Hazardous/Unique Materials Information

Summary, Best Practices, & Resources

This page provides an overview of options to safely and responsibly dispose of hazardous or unique materials that don't fall into one of the other information categories. Below you will find resources for New Drop-Off Recycling Opportunities, Plastic Film Recycling, Appliances & Electronics Collection, Hazardous Household Waste Disposal, and Medication & Sharps Disposal. 

NEW! Drop-Off Recycling Opportunities at City Hall

Miscellaneous Items

In honor of Earth Month 2024 which is centered around the theme of "Make Haste to Reduce Waste," the City of Sun Prairie unveiled new drop-off recycling opportunities for residents. The following commonly used items that are not recyclable curbside can be dropped off at City Hall for recycling:

  • Oral care products (toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, dental floss containers)
  • Used socks
  • Make-up products (compacts, mascara tubes, eyeliner pencils, lipstick tubes)
  • Writing utensils (pens, pencils, sharpies, markers)
  • Shaving razors

Please refer to the full list of acceptable items as well as instructions on how to prepare your items for recycling. Collection bins for these items can be found on the 1st floor of City Hall in the front entrance vestibule (photo below). 

The Sun Prairie Area School District is joining the City in its waste reduction initiative and will set up drop-off sites in some of our local schools. 

Bins_cropped

Plastic Film

The City of Sun Prairie is partnering with Trex to provide residents with the opportunity to recycle plastic film (a material that Pellitteri currently does not accept for recycling). Through the NexTrex Recycling Challenge Program, the City of Sun Prairie will work to collect 1,000 lbs of plastic film over a 12-month span. If successful, the City will be awarded a bench made out of recycled materials. 

What plastic film is acceptable?

If your plastic stretches when you pull on it, then it’s acceptable! Examples of flexible/stretchy plastics include plastic grocery bags, bubble wrap, bread bags, Ziploc bags, produce bags, cereal box liners, and dry-cleaning bags. Another way to identify if your plastic film is acceptable is to check the recycling number. If it contains a #2 or #4 (polyethylene), then it is acceptable. Please refer to these pdfs for ACCEPTABLE items and UNACCEPTABLE items, as well as this video for additional program details.

Where are the Trex recycling bins located?

Collection bins can be found in City Hall (main floor lobby and front entrance vestibule), the Westside Community Services Building (main floor lobby), the Sun Prairie Public Library (front entrance), and the Historical Museum. Look for a white bin with a green lid (bin photo here).

What are best practices?

  • Please ensure all plastic film is clean and dry before placing in the bin.

  • As the collection bins fill up, please compact the plastic inside by pressing it down to create space for more plastic film.

  • If there is tape or a paper label on your plastic film, please remove it if possible.

  • Please do not dispose of trash, recyclables, or any other waste items in these bins.

Appliances and Electronic Collection

Appliances & Electronics Collection

Appliances Collection

You will need to obtain a permit prior to using the Recycle Center. You can do that online or by calling Public Works at 608-837-3050:

As of January 2014, the City of Sun Prairie no longer performs curbside appliance collection. Non-Freon appliances will still be accepted at the Recycle Center during normal operational hours at no charge. Local appliance retailers may provide a collection service. Please contact individual companies for prices and to obtain these services.

The Recycle Center does not accept Freon appliances. This means we will not accept air conditioners, dehumidifiers, freezers, and refrigerators.

Questions? Call us at 608-837-3050.

Electronics Recycling

It is the law in Wisconsin that electronics must be recycled. Residents can no longer dispose of their electronics in the refuse cart.

New in 2025 – the City will take electronic waste items for recycling.  Disposal requires the items to be dropped off at the Recycle Center (1798 South Bird Street) – See hours of operation here.  You must have a permit/sticker to use the facility. There is no charge for electronic recycling with a permit/sticker.

Electronics eligible under E-Cycle WI 

  • Cellphones, other phones with a video display, and battery-operated phone accessories
  • Computers (desktop, laptop, and netbook computers)
  • Desktop printers, 3D printers, and fax machines
  • Computer monitors
  • Other computer accessories (e.g., keyboards, mice, speakers, external hard drives)
  • Tablets and e-readers
  • TVs
  • DVD players, VCRs, and other video players
  • Other TV/monitor accessories
  • Video game consoles
  • Battery-operated video game components and portable handheld gaming devices

Collection sites:

  • Best Buy, Madison East (608-242-0701)
  • Goodwill, Sun Prairie (608-318-5560)
  • Resource Solutions (608-244-5451)
  • Dane County Clean Sweep (608-243-0368)
  • File 13 E-Waste Solutions (608-221-1313)

These companies may offer curbside pickups for additional fees.

Hazardous Household Waste Disposal

Household Hazard Wastes can be dropped off at the Dane County Clean Sweep located at the Dane County Landfill in Madison. Items that Clean Sweep will accept include Dane-County-Clean-Sweep-Flyer.pdf (countyofdane.com), below are a few examples:

  • 1-pound propane containers
  • Electronics 
  • Computer monitors & TV's ($15.00 each)
  • Full or partial aerosols
  • Gasoline and gas-oil mixtures
  • Household products containing organic solvents
  • Oil-based paints
  • Paint-related products
  • Pesticides
  • Poisons
  • Rechargeable batteries

Contact Information

Clean Sweep is located at 7102 U.S. Highway 12 (shares space with Dane County Landfill). The facility is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. They are closed Sunday and Holidays.

Additional questions can be answered by calling Clean Sweep at 608-838-3212.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

The city will hold a free collection of Household Hazardous Waste on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.  The collection will take place at the City Service Center, 201 South Bristol Street.  A Recycle Center Permit will be required to take advantage of this event. Review the event brochure (PDF) for items that will be accepted.

Medication & Sharps Disposal

Medication Disposal

Do you have old medications that have expired or are no longer being used? Flushing them down the toilet or putting them in your refuse cart is not the answer. Studies have shown that these medications harm the environment: our water, lakes and the animals in them.

A permanent MedDrop is now available in the lobby of the Police Department, 300 East Main Street. The lobby is open 24/7. After hours, enter from Main Street.

Items Accepted at the MedDrop:

  • Medication Samples
  • Nebulizer Solution
  • Over-the-counter medicine (pills, liquids, creams)
  • Pet meds
  • Prescription medicine (pills, liquids, creams)
  • Vitamins

To dispose of medicine in the MedDrop box:

  • Empty contents of pill bottles into a Ziploc bag and recycle your pill bottles at home.
  • Please leave liquids, gels, or creams in their original containers and place them in a Ziploc bag.
  • Bring the Ziploc bags to City Hall and place them in the drop box.

Medical Shapers Disposal

To reduce public health risks, Wisconsin requires all citizens to manage medical sharps safely. It is illegal to put sharps in the refuse or recycle cart. Provided is a list of registered medical sharps collection sites in Sun Prairie:

  • Pick 'n Save
    2358 Ironwood Drive
    Sun Prairie, WI 53590
    Phone: 608-837-2867
  • Pick 'n Save
    640 E. Main Street
    Sun Prairie, WI 53590
    Phone: 608-837-3821
  • UW Health Physicians Sun Prairie Clinic
    2651 Windsor Street
    Sun Prairie, WI 53590
    Phone: 608-837-2206

Other Sharps Resources

You can also check with the Wisconsin DNR or Safe Needle Disposal for additional options.