Home › By item › Scrap metal › Milwaukee
A public resource guide
Free scrap metal removal in Milwaukee, WI
Every free and paid way to get rid of scrap metal in Milwaukee, verified October 2026.
Checked against Milwaukee Sanitation
Home › By item › Scrap metal › Milwaukee
A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of scrap metal in Milwaukee, verified October 2026.
Checked against Milwaukee Sanitation
1 cu yd
free bulky waste per regular collection, about a recliner, no request needed
$75
Special Pickup for 1 to 4 cubic yards ($225 for 4 to 6)
2
Drop-Off Centers for appliances, electronics, and tires, seasonal Tuesday to Sunday
Every route for scrap metal in Milwaukee, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Milwaukee guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Milwaukee, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Milwaukee bulky item pickup: scrap metal
FreeSmall metal items fit the free bulky allowance; larger loads go to a Drop-Off Center or scrap yard.
Who qualifies: Properties with City of Milwaukee Sanitation Services collection (generally 1 to 4 units). Larger buildings with private haulers are not eligible.
How to schedule: No appointment for up to 1 cubic yard (about a recliner or two garbage carts): set it at your regular collection point on your regular day. More than that is a Special Pickup for a fee, requested online or at 414-286-CITY: $75 for 1 to 4 cubic yards, $225 for 4 to 6. Project Clean and Green gives each zone one free larger pickup each spring.
Limits: 1 cubic yard free per regular collection. Fees above that. Yard waste, electronics, appliances, and tires are not bulky waste and go to a Drop-Off Center.
Set-out: At your regular collection point on your regular collection day, not blocking the alley or sidewalk. Items left out on other days are a code violation.
Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)
FreeFreemoval funds free junk removal and cleanouts for households referred by trusted partner organizations, such as nonprofits, housing programs, and senior services. Families don’t apply directly. A partner submits the request and vouches for the need.
Status in Milwaukee: Not yet available. Freemoval currently serves metro Atlanta and plans to expand nationwide.
How it works where it operates: One free pickup per household, covering scrap metal, furniture, appliances, and bulk household items within standard LoadUp marketplace service. Funded by LoadUp customer round-ups and direct contributions, spent at standard LoadUp rates.
If you run a nonprofit or housing program in Milwaukee: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Milwaukee runs an unusually accessible weekly bulk system for the Midwest: 1 cubic yard of bulky items (about the size of a recliner or two garbage carts) can be put at your regular collection point for pickup on your regular collection day, no online request, no City call needed. Plus, Project Clean & Green is the City’s annual spring bulk program: from approximately April 20-June 1, each zone gets one designated week when residents can place up to 6 cubic yards per property, including unwanted furniture, mattresses, household items, and yard waste in BROWN paper bags. Critical caveat: mattresses, large appliances (washers, dryers, stoves, refrigerators, AC units), and electronics (TVs, computers, monitors) require PREPAID DISPOSAL STICKERS before placement, placing without a sticker may result in code enforcement notice or fine. Drop-Off Centers operate seasonally (Tuesday-Sunday 7 AM-3 PM, approximately April-November). Service is for 1-4 unit dwellings only, apartment buildings (5+ units) and businesses must use private haulers. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
The Milwaukee rule for scrap metal: Small metal items fit the free bulky allowance; larger loads go to a Drop-Off Center or scrap yard.
Program basics: 1 cubic yard free per regular collection. Fees above that. Yard waste, electronics, appliances, and tires are not bulky waste and go to a Drop-Off Center. At your regular collection point on your regular collection day, not blocking the alley or sidewalk. Items left out on other days are a code violation.
What the city will not take: Appliances, electronics and TVs, tires, yard waste (except Project Clean and Green), household hazardous waste, and construction and demolition waste, which needs a prepaid request or a Drop-Off Center.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Milwaukee Sanitation: Bulky Item Pickup Guidelines, City of Milwaukee Sanitation: Violations and fees. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in Milwaukee. Milwaukee residents have free hazardous waste disposal through the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) Home Hazmat Collection program. MMSD operates 3 permanent collection sites plus 1-day drop-off events throughout Milwaukee County. All available to Milwaukee County residents free of charge. Confirmed 2026 event: MLK Jr. School, April 18, 2026. Visit mmsd.com/home-hazmat-collection for current sites and event schedule. Wisconsin-specific notes: Latex paint can be dried completely (add kitty litter to speed drying) and placed in regular garbage. Single-use alkaline batteries CAN go in regular garbage per Wisconsin DNR. Several retailers also offer ongoing free recycling: Home Depot for batteries and CFL bulbs, AutoZone for motor oil and car batteries, Best Buy for electronics, most pharmacies for unused medications.
Why scrap metal are different from ordinary bulk. Most household scrap is mixed. An appliance is a steel shell around a copper motor and aluminum fins; a bike is a steel or aluminum frame with rubber and plastic. Yards accept mixed items at the steel rate, so sorting pays only if you have enough non-ferrous metal to make it worth the time. A magnet and ten minutes usually tells you.
Three mistakes that get scrap metal left at the curb:
Paid options barely exist for metal, except when the metal is attached to things that are not metal.
Mixed loads to a transfer station
$20 to $60If metal is mixed into a larger cleanout, transfer stations charge by weight for the whole load. Pull the metal out first and give it to a scrapper; it reduces the fee and keeps metal out of the landfill.
Most transfer stations have a free metal pile. Ask before you tip.
LoadUp paid scrap metal pickup
$80+For households who need same-day or in-home pickup, exceed the weekly 1-cubic-yard limit, can’t wait for Project Clean & Green or Drop-Off Centers, live in apartment buildings without DPW service, have items the City won’t accept, or want full-service hauling without managing prepaid stickers, LoadUp offers professional removal in Milwaukee with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your scrap metal. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. Every paid LoadUp customer can opt in to round up at checkout, and 100% of round-ups go directly to Freemoval’s subsidized jobs.
Book scrap metal pickup in Milwaukee with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Milwaukee proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Milwaukee junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national scrap metal disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Milwaukee: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Milwaukee pick up scrap metal for free?
Yes, within 1 cubic yard, or a scrap yard.
How much does paid scrap metal removal cost in Milwaukee?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single scrap metal pickup in Milwaukee starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households who need same-day or in-home pickup, exceed the weekly 1-cubic-yard limit, can't wait for Project Clean & Green or Drop-Off Centers, live in apartment buildings without DPW service, have items the City won't accept, or want full-service hauling without managing prepaid stickers, LoadUp offers professional removal in Milwaukee with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
Will someone pick up scrap metal for free?
Yes. Independent scrappers in every metro collect appliances, grills, frames, and other metal from the curb free, usually the same day you post it, because they sell it by weight. Many city bulk programs also collect metal.
How much does a scrap yard pay?
Steel pays a few cents per pound; a washer or water heater might bring a few dollars. Aluminum pays several times more, and copper and brass pay the most, often a few dollars per pound. Prices change weekly with commodity markets.
How do I tell what kind of metal I have?
Use a magnet. If it sticks, the metal is ferrous (steel or iron) and pays the base rate. If it does not, it is aluminum, copper, brass, or stainless and worth sorting out. Copper is reddish, brass is yellow, aluminum is light and silver, stainless is heavy and silver.
Can I scrap a refrigerator or air conditioner?
Yes, but the refrigerant must be recovered first by a certified technician or by the yard if it has recovery equipment. Do not cut the lines. Many yards accept sealed units and recover the gas themselves; call first.
Is this Milwaukee page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Milwaukee guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.