Wisconsin bans recyclable containers, paper and cardboard, yard debris, electronics and appliances from landfills and incinerators. The state also requires paper and container recycling.
5.8 million
1991-2011
All
Wisconsin bans recyclable containers, paper and cardboard, yard debris, electronics and appliances from disposal in landfills and incinerators. The bans allow small amounts of these materials to be in mixed garbage in areas with effective and compliant recycling programs, recognizing that strong programs still do not capture 100% of the materials for recycling.
The disposal bans were implemented as follows: o 1991: banned car batteries, appliances and waste oil (oil can be burned for energy recovery o 1993: banned yard waste, including grass clippings, leaves and brush under six inches in diameter (yard waste can be burned for energy recovery) o 1995: banned aluminum containers, cardboard and containerboard, glass containers, magazines, newspaper, office paper, steel and tin containers and waste tires (can be burned) o 2010: banned electronics including computer equipment, TVs and cell phones o 2011: banned used oil filters and materials used to absorb waste oil
All sectors statewide are required to source separate newspaper, glass, aluminum and steel containers,
#1 and #2 plastic containers, and either corrugated paper or magazines. Other plastic containers and foam polystyrene packaging were exempted from the disposal ban until adequate recycling markets for these materials are further developed.
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The state grandfathered into the law two waste incinerators by allowing them to continue burning paper and plastics, although local ordinances may require those materials to be recycled.
Local governments and recycling authorities are required to educate their community about the disposal bans. Waste collectors must also notify their customers when a new ban is enacted or when service begins, and annually for all banned materials.
Disposal facilities are also encouraged to educate customers about the bans and to ask about banned materials when accepting incoming materials.
The state offers a Waste Reduction and Recycling Demonstration Grant program that provides funding each year to waste reduction, reuse, and recycling pilot projects. Grants are generated from large business recycling surcharges and recycling tipping fees.
Disposal facilities must conduct random load inspections for every 5,000 tons of waste, or a minimum of once a month, whichever is most frequent. The maximum inspection required is once a week.
By 2000, the state recycling rate had doubled to 34%. The state was recovering 72% of corrugated cardboard, 67% of newsprint, about 60% of glass containers, 55% of aluminum cans, and 54% of steel cans, along with 400,000 tons of yard waste.
Wisconsin Waste Reduction and Recycling Law
Wisconsin Statute on Solid Waste Reduction, Recovery and Recycling
Act banning used oil filters from disposal, Wisconsin
Electronics recycling and disposal ban, Wisconsin
Enforcing the disposal ban on electronics, Wisconsin
State of Wisconsin, Recycling and Composting
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