Madison Dump Fees & Landfill Guide for Junk Removal Operators
2026 Dane County Landfill rates at $60.10/ton MSW with flat-fee brackets under 1 ton. C&D recycling at $58/ton. 5 facilities mapped.
Last updated: Mar 2026
$58.00/ton (C&D recycling) – $82.10/ton (asbestos)
Typical dump fee range
Fee basis
Per ton (weighed at scale), flat-fee brackets for loads under 1 ton
Common materials
Biggest cost trap
Dane County charges flat fees in 500-lb brackets — a 501-lb load costs the same $30.05 as a 1,000-lb load. Operators making two light trips at $15.03 each pay more per pound than one consolidated trip.
Typical Costs in Madison
Baseline pricing before you dig into individual facilities.
MSW (Household Junk)
$15.03 flat (under 500 lbs) – $60.10/ton (over 2,000 lbs)
$15.03 flat fee for loads 0–500 lbs
Basis: Flat-fee brackets under 1 ton; per ton over 2,000 lbs
infoDane County Rodefeld Landfill is the only public MSW facility in the Madison metro with verified posted rates. At $60.10/ton for loads over 2,000 lbs, it tracks close to the national average of $62/ton. The flat-fee bracket system is what makes this market unique: 0–500 lbs costs $15.03, 501–1,000 lbs costs $30.05, 1,001–1,500 lbs costs $45.08, and 1,501–2,000 lbs costs $60.10. Operators who consolidate two 400-lb loads into one 800-lb trip pay $30.05 instead of $30.06 — but more importantly save an entire round trip in drive time, fuel, and labor.
1Consolidate small jobs to fill each 500-lb bracket — a 501-lb load costs the same $30.05 as a 1,000-lb load, cutting per-pound cost nearly in half
2WM and GFL transfer stations do not publish rates — Dane County Landfill is the only verified public pricing in the market
3Mattresses and non-Freon appliances are included at the standard MSW rate with no per-item surcharge at the Dane County Landfill
C&D (Construction & Demolition)
$14.50 flat (under 500 lbs) – $58.00/ton (over 2,000 lbs)
$14.50 flat fee for loads 0–500 lbs
Basis: Flat-fee brackets under 1 ton; per ton over 2,000 lbs
infoDane County operates a dedicated C&D Recycling Facility adjacent to the Rodefeld Landfill on the same campus — weigh-in happens at the same scale house. C&D recycling at $58.00/ton is $2.10 cheaper per ton than MSW disposal at $60.10/ton. Loads must contain at least 50% recyclable content (clean wood, metal, cardboard, aggregate, sorted shingles) to qualify for the C&D rate. Loads under 50% recyclable are redirected to the landfill at the higher MSW rate. The C&D Recycling Facility is operated by Landfill Reduction & Recycling, LLC under a public-private partnership with Dane County.
Specialty Materials
$25.00/ton (wood chips) – $82.10/ton (asbestos)
Same flat-fee bracket structure applies
Basis: Per ton
infoClean shingles at $65.00/ton are the most commonly encountered specialty rate — significantly more than standard C&D at $58/ton. Yard waste and clean brush/logs cost $40.00/ton, offering real savings versus the $60.10/ton MSW rate for operators who separate green waste on the truck. Food scraps cost $58.00/ton. Tires run $350.00/ton (approximately $4–$6 per standard passenger tire) and must be off the rim — truck tires over 20 inches must be cut into 2-foot sections. Asbestos disposal at $82.10/ton is restricted to the first Wednesday of each month only, 7:00 AM–1:00 PM, by permit.
Banned & Restricted Items
N/A — cannot be disposed at Dane County Landfill
$15/trip (Clean Sweep hazardous waste drop-off)
Basis: Per item or per trip at Clean Sweep
infoWisconsin bans electronics from landfill disposal under Act 50 — TVs, computers, and monitors must go through E-Cycle Wisconsin collectors or Dane County Clean Sweep ($15/unit for residential electronics only — commercial electronics NOT accepted). Freon-containing appliances (refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, dishwashers) are banned from the landfill entirely. Cardboard and aluminum containers are also banned from landfill disposal under Wisconsin recycling law — operators must separate these on the truck. Propane tanks, waste oil, and hazardous chemicals go to Clean Sweep at $15 per trip for Dane County residents, $75 per trip out-of-county.
