Chapter 287

287.19 287.19 Statewide technical assistance.

287.19(1) (1) Duties. The department shall provide assistance to individuals, groups, businesses, state agencies, counties and municipalities in all aspects of recycling consistent with this subchapter, and whenever practical shall be provided with an emphasis on documents and material easy to read and understand by the general public. This assistance may be provided through programs established under s. 287.21 and shall include all of the following: 

287.19(1)(a) (a) Waste generation.

287.19(1)(a)1. 1. Providing information on how to conduct a survey of the composition of solid waste and, as appropriate, conducting one or more surveys.

287.19(1)(a)2. 2. Maintaining current estimates of the amount of components of solid waste specified in s. 287.07 generated by categories of businesses, industries, municipalities and other governmental entities and of the amount of material that is recovered from solid waste for reuse or recycling.

287.19(1)(a)3. 3. Providing solid waste generators with information on how to manage solid waste consistent with s. 287.05 (12).

287.19(1)(b) (b) Recycling programs. With respect to programs created under s. 287.09 (2) (a):

287.19(1)(b)1. 1. Identifying appropriate qualifications of program coordinators and staff.

287.19(1)(b)2. 2. Preparing sample ordinances, procedural handbooks and contracts.

287.19(1)(b)3. 3. Identifying sources of information regarding the creation and operation of a municipal or county program.

287.19(1)(b)4. 4. Providing advice, upon the request of a municipality or county, on implementing the municipality’s or county’s solid waste management plan.

287.19(2) (2) Powers. In providing assistance under sub. (1), the department may provide assistance relating to the marketing of materials recovered from solid waste.

287.19 History History: 1989 a. 335; 1993 a. 75; 1995 a. 227 s. 901; Stats. 1995 s. 287.19; 1997 a. 60; 2003 a. 33.

287.21 287.21 Statewide education program. The department shall collect, prepare and disseminate information and conduct educational and training programs designed to assist in the implementation of solid waste management programs under ss. 287.01 to 287.27, enhance municipal and county solid waste management programs under s. 287.09 (2) (a) and inform the public of the relationship among an individual’s consumption of goods and services, the generation of different types and quantities of solid waste and the implementation of the solid waste management priorities in s. 287.05 (12). The department shall prepare the information and programs on a statewide basis for the following groups:

287.21(1) (1) Municipal, county and state officials and employees.

287.21(2) (2) Kindergarten through graduate students and teachers.

287.21(3) (3) Private solid waste scrap brokers, dealers and processors.

287.21(4) (4) Businesses that use or could use recycled materials or that produce or could produce products from recycled materials and persons who provide support services to those businesses.

287.21(5) (5) The general public.

287.21 History History: 1989 a. 335; 1995 a. 227 s. 902; Stats. 1995 s. 287.21; 2015 a. 7.

287.215 287.215 Yard waste publicity. The department shall conduct activities to make the public aware of the need to cease disposing of yard waste in solid waste disposal facilities.

287.215 History History: 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 32 s. 79; Stats. 1989 s. 159.215; 1995 a. 227 s. 903; Stats. 1995 s. 287.215.

287.22 287.22 Council on recycling.

287.22(1) (1) Definition. In this section, “council” means the council on recycling.

287.22(2) (2) Duties. The council shall do all of the following:

287.22(2)(a) (a) Promote the efficient and prompt implementation of state programs related to solid waste reduction, recovery and recycling.

287.22(2)(b) (b) Advise and assist state agencies and authorities and county and municipal officials in the coordination of programs and the exchange of information related to solid waste reduction, recovery and recycling. This assistance, whenever practical, shall be provided with an emphasis on documents and material easy to read and understand by the general public.

287.22(2)(c) (c) Advise state agencies concerning the promulgation of rules under ss. 100.29, 100.295, and 101.126.

287.22(2)(d) (d) Advise the department and the University of Wisconsin System concerning educational efforts and research related to solid waste reduction, recovery and recycling.

287.22(2)(g) (g) Develop recommendations and cooperate with the packaging industry concerning establishing and implementing standards for recyclable packaging.

