YARD WASTE COLLECTION:
Please be aware that we will need to strictly enforce the existing policy that plastic bags must NOT be tied shut. Plastic and bags that are tied shut will not be collected. This has always been the policy, but has not been strictly enforced until Oct 2023. Tying your plastic bags shut requires the crews to cut each one open, which greatly increases the time and expense of collection. Please leave lids off of reusable containers and poly bags untied as well. Compostable bags can be shut, however, as the whole bag will be taken. Thank you for your help!
Residents can also drop off yard waste at the City of Fitchburg Recycling Drop-off Site.
For questions regarding your service, contact us below or call 608-257-4285.
The City of Fitchburg is divided into 5 geographic areas for refuse and recycling collection.
The standard size carts are the 35-gallon trash (green) cart and 65-gallon recycling (blue) cart. Larger sizes are available for both. There is an annual fee payable directly to Pellitteri Waste Systems for larger trash carts. There is no annual fee for larger recycling carts, however.
For 2025, the charge for a 65-gallon trash is $39.00 and the charge for a 95-gallon is $45.00. There is a one-time $35.00 exchange fee (2025) for curbside exchanges. Or, you may bring your existing size(s) into our office in Madison and pick up different sizes (no exchange fee); please contact us at least one day in advance as carts are stored at a different location. In-office exchanges are available Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (with one-day notice).
The city of Fitchburg is split into 5 geographic areas to be serviced on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. Please refer to the City of Fitchburg Refuse and Recycling Collection Day Map for your specific collection day. Residents must have their carts put out by 6:30 am.
Carts should be placed at the end of your driveway and be within two feet of the street. The carts should be placed on level ground and should be at least four feet from any obstacle such as utility poles, mailboxes, trees, and parked cars. The handles of the carts should face your house so that the lid opens properly when being dumped. Carts cannot be collected if they are improperly placed. In the winter you may need to shovel out areas for your carts just like you do for mail delivery. Please do not place carts in the street.
Only household trash can be put in your cart. Do not place any recyclables, brush/leaves, construction materials, demolition, or hazardous materials in your cart.
Trash:
If it is a small amount of extra trash, you may want to consider waiting until the following week to have it picked up in your cart. If you have extra bags of trash, we will pick them up for a pre-paid nominal fee (2020: $3.80 for up to a 32-gallon bag and no more than 50 lbs). Please call us at least one day before your pickup day to schedule and prepay. (Note: The refuse tag sticker program has been discontinued as of 2020.) If you frequently have extra trash, you may want to consider upgrading to a larger trash cart. Please contact us for options.
Recycling:
Cardboard only:
The City of Fitchburg Recycling Drop Off Site accepts certain items for recycling, including cardboard. Please note that it does not accept mixed recycling (paper, plastic, etc.). Please visit their website for more information.
Mixed recycling:
Extra recycling will be picked up for free (until 1/1/25) as long as it is placed in a clear, plastic bag (32-gallons or less and no more than 50lbs) and set next to your recycling cart on your recycling week. Extra cardboard should be flattened and placed in clear plastic bags as well. Do not tie or bundle cardboard. If you consistently have additional recycling, you could consider a larger or additional recycling cart. Beginning 1/1/25, additional recycling will no longer be included. Please call one business day in advance of your service to schedule and prepay.
Additional carts are available for an annual fee. Please contact us for pricing and scheduling.
The automated collection program is not intended to provide this type of service. We do offer temporary dumpsters that come in 6, 12, 20 and 30 cubic yard sizes to meet your needs. We recommend contacting us prior to the start of your cleanout for a quote.
There is a fee per item for bulky items such as stoves, refrigerators (with doors removed), hot-water tanks, furniture and other large household items. Please contact us with details of the quantity and type of item(s). We are happy to provide you with the bulky item disposal cost and instructions for disposal, as well as alternative disposal options if available.
No. The carts are not to be taken from the existing household. Even if you move within the City of Fitchburg, please do not take the carts as they should stay with the existing house.
Please contact us. The carts are the property of the City of Fitchburg/contractor. We will take care of any normal wear and tear or damage by our trucks. There is a fee to the resident if the cart is otherwise damaged or stolen while in their custody.
The automated cart dumping process lifts the container upside down and stops with a slight jolt. If the material is wedged tightly the material may not come out. Please put the heavier items in the bottom of the cart and do not compact the material.
Many factors can contribute to whether carts remain upright after being emptied. The automated system uses hydraulic arms to pick up the cart and dump it into the truck which are controlled by a joystick from inside the truck. The carts tend to be top-heavy once empty, especially 35 gallon carts and 65 gallon carts. Depending on how flat the surface of where the cart has been set, as well the size of the cart, how heavy the contents of the cart were, moisture on the outside of the cart, and the amount of wind, it can be very difficult to set the carts down without them tipping over. Due to safety concerns for both residents and the drivers, the drivers are not able to get out of their trucks to set cart back upright at every home. There are many benefits to the automated system, especially for safety and cost savings to residents. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with the automated system.
Brush and yard waste cannot be placed in your trash or recycling carts. Brush and yard waste are both banned from landfills in Wisconsin. Please check with your local municipality to see how you are supposed to handle your brush or yard waste. Many municipalities have drop-off sites and some may provide curbside pickup. Brush is generally defined as branches or limbs while yard waste includes grass clippings, leaves, weeds, vines, vegetable/plant matter, hay/straw, and twigs less than half an inch in diameter (roughly as thick as your thumb) and less than 12 inches long. The only exception is “invasive plant species” (or “noxious weeds”), which must go to the landfill. Pellitteri customers must place invasive plant species in black trash bags in your trash container with a note on the bag that says it contains invasive plant species so drivers don’t think it’s yard waste. Common invasive plant species include garlic mustard, honeysuckle, purple loosestrife, buckthorn and more.
