Chapter NR 544

NR 544.16(3)(a)16. 16. Certification that the owner or operator of the materials recovery facility maintains accurate records to document the types and quantities of recyclable materials processed and marketed for all responsible units using the facility and that those records will be made available for inspection upon request by the department.

NR 544.16(3)(a)17. 17. Certification that the owner or operator of the materials recovery facility will provide by February 1 of each year sufficient information so that a responsible unit can comply with the reporting requirements under s. NR 544.10 (2) (d) For all measurements, the owner or operator of the materials recovery facility shall use sampling methods or measurements acceptable to the department.

NR 544.16(3)(a)18. 18. Certification that recyclable materials will not be stored in wetlands as defined in s. NR 500.03 (258).

NR 544.16(3)(a)19. 19. Certification that recyclable materials will not be stored in a floodplain as defined in s. NR 500.03 (87). This paragraph does not apply to a materials recovery facility at which recyclable materials were stored in a floodplain on or before November 1, 1992, provided that the area in which the recyclable materials are stored is not increased.

NR 544.16(3)(a)20. 20. Certification that the owner or operator of the materials recovery facility will comply with the disposal and incineration prohibitions under s. 287.07 (1m) to (4), Stats.

NR 544.16(3)(b) (b) Records shall be maintained at the site documenting the information required in this subsection for a period of at least 3 years.

NR 544.16(4) (4) Self-certification of operation renewal and report. The owner or operator of a self-certified materials recovery facility shall submit a self-certification renewal and report by March 30 of each year, in a form supplied by the department, that shall contain all of the following:

NR 544.16(4)(a) (a) Certification that the facility has been and will continue to be maintained and operated in conformance with the information submitted upon initial self-certification or upon subsequent notification of change to the department.

NR 544.16(4)(b) (b) An inventory of recyclable materials, by category and expressed in tons, accepted from responsible units as of both January 1 and December 31 of the previous calendar year, and the total tonnage of this material processed off-site in the previous calendar year.

NR 544.16(4)(c) (c) Certification by the owner or operator of the materials recovery facility that not less than 75% of the volume of recyclable materials accepted were recycled or transported from the facility within 12 months of receipt at the facility, unless otherwise approved by the department. This requirement need not be met for the first year of operation of newly established materials recovery facilities.

NR 544.16(4)(d) (d) The total quantity expressed in tons, of residual material generated at the materials recovery facility during the previous calendar year and the percentage of the total amount of incoming recyclable materials that was residual material during the previous calendar year.

NR 544.16(5) (5) Invalidation of self-certification of operation. The department shall use the information provided under this section during routine inspection of materials recovery facilities and as needed in response to complaints. Should significant discrepancies between actual operations and information submitted under this section be found, the department may invalidate the materials recovery facility’s self-certification and thereby disqualify the materials recovery facility as a component of a responsible unit’s effective recycling program. The department may invalidate a materials recovery facility’s self-certification if any of the following conditions exist:

NR 544.16(5)(a) (a) A failure to submit on a timely basis or knowingly falsifying the information required in sub. (3) or (4) for self-certification and self-certification renewal.

NR 544.16(5)(b) (b) Storage of recyclable materials in wetlands as defined in s. NR 500.03 (258).

NR 544.16(5)(c) (c) Storage of recyclable materials in a floodplain as defined in s. NR 500.03 (87), unless the recyclable materials were stored in the floodplain on or before November 1, 1992, and the area in which the storage occurs has not been increased.

NR 544.16(5)(d) (d) Storage of recyclable materials outdoors in a manner that renders them unmarketable.

NR 544.16(5)(e) (e) Failure to provide specific information to a responsible unit that has contracted directly with the materials recovery facility and whose recyclable materials were processed by that facility in the current year or in the previous calendar year. The information shall be requested by the responsible unit and provided to the responsible unit within 4 weeks of the documented date of request, and shall contain accurate information reflecting the weights of each recyclable material processed for the responsible unit.

NR 544.16(5)(f) (f) Failure to operate the materials recovery facility in a nuisance-free and environmentally sound manner.

NR 544.16(5)(g) (g) Failure to operate the materials recovery facility in accordance with the self-certification or other representations provided by the owner or operator under this section.

NR 544.16(6) (6) Recertification. The owner or operator of a materials recovery facility with an invalidated self-certification under sub. (5) may resubmit the self-certification information required under sub. (3) to the department and request a review after correcting all deficiencies. The department may re-certify a materials recovery facility if it determines that the materials recovery facility is in compliance and has put in place appropriate polices and procedures to remain in compliance with the requirements of this section.

NR 544.16(7) (7) List of self-certified facilities. The department shall maintain a list of materials recovery facilities that are self-certified under this section.

NR 544.16(8) (8) Notification of change of service. The owner or operator of a materials recovery facility which is self-certified under this section shall provide written notification to the department and responsible units that have contracted directly with the facility for services as follows:

NR 544.16(8)(a) (a) At least 60 days prior to closing the materials recovery facility, or an anticipated interruption of service to a responsible unit for a period of more than one week.

NR 544.16(8)(b) (b) At least 60 days prior to moving the materials recovery facility to a different location.

NR 544.16(8)(c) (c) At least 60 days prior to initiating processing of recyclable materials collected in a single-stream collection system.

NR 544.16(8)(d) (d) As soon as practicable after the occurrence of an unanticipated interruption of service to a responsible unit for a period of more than one week.

NR 544.16 History History: Cr. Register, September, 1993, No. 453, eff. 10-1-93; CR 04-113: r. and recr. Register June 2005, No. 594, eff. 7-1-05.

- See PDF for table

NR 544.16 Note Note: 1) Rural municipalities are those with a population of 5,000 or less or a permanent aggregate population density of less than 70 persons per square mile. For purposes of ch. NR 544, municipalities that do not meet that population criterion fall into the other category. 2) The department intends to periodically revise these collection standards as conditions warrant.

NR 544.16 History History: Cr. Register, September, 1993, No. 453, eff. 10-1-93.