Materials Management: Refuse, Recycling, & More

Page Navigation: The left-hand column provides links to five information categories:

  1. Refuse/Garbage Information
  2. Recycling Information
  3. Brush/Composting/Yard Materials Information
  4. Donation/Repair/Re-use Information
  5. Hazardous/Unique Materials Information

Below you will find general information from our Refuse & Recyling provider, basic collection information, & FAQs. 

The City of Sun Prairie is proud to offer our community a variety of materials management services, most notably the refuse and recycling programs. Materials management is an important city service, and this page is a one-stop shop for resources and programs that are available to Sun Prairie residents. 

Pellitteri Waste Systems is the current Refuse & Recycling provider for the City of Sun Prairie and maintains up to date service information including collection maps, calendars, recycling guidelines, hazardous/bulky item disposal information, and FAQs. 

To contact Pellitteri call 608-257-4285 or click the below link to learn more:

City of Sun Prairie – Pellitteri Waste Systems

Starting in 2023, both refuse and recycling collections will occur weekly. 

The City of Sun Prairie strives to be a leader in materials management, in order to reduce operational costs, environmental impact, and maximize the value of our community resources. The objective is to support our collective efforts to reduce materials sent to landfill, properly dispose of a wide variety of material types, and explore solutions such as composting and materials re-use. Dane County compiles a variety of helpful resources, linked below:

Waste and Recycling Resources | Dane County Department of Waste & Renewables (countyofdane.com)

Helpful links:

City of Sun Prairie Weekly Recycling Flyer
Tan lid receptacles are for garbage / refuse
Green lid receptacles are for recycling
  1. Who do I contact when my refuse / recycle cart is missed?
  2. How do I dispose of furniture?
  3. How do I dispose of large items that do not fit in the cart?
View All FAQs

Information for Refuse & Recycling

The Basics

Refuse and recycling collections are provided by the City of Sun Prairie’s contractor, Pellitteri Waste Systems (608-257-4285). Only residents living in the following types of dwellings receive city-sponsored refuse and recycling collections:

  • 4-Plex
  • Condominium
  • Duplex
  • Single-Family Home

Residents receiving city-sponsored collections are provided with a 95-gallon disposal receptacle. If you wish to get additional refuse or recycle carts, please call Pellitteri at 608-257-4285.

Sign up for email alerts from Pellitteri for weather delays, recycling updates, etc. Be sure to include your address.

Refuse and recycle carts must be curbside by 7 a.m. on your collection day and should not be set out earlier than noon of the previous day. Carts should be placed at the end of your driveway or on the terrace. Do not place your cart in the street or gutter area or on a sidewalk or bike path.Please allow four feet between your cart and other objects (mailboxes, other carts, etc.), and 10 feet from parked cars on the street. Lids need to close on the cart to be picked up, overflowing carts can result in the material spilling into the street and may not be collected. Learn more information about cart placement.

One bad symbol
One good one bad, symbols
Two carts good symbol

Carts along the curb

Residents receiving city-sponsored collections are provided with a 95-gallon disposal receptacle. Proper cart placement is the first step in ensuring your cart is collected. Refuse and recycle carts must be curbside by 7 a.m. on your collection day and should not be set out earlier than noon of the previous day. Carts should be placed at the end of your driveway or on the terrace. Please do not place your cart in the street or gutter area or on a sidewalk or bike path. During the winter months, please do not place your carts on top of snowbanks.

Please allow four feet between your cart and other objects (mailboxes, other carts, etc.), and 10 feet from parked cars on the street. Lids need to close on the cart to be picked up, overflowing carts can result in the material spilling into the street and may not be collected. Call 608-837-3050 with any questions.

If you wish to receive additional refuse or recycle carts, please call Pellitteri at 608-257-4285.

If you find one of these tags on your cart or notice them around your neighborhood, here are some things to know about them:

  • If you are tagged, this does not mean your cart will not be emptied.
  • They are put on carts to serve as a reminder that it is a violation of City Ordinance 8.20.150.1 to put carts in the street or block the gutter.
  • Proper cart placement is especially critical during the winter months. Keeping the street and gutters free from carts helps us plow close to the curb, helps eliminate cart damage, helps water run through the gutters as snow melts, etc. It also helps during warmer months for street sweeping.
  • If you place your carts at the end of the driveway, make sure they are far enough back so they are not blocking the curb line and gutter. The cart collection trucks can reach 4 - 5 feet behind the face of the curb.
  • In the winter you may need to shovel a portion of your terrace to appropriately place your carts.
  • Repeat violations of a city ordinance can result in citations.
Orange Cart Tag

Refuse & Recycle Cart Storage

Refuse and recycle carts must be stored after collections occur. If a residence has three or more collection carts, you are required to store your collection carts inside or have them fully screened outside as to not be visible from adjoining properties. If you have three or more collection carts, but only have two outside, no screening is required. Screening can be in the form of landscaping or an enclosure. If you are required to screen your carts, and have questions about what is required, please contact the City's Public Works Department at 608-837-3050.

If a residence only has two collection carts, there are no mandatory requirements regarding where or how carts are stored. City Council encourages community members to consider making room in your garage to store collection carts, or to locate them in a more discrete place on the side of your home. The council has recognized that the size of the carts may make inside storage difficult for some residential homes. If only one cart is able to be stored inside, this effort can have a positive impact on how our neighbors maintain their property. Residents are encouraged to not store collection carts in the front of their home.

Missed collection?

If your curbside collections were missed, please first verify that they were out properly; this includes but not limited to correct spacing between carts and objects, out by 7 a.m. on collection day, and correct week for recycling. If everything was done properly, please contact Pellitteri at (608) 257-4285 to alert them to this issue. If possible when calling, let them know whether you were the only one missed or if others were as well (entire block or just one side of the street). Thank you for your cooperation in this matter - contacting the vendor directly will result in the best resolution to your missed collections.

Cart Wash Events

Biannually the City of Sun Prairie Public Works hosts a free refuse and recycle collection cart wash for residents who receive city-sponsored collections. The event takes place at the City Service Center located at 201 South Bristol Street from 8:30 a.m. to Noon.

2023 Cart Wash Cleanings:

  • Saturday, June 10, 2023
  • Saturday, September 16, 2023

 If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at 608-837-3050.


Multi-Family Dwelling / Commercial Properties

Multi-family and commercial properties are responsible for providing their own refuse and recycling collection services and disposal containers. All questions for collections on these properties should be directed to either the Property Manager or the Property Owner. The city does not handle these collections.