Recycling Centers in Wisconsin

Recycling in Wisconsin

This directory lists just 1 recycling center in Wisconsin, in Oregon, WI. That is a very limited snapshot of a large state with one of the most comprehensive mandatory recycling programs in the United States. Wisconsin residents should use the Wisconsin DNR's recycling locator at dnr.wisconsin.gov or contact their county solid-waste department for the full range of drop-off and curbside programs near them.

Wisconsin's recycling law — Chapter 287 of the Wisconsin Statutes, enacted in 1990 — requires everyone in the state (households, businesses, schools, public places, and special events) to separate recyclable materials from their trash. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) administers and enforces the law. Chapter 287 also bans landfilling and incineration of a broad list of materials. Bans that took effect in 1995 cover aluminum containers, bi-metal containers, corrugated cardboard, glass containers, magazines, newspaper, office paper, plastic containers, and steel containers. Waste tires (except when incinerated with energy recovery) are also banned. Additional bans were added in 2010 and 2011, including many consumer electronics under the E-Cycle Wisconsin law.

Wisconsin does not have a beverage-container deposit law (bottle bill). Although research has been conducted on its feasibility, no deposit legislation has been enacted. Electronics recycling, however, is regulated under E-Cycle Wisconsin (Wis. Stat. § 287.17), which has been in effect since September 1, 2010: covered devices — including TVs, computers, monitors, printers, and cell phones — may not be placed in the trash, landfilled, or incinerated. Manufacturers must register with the DNR and fund recycling of a target weight of electronics annually. As of 2025, E-Cycle Wisconsin has diverted nearly 420 million pounds of electronics from landfills.