Starting June 1, 2016, the city of Madison brush processing center at 121 E. Olin Ave. will only accept brush cut from city of Madison parcels. 
 
Contractors hauling loads of brush for city of Madison residents will need to present a copy of a written receipt to processing center staff that indicates the brush was cut from a city of Madison parcel.  Starting on June 1, failure to provide this proof will result in being denied entry to the processing site.  Loads containing material cut from other sources besides city of Madison parcels will not be accepted. 
 
Residents or taxpayers of the city of Madison using the brush processing center for their larger loads of brush will also need to present proof of their residency or taxpayer status.  Individuals will be denied access to the site without this proof.
 
The fees charged for processing brush and wood chips at 121 E. Olin Ave. have not been affected by this change.
 
Wood mulch remains available for the general public at the brush processing center without a residency restriction.  For more information on the cost of wood mulch, please visit the brush processing website or call them at 608-266-4911.
 
The drop-off sites at 4602 Sycamore Ave. and 1501 W. Badger Rd. are unaffected by this policy change.  Contractors are still barred from using these sites as they are for residents or taxpayers of Madison wishing to dispose of small loads of brush or other material.
 
The new restrictions on material brought to the brush processing center stem from the burden of the emerald ash borer (EAB).  The facility is at capacity to store the wood chips created from the wood processing.  Plus, the equipment has reached its operational limits.  As EAB spreads throughout Dane County, more and more brush will need to be processed, yet the Streets Division equipment and storage can only meet the needs of the city of Madison. 
 
For more information about the Brush Processing Center, please visit their website or call 608-266-4911. 
 
For more information about the emerald ash borer, please visit City Forestry’s website or call 608-266-4816.