Wisconsin's statewide recycling law, Wis. Stat. § 287.07, bans landfilling or burning aluminum, glass, plastic and steel containers, paper, and cardboard. Municipalities — not Milwaukee County — are the designated “responsible units” that run recycling programs.
Recycling in Milwaukee County is governed by Wisconsin's statewide recycling law, Wis. Stat. § 287.07, and DNR rule NR 544, which since January 1, 1995 have banned disposing of specified recyclables in a landfill, converting them to fuel, or burning them without energy recovery. Banned materials include aluminum, glass, steel and plastic containers, corrugated cardboard, newspaper, magazines, office paper, foam polystyrene, plus lead-acid batteries, major appliances, waste oil, yard waste, tires, and electronics. State law designates a “responsible unit” to run the local program. In Milwaukee County that role falls to the individual cities and villages (the City of Milwaukee through its DPW Sanitation Division); the county is not the responsible unit for curbside recycling.
Recycling is enforced by the responsible-unit municipality and the Wisconsin DNR. Placing banned recyclables in the trash violates § 287.07; municipalities may reject contaminated carts and cite repeat offenders, and the state can levy forfeitures under § 287.95.
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Milwaukee County, WI
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Milwaukee County, WI
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Milwaukee County, WI
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Milwaukee County, WI
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Milwaukee County, WI
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Milwaukee County, WI
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