Trash pickup in Milwaukee, WI

Who collects trash in Milwaukee, how trash day works, and which holidays move pickup. Checked against official city and hauler pages on Oct 15, 2026.

Next holiday change: Thanksgiving Day, Thu, Nov 26, 2026See noteSee every holiday

At a glance

Who collects
City crews
Hauler
City of Milwaukee DPW Sanitation Services
Recycling
Every other week
Holiday schedule
2026 posted, 2027 posted
Last checked
Oct 15, 2026

The City of Milwaukee DPW (Sanitation Services) collects garbage and recycling citywide for about 190,000 households in buildings with 1 to 4 units, using automated carts at the curb or alley line. Garbage is picked up weekly and recycling every other week, year-round since winter 2025-26. There's no collection on City holidays, and collection days shift forward afterward; Thanksgiving and Christmas are two-day holidays (Thursday and Friday). Carts go out by 7 a.m. and back in by 10 p.m.; look up your dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

Who picks up trash in Milwaukee

City crews.

City of Milwaukee DPW Sanitation Services

City serviceTrashRecyclingBulk
Area
Whole city (residential buildings with 1 to 4 units)
Phone
414-286-2489 (414-286-CITY)

Automated side-loader carts; set them with the lid opening toward the street or alley. Bulky items are picked up by request, and brush (2 cubic yards or less) by request April to November. The Fall Leaf Rake-Out runs Oct 1 to Nov 15, and Christmas trees are picked up by request Dec 26, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027. Grass and garden yard waste isn't collected at the curb (use the drop-off centers). Extreme cold and snow operations can delay or suspend collection.

Not covered

City service is for households in buildings with 1 to 4 units. Larger buildings (5 or more units) and commercial properties aren't covered and use private haulers. Grass and garden yard waste isn't collected at the curb (use the drop-off centers).

How trash day works in Milwaukee

Each address has its own route-based schedule: enter your service address or use the GPS lookup. Dates shift after holidays, so pickup isn't always on the same weekday. E-Notify sends text or email reminders the day before.

Find a trash day on city.milwaukee.gov

Recycling: every other week. That's year-round since winter 2025-26; the 2025 fall mailer said 'All residents will receive recycling collection every other week this winter and year-round!' Before that, winter recycling (December to March) ran every 2 to 4 weeks around snow operations. Snow and ice control can still delay service.

Carts out: At the alley or curb line by 7 a.m. on collection day, and back in storage by 10 p.m. (Sec. 79-5.5 and 79-32 of the city code). During snow delays, leave the cart out until it's emptied. Source

Garbage is regular weekly service, and the city's current pages don't show a separate winter garbage schedule. You can also look up your schedule by GPS location: https://itmdapps.milwaukee.gov/DpwServletsPublicAll/getCollectionScheduleByGPS.jsp

Milwaukee trash pickup holiday schedule

Upcoming holidays in Milwaukee and what each does to pickup. The 2026 holiday schedule is posted, and so is 2027’s.

The 2026 Fall Sanitation Mailer lists the City holidays with no collection from Thanksgiving 2026 through Labor Day 2027. Thanksgiving and Christmas 2027 aren't listed yet; the 2026 dates came out in the 2026 fall mailer.

2026

  1. Thanksgiving Day, Thu, Nov 26, 2026

    See note

    Garbage and recycling, all city routes

    No collection on Thanksgiving or the day after; both are City holidays, and collection days shift forward afterward. The 2026 fall mailer says 'NO COLLECTIONS ON CITY HOLIDAYS' and 'Schedules shift after holidays.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

    Source: city.milwaukee.gov

  2. Day after Thanksgiving, Fri, Nov 27, 2026

    See note

    Garbage and recycling, all city routes

    No collection on Thanksgiving or the day after; both are City holidays, and collection days shift forward afterward. The 2026 fall mailer says 'NO COLLECTIONS ON CITY HOLIDAYS' and 'Schedules shift after holidays.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

    Source: city.milwaukee.gov

  3. Christmas Eve, Thu, Dec 24, 2026

    See note

    Garbage and recycling, all city routes

    No collection on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day; both are City holidays, and collection days shift forward afterward. The 2026 fall mailer says 'NO COLLECTIONS ON CITY HOLIDAYS' and 'Schedules shift after holidays.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

    Source: city.milwaukee.gov

  4. Christmas Day, Fri, Dec 25, 2026

    See note

    Garbage and recycling, all city routes

    No collection on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day; both are City holidays, and collection days shift forward afterward. The 2026 fall mailer says 'NO COLLECTIONS ON CITY HOLIDAYS' and 'Schedules shift after holidays.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

    Source: city.milwaukee.gov

2027

  1. New Year's Day, Fri, Jan 1, 2027

    Slides a day

    Garbage and recycling, all city routes

    No collection on this City holiday; collection days shift forward one day afterward. DPW's holiday rule (the same every year): 'collection days shift forward after each City holiday.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

