Brown County, WI Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Eligible users
- Single-family & 2-4 unit homes only
- Accepted plastics
- Codes #1 (PETE) and #2 (HDPE)
- Barred users
- Multi-family (5+ units), commercial
- Governing law
- Brown County Code § 12.04
Summary
Brown County limits its drop-off recycling centers to single-family and 2-4 unit households; multi-family and commercial properties are barred, and only mixed paper, coded #1/#2 plastic, glass, steel, and aluminum are accepted.
The Brown County drop-off recycling centers are designed to receive only properly identified and prepared recyclables from occupants of single family and 2 - 4 unit residents. Only recyclables identified as mixed paper, plastic, glass, steel and aluminum in this section are acceptable at the Brown County drop-off centers... For profit enterprises such as "Multiple family dwellings" and "Non-Residential facilities and properties" shall not use the Drop-off recycling centers and are subject to enforcement under 12.04(4)(d) of this ordinance.
Full Breakdown
Brown County Code § 12.04(4)(a) restricts the county's drop-off recycling centers to occupants of single-family and 2-4 unit residential properties. Multi-family dwellings of five or more units and non-residential (commercial, industrial, institutional) properties may not use the centers and face enforcement under § 12.04(4)(d) if they do. Acceptable materials are limited to mixed paper, plastic containers coded #1 (PETE) or #2 (HDPE), clear/green/brown glass bottles and jars, tin-plated steel cans, and aluminum cans: each must be rinsed and stripped of caps, lids, and liners before drop-off.
Violations & Fines
Using a drop-off center as a multi-family dwelling or non-residential facility, or depositing materials outside the mixed-paper/plastic-1-2/glass/steel/aluminum list, subjects the depositor to enforcement under § 12.04(4)(d).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an apartment building use Brown County's drop-off recycling centers?
What plastics can I recycle at a Brown County drop-off center?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brown County
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