Madison Large Item Fees: Who Pays $35, $15, $10 or $5
Updated
Short answer
Who pays
If the Streets Division empties a green recycling cart at your curb, you pay the Resource Recovery Special Charge every month on the municipal services (water) bill, and the fees are covered. If your building uses metal dumpsters or carts that don't say City of Madison, a private company collects your recycling, so you pay per item. That includes residents on private drives and carriage lanes served privately.
The list
| Fee | Items (only for homes without city recycling collection) |
|---|---|
| $35 | Air compressors, air conditioners, boats, office copiers, dehumidifiers, dishwashers, dryers, freezers, furnaces, hot tubs, ice machines, ovens, ranges, refrigerators over 50 lb, stoves, trash compactors, washers, water coolers, water heaters, water softeners, wood stoves |
| $15 | Boat motors, dorm fridges and other refrigeration under 50 lb, fluorescent light fixtures, garden tillers, gas grills, lawn mowers and similar small-engine items, leaf shredders, microwaves, snow throwers |
| $10 | Large truck tires; tires on the rim |
| $5 | Car or small truck and SUV tires off the rim |
Items not on the list carry no fee for city collection or drop-off.
Paying
For curbside pickup the work order system charges the fee. For a drop-off, buy a fee sticker online (it is mailed to you) or at the Streets East (608-246-4532) or West (608-266-4681) office, and put it on the item before you go. Attendants at the sites cannot take payment.
Quick answers
Why do some Madison residents pay large item fees?
Homes with private recycling collection don't pay the monthly Resource Recovery Special Charge, so the city charges them per item instead.
Can I pay the fee at the drop-off site?
No. Buy the sticker online or at a Streets office first; attendants cannot take payments.
Rather not haul it yourself?
Tell us what needs to go and where. A local crew sorts the recycling, donation and landfill streams for you and replies with a price first.