Facilities in Madison
Recommended facilities first, then additional options.
Top Recommended (2)
Dane County Rodefeld Landfill
Cheapest verified MSW disposal in the Madison metro — the only facility with published public ratesRate
MSW: $15.03 (0–500 lbs) · $30.05 (501–1,000 lbs) · $45.08 (1,001–1,500 lbs) · $60.10 (1,501–2,000 lbs) · $60.10/ton (over 2,000 lbs). C&D: same brackets at $14.50/$29.00/$43.50/$58.00/$58.00 per ton. Shingles: $65.00/ton. Brush/logs: $40.00/ton. Tires: $350.00/ton. Asbestos: $82.10/ton.
$15.03 (MSW) · $14.50 (C&D)
Hours
Mon–Fri 6:30 AM – 3:15 PM · Sat 8:00 AM – 10:45 AM · Closed Sun & Holidays
Area
East Madison (7102 Maahic Way, Madison, WI 53718)
Operated by Dane County Department of Waste & Renewables as an enterprise fund (funded by service fees, not taxpayer dollars). This is the anchor disposal site for the entire Madison metro — the only facility with verified public pricing. The flat-fee bracket system rewards load consolidation: a 999-lb load costs $30.05, the same as a 501-lb load. ALL loads MUST be tarped or enclosed — untarped loads are turned away at the scale, no exceptions. Freon appliances (refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, dishwashers) are rejected. Set up a commercial credit account for monthly invoicing — submit applications to Wienkes.Roxanne@danecounty.gov and Listenbee.Tyonna@danecounty.gov. Visa, Mastercard, and cash accepted at the scale house. Rate schedule effective January 1, 2026.
Dane County C&D Recycling Facility
Dedicated C&D recycling at $58/ton — $2.10 cheaper than MSW rate for qualifying construction loadsRate
$14.50 (0–500 lbs) · $29.00 (501–1,000 lbs) · $43.50 (1,001–1,500 lbs) · $58.00 (1,501–2,000 lbs) · $58.00/ton (over 2,000 lbs). Clean shingles: $65.00/ton.
$14.50
Hours
Mon–Fri 7:15 AM – 3:15 PM · Sat 8:00 AM – 10:45 AM · Closed Sun & Holidays
Area
East Madison (7102 Maahic Way, Madison, WI 53718 — 28,650 sq ft building adjacent to Clean Sweep, same campus as landfill)
Operated by Landfill Reduction & Recycling, LLC under a public-private partnership with Dane County. Same campus as Rodefeld Landfill — weigh-in at the same scale house. The key rule: loads must contain at least 50% recyclable content to be accepted. Loads under 50% recyclable are redirected to the landfill at $60.10/ton. Opens at 7:15 AM — 45 minutes after the landfill opens at 6:30 AM, so plan accordingly if arriving early. Separate clean wood, metal, and cardboard from mixed refuse before arriving to ensure your load qualifies. Painted, stained, or pressure-treated wood is NOT accepted and will disqualify your load. Rate schedule effective January 1, 2026.
Rules & Restrictions
Know before you go — avoid rejected loads and fines.
ALL loads at Dane County facilities MUST be tarped or enclosed — untarped loads are turned away at the scale house. No exceptions. This is the single most common reason operators get rejected on their first visit.
Freon-containing appliances (refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, dishwashers) are BANNED from Dane County Landfill. Refrigerant must be professionally removed before the unit can be disposed of anywhere.
Wisconsin Act 50 bans all electronics (TVs, computers, monitors) from landfill disposal. Wisconsin recycling law also bans cardboard and aluminum containers from landfills — operators must separate these on the truck.
Set up a Dane County Landfill commercial credit account for monthly invoicing — submit applications to Wienkes.Roxanne@danecounty.gov and Listenbee.Tyonna@danecounty.gov. This avoids cash-handling delays at the scale.
Visa and Mastercard accepted at the Dane County scale house. Cash accepted. Confirm check acceptance before relying on check payment.
Asbestos disposal requires an advance permit and is restricted to the first Wednesday of each month, 7:00 AM–1:00 PM only. Contact the landfill at (608) 838-9555 to arrange.
