Brush & Yard Waste Disposal

Leaves and Yard Waste DISPOSAL & COLLECTION

Although the State of Wisconsin banned yard waste such as leaves, weeds, flowers, vines and other non-fruit or vegetable matter from being collected and disposed of with household trash, yard waste can still be disposed of in several ways.

1. A note on grass clippings: Grass clippings are not considered yard waste and are not accepted at the drop-off sites or collected with yard waste collection. Leave grass clippings in place or consider starting a compost pile. You can also use grass clippings as mulch under trees and shrubs at home. Don’t rake grass clippings into the street!

2. Take advantage of curbside yard waste collection which takes place each spring and fall.

  •  Yard waste materials such as leaves, weeds, flowers, vines, and other non-fruit or vegetable material may be placed in the curb-line of the street between April 23 to May 14, 2023 and October 1 through the week of November 19, 2023.

To prepare yard waste for collection:

DO

  • Rake yard waste into the street along the curb line forming a long, low pile. 
  • If you don’t have a curb, place material along the roadway in a long, low pile.
  • Wet material down to prevent it from blowing away.
  • Remove pots and soil from plants before placing for collection.
  • When parking on the street be mindful of leaf pile locations and allow a 15 foot clearance.

DON’T

  • Mix yard waste into brush piles.
  • Place materials for collection in drainage ditches, alleys, refuse containers, ash boxes, or piles in your yard or driveway.  
  • Place yard waste for collection at any other time but during the dates listed. 
  • Park over yard waste piles. This prevents crews from picking up material and is a fire hazard.
  • Place fruit and vegetables, including pumpkins, into the curb line with yard waste due to rodent activity.  Instead, place those items in a plastic bag, tightly tied, then disposed of in your City garbage cart.

3. Bring your yard waste to one of the West Allis drop-off sites for disposal without charge. View drop-off site locations and hours here.

What about pine cones, apples, acorns/nuts, "whirly birds" from maple trees?

  • These materials are considered "fruit" from a tree and can go in either the garbage OR your yard waste pile.
  • For ease of collection and to prevent clogging storm drains it is preferred that the material is bagged and placed in the garbage.

BRUSH COLLECTION

Brush is woody material like sticks, trimmings, or branches from trees and shrubs. In 2023, the City of West Allis will provide every other week collection of small amounts of resident-generated brush, up to one (1) cubic yard, on the scheduled recycling pick-up day between June 5 (red week) and October 6 (black week). To find out if your collection takes place during a red or black week, you can look up your property’s information in our Property Search here.  No brush collection will be made during the holiday weeks of July 3 and September 4, 2023.

If you have more than  one (1) cubic yard, call the Sanitation and Street Division at 414-302-8800 to arrange pick-up. Fees will apply.

To prepare brush for collection:

DO

  • Cut brush into lengths of five feet or less.
  • Bundle the brush pile and place parallel between the sidewalk and curb.
  • Put smaller pieces of brush in a box or can marked “brush.”

DON’T

  • Put brush in bags.
  • Mix brush into yard waste piles.