in Madison?
Curbside collection of large items (mattresses, furniture, appliances) requires submitting a work order in advance. Residents choose a set-out Sunday, and City crews collect items during the following work week. Items must be under 8 feet in length and set on the terrace 4 feet away from trees, cars, and carts. Properties with more than 8 residential units are not eligible for curbside large item pickup. The listed limit is 5 items per pickup. Advance notice is required. Contact sanitation at 608-266-4681 to confirm eligibility and arrange service. These rules apply to Zone City of Madison Curbside Collection Districts.
What items are accepted for recycling in Madison?
The listed accepted materials are Cardboard boxes and pizza boxes (flattened and empty), Paper, magazines, junk mail, office paper, and packing paper, Cartons (milk, juice, soup, and broth cartons), Plastic bottles, jugs, dairy tubs, and plastic containers, Aluminum, steel, and tin food and beverage cans, Glass food jars and beverage bottles (clean, empty, dry). Keep these listed prohibited items out: Plastic bags and plastic film (never bag recyclables; place loose in cart), Batteries of all kinds (fire hazard; use designated battery drop-off), Styrofoam cups, food containers, and foam packaging, Electronics, televisions, computers, monitors, cords, and wires, Clothing, bedding, towels, and textiles, Yard waste, leaves, and brush, Medical needles, syringes, lancets, and prescription medicines. Confirm item-specific preparation rules with the official sanitation office. These rules apply to Zone City of Madison Curbside Collection Districts.