On Monday, April 2, the Streets Division will begin curbside yard waste pickup for the spring. There are two curbside collection opportunities during the spring pickup window. After both collection opportunities occur, curbside yard waste collection will end until the autumn leaf collection season.

Residents who want to know when to place material to the curb to ensure collection during the spring pickup window are encouraged to visit the Streets Division’s yard waste website, www.cityofmadison.com/yardwaste, and click on Pickup Schedule. The Pickup Schedule shows where crews are working and which areas of Madison should place yard waste to the curb.

Once on the Pickup Schedule webpage, residents can enter their address in the “Find an Address” field in the top left corner of the site. This will zoom the map to their neighborhood and show their current collection status.

The Pickup Schedule is updated daily when curbside collection is active. Residents wishing to know the most current information regarding the whereabouts of crews and the collection status of their neighborhood should check the Pickup Schedule website regularly.

Residents can also call the brush and yard waste collection hotline at 608-267-2088 for estimates on collection. The hotline recording is updated weekly.

What is Yard Waste?
Yard waste is plant material. Examples include pulled weeds, fallen leaves, and other plant debris. Yard waste also includes pumpkins, crabapples, black walnuts, pine cones, vines, and even twigs that are less than 18 inches long.

How Yard Waste Should Be Prepared for Collection
When setting out yard waste, residents can pile the material loose on the terrace or curbside. Residents can also place yard waste into open compostable paper bags, or in open plastic bags. If bags are used, they must be open at the top. Yard waste can also be placed under a tarp to prevent it from blowing.

Do not place yard waste in the street or gutter. Yard waste in the street creates a nutrient-rich runoff that leads to algae blooms and weed growth in the lakes. Yard waste piles in the street can also clog storm drains, which may lead to street ponding during rainstorms.
Yard waste piles should be placed away from obstructions such a trees, utilities poles, mailboxes, and fire hydrants.

And, do not mix brush with yard waste. Brush is a separate collection process than yard waste. Piles of brush and yard waste folded together will not be collected.

More information about preparing yard waste for pickup can be found on the Streets Division website, or by watching the “How to Prepare Yard Waste for Pick-Up” video on the City of Madison YouTube channel.

Drop-off Sites
Residents and taxpayers can also use the City of Madison drop-off facilities. Yard waste can be delivered to 1501 W. Badger Rd. or 4602 Sycamore Ave. And a yard waste only drop-off site is located at 402 South Point Rd.

All three drop-off sites will be open seven days a week starting March 31. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays the sites will be open 8:30am to 4:30pm. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the sites will be open 8:30am to 8:00pm. These hours will remain in place until December 2, 2018.

Residents and taxpayers are restricted to one load a day.  The maximum load accepted is the equivalent of one pickup truck, or an 8 foot by 4 foot trailer.   Residents and taxpayers attempting to bring in more than this during one trip will be denied access.

All users of the drop-off site are expected to show proof of residency or taxpayer status to use the site.

Contractors may not use these drop-off sites to dispose of material.

More Information
For more information regarding the drop-off facilities, curbside collection, and other Streets Division services, please visit www.cityofmadison.com/streets.