Dane County's flat-fee bracket system means load weight management is critical. A 501-lb load costs $30.05 — the same as 1,000 lbs. Operators who understand the brackets and consolidate loads accordingly can cut per-job disposal cost by 30–40%.
The C&D Recycling Facility requires loads to be at least 50% recyclable content. Loads below this threshold are redirected to the landfill at $60.10/ton instead of $58.00/ton. Pre-sort on the truck to ensure your C&D loads qualify.
Madison's disposal market is unusually consolidated — Dane County operates the only facility with public pricing. WM and GFL both use unpublished contract rates, making price comparison difficult without calling each facility directly.
Cost-Saving Tips
Margin protection playbook — sorting, timing, and routing.
Sorting Strategy
Separate clean C&D materials (wood, metal, cardboard, aggregate) from mixed refuse on the truck. Loads with 50% or more recyclable content qualify for the C&D Recycling Facility at $58.00/ton — $2.10/ton cheaper than MSW. On a 2-ton load, that saves $4.20 per trip; across 5 construction jobs per week, it adds up to over $1,000 annually.
Divert yard waste and brush to the landfill's yard waste stream at $40.00/ton instead of mixing it with MSW at $60.10/ton — a 33% savings. During spring and fall cleanout seasons, yard waste can represent 20–30% of total load weight on estate and property cleanup jobs.
Pull scrap metal from every load and sell to Madison-area scrap yards instead of paying $58–$60/ton to landfill it. Appliances, steel framing, copper pipe, and aluminum generate revenue instead of costing disposal fees.
Timing Strategy
Dane County Landfill opens at 6:30 AM on weekdays — dump first, then start your route. The GFL Waunakee facility reportedly opens at 6:00 AM for operators who need even earlier disposal access.
Saturday hours at the Dane County Landfill are limited to 8:00 AM–10:45 AM. WM and GFL transfer stations are both closed on weekends. Plan Saturday routes around the narrow morning window — arrive by 10:00 AM at the latest.
The Dane County Landfill closes at 3:15 PM on weekdays. WM Madison Transfer Station stays open until 5:00 PM. For late-afternoon dump runs, route to WM at 2418 W Badger Road instead of racing to beat the landfill cutoff.
Routing Strategy
North-side jobs (Middleton, Waunakee, Sun Prairie, DeForest): route to GFL Waunakee Transfer Station at 300 Raemisch Road. The 15-minute drive from downtown saves significant windshield time compared to the landfill on the east side.
South and west-side jobs: route to WM Madison Transfer Station at 2418 W Badger Road. Open until 5:00 PM with central south-side access. Use for late-day dumps when the county landfill is already closed.
East and southeast jobs: direct-haul to Dane County Rodefeld Landfill at 7102 Maahic Way for the lowest verified rates. Combine with Clean Sweep drop-offs for any hazardous items collected during the day — both facilities are on the same campus.
Best Practice
Madison's flat-fee bracket system makes load weight the most important variable in your disposal cost per job. A 500-lb load costs $15.03 and a 501-lb load costs $30.05 — knowing exactly where you stand in each bracket determines whether it's cheaper to add material from the next job or make a separate trip. ScaleYourJunk logs dump fees per job automatically so you can track which weight brackets you're hitting most often and adjust your consolidation strategy to stay in the cheapest bracket for each route.
Flat-Fee Brackets Make Every Pound Count
ScaleYourJunk tracks disposal costs per job so you can see exactly which weight brackets you're hitting — and whether consolidating loads would drop you into a cheaper tier.
Dump Fees in Madison: FAQ
Related Resources
Wisconsin Junk Removal Market Guide
Demographics, competitor landscape, pricing benchmarks, and regulations for operating in Wisconsin.
DataMadison Metro Junk Removal Market
Competitor analysis, neighborhood targeting, and entry strategy for the Madison metro area.
DataMilwaukee Dump Fees
Facility data and tipping fees for operators also servicing the Milwaukee market, 80 miles east.
FeatureLoad-Based Pricing Engine
Build accurate disposal costs into every quote with volume-based pricing tiers.
Flat-Fee Brackets Mean Every Load Matters — Track Them All
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job so you know exactly which Dane County weight bracket you're hitting — and whether consolidating loads saves you money.
Dump fee tracking included in all plans — Starter $149/mo