    Source: city.milwaukee.gov

  2. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Mon, Jan 18, 2027

    Slides a day

    Garbage and recycling, all city routes

    No collection on this City holiday; collection days shift forward one day afterward. DPW's holiday rule (the same every year): 'collection days shift forward after each City holiday.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

    Source: city.milwaukee.gov

  3. Good Friday, Fri, Mar 26, 2027

    Slides a day

    Garbage and recycling, all city routes

    No collection on this City holiday; collection days shift forward one day afterward. DPW's holiday rule (the same every year): 'collection days shift forward after each City holiday.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

    Source: city.milwaukee.gov

  4. Memorial Day, Mon, May 31, 2027

    Slides a day

    Garbage and recycling, all city routes

    No collection on this City holiday; collection days shift forward one day afterward. DPW's holiday rule (the same every year): 'collection days shift forward after each City holiday.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

    Source: city.milwaukee.gov

  5. Juneteenth (observed), Fri, Jun 18, 2027

    Slides a day

    Garbage and recycling, all city routes

    No collection on this City holiday; collection days shift forward one day afterward. DPW's holiday rule (the same every year): 'collection days shift forward after each City holiday.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

    Source: city.milwaukee.gov

  6. Independence Day (observed), Mon, Jul 5, 2027

    Slides a day

    Garbage and recycling, all city routes

    No collection on this City holiday; collection days shift forward one day afterward. DPW's holiday rule (the same every year): 'collection days shift forward after each City holiday.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

    Source: city.milwaukee.gov

  7. Labor Day, Mon, Sep 6, 2027

    Slides a day

    Garbage and recycling, all city routes

    No collection on this City holiday; collection days shift forward one day afterward. DPW's holiday rule (the same every year): 'collection days shift forward after each City holiday.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

    Source: city.milwaukee.gov
Slides a day
That day’s pickups and the rest of the week move one day later (Friday’s move to Saturday).
See note
A different change, such as only some routes moving. The note says what changes.
Cleaning bins in Milwaukee?

Bins get cleaned right after pickup, so when a holiday moves trash day, your route moves with it. In Clean Bin System you give each zone its hauler and add the hauler’s holidays once: that week’s cleanings move with the pickup, and each customer gets a text. See how it works

Questions about trash pickup in Milwaukee

Who picks up trash in Milwaukee?

The City of Milwaukee DPW (Sanitation Services) collects garbage and recycling citywide for about 190,000 households in buildings with 1 to 4 units, using automated carts at the curb or alley line. Garbage is picked up weekly and recycling every other week, year-round since winter 2025-26. There's no collection on City holidays, and collection days shift forward afterward; Thanksgiving and Christmas are two-day holidays (Thursday and Friday). Carts go out by 7 a.m. and back in by 10 p.m.; look up your dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

How do I find my trash day in Milwaukee?

Each address has its own route-based schedule: enter your service address or use the GPS lookup. Dates shift after holidays, so pickup isn't always on the same weekday. E-Notify sends text or email reminders the day before.

Is recycling picked up every week in Milwaukee?

No, every other week. That's year-round since winter 2025-26; the 2025 fall mailer said 'All residents will receive recycling collection every other week this winter and year-round!' Before that, winter recycling (December to March) ran every 2 to 4 weeks around snow operations. Snow and ice control can still delay service.

When do trash carts go out in Milwaukee?

At the alley or curb line by 7 a.m. on collection day, and back in storage by 10 p.m. (Sec. 79-5.5 and 79-32 of the city code). During snow delays, leave the cart out until it's emptied.

Is trash picked up on Thanksgiving in Milwaukee?

Thanksgiving is Thu, Nov 26, 2026. No collection on Thanksgiving or the day after; both are City holidays, and collection days shift forward afterward. The 2026 fall mailer says 'NO COLLECTIONS ON CITY HOLIDAYS' and 'Schedules shift after holidays.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

Is trash picked up on Christmas in Milwaukee?

Christmas is Fri, Dec 25, 2026. No collection on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day; both are City holidays, and collection days shift forward afterward. The 2026 fall mailer says 'NO COLLECTIONS ON CITY HOLIDAYS' and 'Schedules shift after holidays.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

Is trash picked up on New Year’s Day in Milwaukee?

No. On New Year’s Day (Fri, Jan 1, 2027), pickup slides a day, so that day’s routes and the rest of the week move one day later. No collection on this City holiday; collection days shift forward one day afterward. DPW's holiday rule (the same every year): 'collection days shift forward after each City holiday.' Look up your new dates at Milwaukee.gov/CollectionDay.

Sources

Official city and hauler pages, checked Oct 15, 2026. News and other sites used for details the official pages don’t give are listed separately. Schedules change, especially around holidays: check the city’s page before you plan routes. Something out of date? Email taylor@bincleanmarketing.com.

Other sources (4)

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