Milwaukee drop centers will soon charge a fee for 'sizable items'

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Changes are coming to drop centers in Milwaukee. 

Soon people will have to pay to dump sizable items such as furniture or old mattresses. Prices will range from $3 to $20.

There's no charge for loads under one cubic yard. 

Alderman Tony Zielinski says this will help reduce illegal dumping, which carries a fine up to $5,000.

"We found that contractors who couldn't use the dump before were actually 60 to 70-percent of the people using it," Ald. Zielinski said. "They used other means to get in there -- using unmarked vehicles, pretending they're not contractors, and so forth."

The new rules will also allow small business owners to use the drop-off centers. 

The rules go into effect Sept. 3.