West Allis public works outlines curbside single‑stream recycling, enforcement and drop‑off services

Dave, director of public works, told the Public Works Committee at a meeting that the city provides curbside recycling collection for residential units of four or fewer and operates municipal drop‑off sites, and outlined program operations, enforcement and costs.

The update matters because the program serves roughly 22,000 residential units, complies with a Wisconsin state statute and municipal code 7.24, and affects grant eligibility and city budget lines tied to processing tonnage and material quality.

Dave said West Allis moved in 2017 from multi‑stream collection to single‑stream 96‑gallon carts to increase participation and safety, and the city supplied one free cart per residential unit and allowed a second cart for a fee. He said the city provided about 22,000 carts and that the second cart is charged at $55; since February 2022 the city has sold about 500 additional carts. “Why do we recycle? Well, number 1 is it’s good for the environment,” Dave said, summarizing environmental and economic benefits cited in the presentation.

Staff said curbside service covers single‑family and up to four‑unit properties; properties of five or more units and…