Drop Off Centers
The City of Milwaukee Drop Off Centers allow for the safe disposal and recycling of a wide variety of residential waste. The Drop Off Centers have evolved over the years to accommodate the separation and recycling of many material streams, thereby stewarding resources and landfill space for the public benefit.
Users of the Drop Off Centers should expect the following:
- Staff will inspect the load from outside and only ask visitors to open doors for load verification when necessary (for example, a box truck door).
- Drop Off Center users will not receive staff assistance unloading their vehicle
- Fees maybe applicable based on the amount of material at the time of drop off.
Please see our brochure for more information on the current fee schedule at the Drop Off Centers (en español). The fee for tires is currently waived, with a limit of 5 tires accepted per party.
Drop Off Center Locations
Hours Of Operation and Holiday Observance Information
Summer
April 12 - November 28, 2026
Open Tuesday through Sunday
7:00 A.M. through 3:00 P.M.
Winter
November 30, 2025 - April 11, 2026
Open Tuesday through Saturday
7:00 A.M. through 3:00 P.M.
Closed on City Holidays
-
New Year's Day
-
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
-
Good Friday and Easter Sunday (Open Saturday)
-
Memorial Day
-
Juneteenth Day
-
Independence Day
-
Labor Day
-
Thanksgiving (Thursday and Friday)
-
Christmas (Eve and Day)
Restrictions
The Drop Off Centers are available to City of Milwaukee residents and property owners. Current State or City-issued photo identification is required. A property tax bill or recent utility bill can also be used if your state-issued identification shows an address outside of City limits; the name on the bill must match that on the ID that you provide.
Those wishing to access the Drop Off Centers that own property in the City but reside outside the City can complete a Property Ownership Form and bring it to either Drop Off Center office for supervisor approval (forms are available on-site as well). This form can then be used in the future as proof of eligibility.
Milwaukee County residents are permitted to utilize the Household Hazardous Waste program operated by Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. Please visit their website for locations and hours of operation.
Certain vehicles will not be allowed access to the Drop Off Centers. These include, but are not limited to, vehicles with:
Fees
In order to help offset the cost of processing materials brought to the Drop Off Centers, a fee schedule is authorized under Milwaukee Code of Ordinances 79-14.5. The load size fees are based off of an approximation of the volume of the material being brought in (measured in cubic yards).
Fees are based on the volume of the load being brought in (measured in cubic yards). The vehicle and trailer references are to help give an approximation of how large of a volume those vehicles/trailers typically have.
As an example, a passenger car sized load is generally less than 1 cubic yard if the contents are packed in the trunk and/or backseat of the vehicle; this would be a load free of charge.
However, if a passenger car were to have a full trunk and have two mattresses on the roof of the car, this would increase the load size to over 1 cubic yard (closer to the load size of a Truck/Minivan/SUV), and would incur a $20 fee.
Normal recyclable materials and scrap metal are free of charge regardless of volume.
The payment booth accepts cash, debit, and all major credit cards.
|
Load Size Approximation/Item |
Fee |
|
Less than 1 cubic yard/yd3 Passenger Car |
Free |
|
1-3 yd3 Pickup Truck |
$20 |
|
3-6 yd3 Small Trailer/Tall Truck |
$30 |
|
6-10 yd3 Large Trailer/Small Box Truck |
$50 |
|
10-18 yd3 Large Box Truck/Enclosed Trailer |
$90 |
|
Brush Less than 6 yd3 free! |
$20 |
|
Televisions Maximum of 3 |
$5 each |
|
Tires Maximum of 5 |
Free |
Load sizes are approximated by Drop Off Center staff to help expedite entry. All loads are priced separately. Load size is determined by staff and is non-negotiable. Staff reserves the right to deny acess depending on load,vehicle type, or conduct.
Televisions, regardless of cubic yard size, are charged based on quantity.
Wood Chips
Wood chips resulting from City of Milwaukee Forestry pruning operations are available at no cost at each location. Availability is not guaranteed.
Certain vehicles will not be allowed access to the Drop Off Centers. These include, but are not limited to, vehicles with:
Box trucks over 16 feet in length
Trailers over 16 feet in length
Loads that are not safely contained
Dump trucks
Flatbed Trucks
Semi Trucks
Non-verifiable or uninspectable loads
Large trailers with limited maneuverability
Utility trucks
Accepted Items
These Items Are Recycled
Antifreeze
Appliances
Paper Products
Car Batteries
Concrete
Cooking Oil
Electronics (TVs maximum of 3, $5 per TV)
Large corrugated cardboard
Motor Oil and Filters
Scrap Metal
Tires (maximum of 5 passenger tires)
These Items Are Composted
Brush and branches
Grass clippings
Garden Debris
Leaves
Logs
These Items Are Landfilled
Garbage
Old furniture and mattresses
Collection Schedules
Drop Off Center
Information
Recycling Information
Sanitation
Violations
Bulky Item Collection
Elderly and
Disabled Assistance
Yard Waste and
Composting
Hazardous Waste
Disposal
Garbage and Recycling
Cart Guidelines