Milwaukee Dump Fees & Landfill Guide for Junk Removal Operators
Current 2026 disposal options for Milwaukee-area landfills and transfer stations. Three private landfills, no public option. WI state surcharge ~$13/ton.
Last updated: Mar 2026
Estimated $67–$80+/ton (limited public data — most rates negotiated by account)
Typical dump fee range
Fee basis
Per ton (weighed) at all three landfills — Wisconsin's ~$13/ton state surcharge included in gate fees
Common materials
Biggest cost trap
No publicly owned landfills in Milwaukee or Waukesha County. City Drop Off Centers are strictly residential — commercial vehicles, trucks with logos, ladders, sidewalls, or dual-rear-axle are explicitly prohibited.
Typical Costs in Milwaukee
Baseline pricing before you dig into individual facilities.
MSW (Household Junk)
Estimated $67–$80+/ton (based on limited public data)
Call each facility — varies by account type
Basis: Per ton (weighed at scale house) — Wisconsin's ~$13/ton state surcharge included
infoGFL's Emerald Park posted $75/ton on the 2019 WI DNR survey — current 2026 rates are likely higher. WM listed 'NA' on all surveys, refusing to disclose. One unverified report cited Orchard Ridge at $67/ton with 1-ton minimum plus $50 in non-resident fees.
1Orchard Ridge opens at 6:30 AM — earliest in the metro, valuable for pre-route dumps
2Orchard Ridge is the only Milwaukee-area landfill accepting yard waste (on-site composting) — one-stop shop for mixed loads
3Clean concrete, brick, block, and asphalt are exempt from solid waste code — recycle at lower cost through concrete recyclers
C&D (Construction & Demolition)
Not publicly posted — call each facility
Call for details
Basis: Per ton — all three major landfills accept C&D alongside MSW
infoNo dedicated standalone C&D-only landfill exists in the immediate Milwaukee metro. C&D goes to the same facilities as MSW. Clean masonry (concrete, brick, block, stone, asphalt) can go to concrete recyclers for free or reduced rates — keeping it separate from mixed loads saves the full landfill tipping fee.
Banned Materials
N/A — these cannot go to any Wisconsin landfill
N/A
Basis: N/A
infoWisconsin bans both yard waste AND electronics from landfills statewide. Yard waste must go to composting (Orchard Ridge is the only landfill with on-site composting). Electronics must go through certified e-waste recyclers. Penalty fees apply if banned materials are found in your loads.
Scrap Metal (Revenue)
Market rates — revenue from Complete Recycling Services
No minimum listed
Basis: Per pound
infoComplete Recycling Services at 9400 N. 124th Street accepts all metals Mon–Fri 7 AM–3:15 PM and Sat 8 AM–11:45 AM. A typical junk load with 200–500 lbs of metal can swing $15–$70 per load from cost to revenue.
Facilities in Milwaukee
Recommended facilities first, then additional options.
Top Recommended (3)
Orchard Ridge Recycling & Disposal Facility (WM)
Most versatile facility — earliest opening (6:30 AM), accepts yard waste (unique in Milwaukee), accommodates trucks up to 51 feetRate
Call (262) 253-8620 for commercial rates. One unverified report: ~$67/ton with 1-ton minimum + $50 non-resident fees — treat as anecdotal.
Call for details
Hours
Mon–Fri 6:30 AM – 4:30 PM · Sat 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM · Sun CLOSED · Closed major holidays + Christmas Eve
Area
Menomonee Falls / Northwest Milwaukee (N96 W13073 County Line Road, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051)
Best option for north and northwest Milwaukee operators. Opens earliest at 6:30 AM — 30 minutes before other facilities. The ONLY Milwaukee-area landfill accepting yard waste (on-site composting facility), making it a true one-stop for mixed loads with lawn debris. Accommodates trucks up to 51 feet. Set up a WM Solutions credit account at wmsolutions.com — credit account holders can tip until 4:30 PM while cash customers are cut off at 3:30 PM.
Metro Recycling & Disposal Facility (WM)
South side and Franklin-area operators — WM's primary Milwaukee landfillRate
Call (414) 529-6180. Set up credit account at wmsolutions.com for negotiated rates.
Call for details
Hours
Mon–Fri 7:00 AM – 4:30 PM (cash customers: 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM) · Sat 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM · Sun CLOSED · Closed major holidays
Area
Franklin / South Milwaukee (10712 South 124th Street, Franklin, WI 53132)
WM's primary Milwaukee-area landfill. Credit account holders get an extra hour (until 4:30 PM vs 3:30 PM for cash) — a meaningful advantage for operators running afternoon jobs. Does NOT accept yard waste or electronics (WI bans). For specialty waste like asbestos, biosolids, and contaminated soils, WM requires profile-based approval through wmsolutions.com.
Complete Recycling Services (Scrap Metal)
Primary scrap metal buyer in Milwaukee — Saturday morning hours for weekend batch dropsRate
Market-rate scrap prices — call (414) 930-4843
No minimum listed
Hours
Mon–Fri 7:00 AM – 3:15 PM · Sat 8:00 AM – 11:45 AM
Area
Northwest Milwaukee (9400 N. 124th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53224)
Pull all metal items from every load before going to the landfill. A typical junk load with 200–500 lbs of metal swings $15–$70 per load from disposal cost to revenue. Saturday morning hours (8 AM–11:45 AM) allow weekend batch drops. Located near Orchard Ridge's corridor — combine scrap drop and landfill dump in one trip.
