Large items and appliances
On this page, you will find:
What are "Large Items"?
These are items too big or inappropriate for your collection carts.
Think of it like couches, mattresses, tables, pianos, tires, microwaves, air conditioners, fence posts, and many, many other items.
These can be scheduled for pickup at the curb or taken to a drop-off site.
Bagsters and Other Dumpster Services
The Streets Division does not collect private dumpsters, including the WM Bagsters. Bagsters are a service you have to schedule to pickup from WM.
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Schedule Collection with a Large Item Work Order
Fill out the form to tell us what items need to be picked up, and you will choose the Sunday when you will set them out for us.
If any items have a recycling fee, you will pay the fee in the work order system.
Schedule your large item collection
You must complete the work order before setting the items out for pickup.
No Collection for Properties Over 8 Units
As of January 1, 2025, the Streets Division no longer provides large item collection for multi-family properties with more than 8 units.
If you live in a large building, you have multiple options for large item disposal.
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Put items out on the date you picked
Put your items out for collection on the set-out Sunday you chose in the work order.
Do not set items out early. Crews will not arrive before your set out date.
Do not set items out late. If you wait, you may miss the pickup you scheduled.
(You will not receive a sticker for scheduled items. Just set them out on the date you picked.)
Set Out Guidelines
You will see these guidelines again when you fill out the large item work order. You will click a box during the process agreeing to follow large item rules.
- Items must be less than 8 feet long.
- Keep large items separated from collection carts.
- Keep large items away from brush piles and yard waste piles.
- Keep large items 4 feet from trees, cars, utility poles, mailboxes, fire hydrants, and other obstructions.
- Do not place your large items in the street. Do not let your large items block the sidewalk.
- Avoid placing your items under low hanging wires or low branches.
- Separate metal items and appliances from non-metal items like furniture & lumber.
- Why? Different crews collect items separately. Metals and appliances are recycled. Other items are landfilled.
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Wait for collection
We will collect your items sometime during the work week after your set-out Sunday.
Delays
Holidays, fall leaf collection, winter storms, and severe weather may delay large item collection.
Large Item Fees
Large item collection fees do not apply to everyone.
Recycling fees apply to only a small group of large items and appliances and only these items.
See the list of specific list of items with fees
The fees apply for curbside pickup and the drop-off.
Who pays fees for these large items & why?
If the City of Madison collects your recycling from a green recycling cart at the public roadway...
You do not pay recycling fees for the large items in the list for pickup or drop-off.
Why? When your recycling is collected by the Streets Division, you pay the Resource Recovery Special Charge every month on your monthly Municipal Services Bill (which most people call their water bill). Any additional costs for these items are covered by that monthly charge you are paying. In a sense, you already paid for it.
If your recycling is picked up by a private company...
You pay the recycling fee for each of the large items in the list.
For curbside collection, you will pay any required fee when scheduling large item collection.
For drop-off sites, you will need to buy a fee sticker online or in person at our offices before taking items to a site. Drop-off site attendants cannot take payments.
Why are people with private service charged? People who use a private people do not pay the monthly Resource Recovery Special Charge. This means the costs related to their special items are not covered, so they need to pay the fee to help cover the costs.
How can you tell if you use a private company for recycling pickup? If you use large metal dumpsters or if the carts at your home do not say “City of Madison" then that means you are serviced by a private company.
Drop-off Sites
You can take large items to a drop-off site.
Drop-off Site Location, Hours, and Information
Recycling Fees for Drop-off Items?
How to Pay the Recycling Fees to Take Certain Items to the Drop-off Sites if the Fee Applies to You
If you need to pay a fee for the large item you are bringing to the drop-off site, use the work order system to buy the correct recycling fee sticker online.
We will mail you the sticker after purchase. Put the sticker on your item before bringing it to the drop-off site.
If you are purchasing online, you need to have the sticker on the item before it will be accepted at the drop-off site.
You can also buy fee stickers in person or over the phone from the Streets East or Streets West offices.
Drop-off site attendants do not take payments.
Neighbor Has Items Out for Too Long?
If your neighbor has put large items out and they have sat for more than a week without collection, they may have made a mistake in the process.
So, what should you do?
Fill out a Junk, Trash, Debris Report-a-Problem
This will start a process for Building Inspection to send an official order to the property owner to fix the issue.
Look It Up in the Recyclopedia
Type your item into the form below to learn what to do with your stuff.
Spelling counts. Try your best.
The Recyclopedia doesn't have everything but it has a lot.
If you are trying to find something and it isn't there, you can suggest we add that item and please contact us to get the answer you need.