Rules & Restrictions
Know before you go — avoid rejected loads and fines.
Wisconsin bans BOTH yard waste AND electronics from landfills statewide — penalty fees apply if found in your loads. Route yard waste to Orchard Ridge (on-site composting) and electronics to certified e-waste recyclers.
City of Milwaukee Drop Off Centers (6660 N. Industrial Road and 3879 W. Lincoln Avenue) are strictly residential only — commercial vehicles, trucks with logos, ladders, sidewalls, or dual-rear-axle trucks are EXPLICITLY PROHIBITED.
No publicly owned landfills exist in Milwaukee County or Waukesha County. All disposal is through private operators (WM and GFL) at negotiated commercial rates.
Wisconsin state tipping fee surcharge of approximately $13/ton is assessed on all MSW and typically included in posted gate fees — one of the highest state surcharges in the Midwest (compare to MI $0.36, IN $0.60, OH $4.75).
WM credit account holders get extended hours (until 4:30 PM) at Metro RDF and Orchard Ridge — cash customers are cut off at 3:30 PM. Set up accounts at wmsolutions.com.
Clean concrete, brick, block, and asphalt are exempt from Wisconsin solid waste code requirements — recycle through concrete crushers at lower rates than landfill disposal.
Milwaukee has three landfills all on 124th Street or County Line Road in the south/northwest suburbs — plan your disposal route based on which side of the metro your jobs are on.
Orchard Ridge is the ONLY landfill in the Milwaukee metro accepting yard waste — every other facility will reject it. This makes Orchard Ridge the one-stop shop for mixed loads with lawn debris.
WM refuses to disclose tipping fees on Wisconsin DNR surveys (listed 'NA' on all responses). GFL's last disclosed rate was $75/ton in 2019. Actual 2026 rates are likely 10–20% higher. Always negotiate before committing to an account.
Cost-Saving Tips
Margin protection playbook — sorting, timing, and routing.
Sorting Strategy
Separate clean masonry (concrete, brick, block, stone, asphalt) from every load — these are recyclable and often accepted free or at reduced rates by concrete crushing operations like Shoreline Contracting Services. Saves $50–$75/ton versus full landfill tipping fees on heavy masonry materials.
Pull all metals to Complete Recycling Services — a typical load with 200–500 lbs of metal swings $15–$70 per load from cost to revenue. Located near Orchard Ridge for one-trip dumps.
Route yard waste loads specifically to Orchard Ridge — the only landfill with on-site composting. All other Milwaukee facilities will reject yard waste per Wisconsin's statewide ban.
Timing Strategy
Orchard Ridge opens at 6:30 AM — 30 minutes earlier than all other facilities. Use this for pre-route dump runs on northwest side jobs.
WM credit account holders get until 4:30 PM at Metro RDF and Orchard Ridge — an extra hour beyond the 3:30 PM cash customer cutoff. This is worth the account setup alone.
Emerald Park Saturday hours are the most limited at 7:00–10:30 AM. Orchard Ridge and Metro RDF both go until noon on Saturdays — plan Saturday routes accordingly.
Routing Strategy
South side jobs: Metro RDF in Franklin or Emerald Park in Muskego — both on the south 124th Street corridor
North/northwest jobs: Orchard Ridge in Menomonee Falls (6:30 AM opening, yard waste accepted) + Complete Recycling Services for scrap (9400 N. 124th)
City center jobs: Germantown Transfer Station for quick turnaround when the time savings outweigh the transfer station rate premium
Best Practice
Milwaukee's fully privatized disposal market with no published rates makes dump fee tracking essential. Without logging actual invoices per job, you're estimating disposal costs from memory or outdated data. ScaleYourJunk tracks dump fees per job, per facility, per truck — giving you real numbers to negotiate with WM and GFL and to price your jobs accurately in Wisconsin's high-surcharge market.
No Published Rates + $13/Ton State Surcharge = Track Every Load
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job so you know your real per-ton cost in Milwaukee's privatized, opaque disposal market.
Dump Fees in Milwaukee: FAQ
Related Resources
Wisconsin Junk Removal Market Guide
Demographics, competitor landscape, pricing benchmarks, and regulations for operating in Wisconsin.
DataMilwaukee Metro Junk Removal Market
Competitor analysis, neighborhood targeting, and entry strategy for the Milwaukee metro area.
DataMadison Dump Fees
Facility data and tipping fees for operators also servicing the Madison market.
GuideDump Run Efficiency Guide
Route optimization strategies to minimize windshield time between jobs and dump sites.
FeatureLoad-Based Pricing Engine
Build Wisconsin's high disposal costs into every quote with volume-based pricing tiers.
Milwaukee's Disposal Market Is Fully Private — Track Every Dollar
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job across WM and GFL facilities so you know your real per-ton cost and can negotiate from data, not guesswork.
Dump fee tracking included in all plans — Starter $149/mo