287.22(2)(gm) (gm) Develop recommendations, advise and assist county and municipal officials and the automotive service industry to promote the recycling of oil filters used in motor vehicles and other machinery.

287.22(2)(h) (h) Advise the department concerning the development of a statewide plan for public service announcements that would provide information about recycling programs and the benefits of recycling through radio and television announcements produced in this state’s production facilities and designate a liaison with television and radio stations to try to secure the broadcast of the public service announcements.

287.22(2)(i) (i) Advise the governor and the legislature.

287.22(2m) (2m) Status reports. The council may request a status report from any state agency or authority implementing a solid waste reduction, recovery or recycling program.

287.22(3) (3) Subcommittees. The council may create subcommittees to assist in its work. Subcommittee members may include members of the council, state employees and representatives of counties and municipalities and others.

287.22(4) (4) Assistance. State agencies shall assist the council in fulfilling its duties to the fullest extent possible.

287.22 History History: 1989 a. 335; 1993 a. 75; 1995 a. 227 s. 904; Stats. 1995 s. 287.22; 1997 a. 243; 2003 a. 33.

287.23 287.23 Financial assistance for responsible units.

287.23(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

287.23(1)(ar) (ar) “Avoided disposal cost” means the amount of the cost of disposing of solid waste that a responsible unit avoids as a result of operating a solid waste management program with one or more of the components specified in s. 287.11 (2) (a) to (h) during the year for which an application is submitted under sub. (4).

287.23(1)(d) (d) “Prevailing market rate” means a reasonable estimate of the price for a recyclable material that will be paid by a collection facility serving the area within the boundaries of a responsible unit during the year for which an application for assistance is submitted.

287.23(2) (2) Department powers and duties.

287.23(2)(a) (a) The department shall develop, implement, and administer a program to provide financial assistance to responsible units. The department shall develop criteria for reporting on and evaluating the program.

287.23(2)(b) (b) Each year the department shall review the recycling programs of at least 5 percent of the recipients of grants in the previous year to ensure that programs and activities funded by grants under this section meet the requirements of this section.

287.23(3) (3) Eligibility.

287.23(3)(ae) (ae) Subject to par. (am), a responsible unit is eligible for assistance under this section for a year after 2000 if the responsible unit has been determined under s. 287.11 to have an effective recycling program.

287.23(3)(am) (am) The department may withhold all or a portion of the assistance for a responsible unit for one year if the department determines any of the following:

287.23(3)(am)1. 1. That the responsible unit has not maintained an effective recycling program following approval of the recycling program under s. 287.11.

287.23(3)(am)2. 2. That the responsible unit spent funds received under this section on activities not eligible for assistance under par. (b).

287.23(3)(b) (b) Only expenses, including capital expenses, anticipated to be incurred for planning, constructing or operating a recycling program with one or more of the components specified in s. 287.11 (2) (a) to (h) and for complying with the prohibition under s. 287.07 (2) during the year for which an application is submitted under sub. (4) are eligible for assistance under the program.

287.23(3)(d) (d) A responsible unit or its designee may not use assistance under this section to pay at retail at a collection facility any amount for a recyclable material in excess of the prevailing market rate.

287.23(3)(e) (e) No expenses related to the purchase of plastic containers for the collection of recyclable materials are eligible for assistance under the program unless the recycled content of the plastic containers is at least 25 percent by weight.

287.23(4) (4) Application. A responsible unit that seeks assistance under the program shall submit an application to the department. To qualify for a full grant, the responsible unit must submit the application no later than October 1 in the year preceding the year for which the assistance is sought. For the purpose of this subsection and sub. (5p), if an application is postmarked, it is considered to be submitted on the date that it is postmarked. An application shall include all of the following:

287.23(4)(a) (a) The information specified in s. 287.09 (2) (b).

287.23(4)(b) (b) Documentation that the assistance, when combined with future anticipated assistance, will result in the responsible unit doing one of the following:

287.23(4)(b)1. 1. Making continued progress in creating an effective recycling program under s. 287.11 by January 1, 1995.

287.23(4)(b)2. 2. Maintaining an effective recycling program following approval of the recycling program under s. 287.11.

287.23(4)(c) (c) If the responsible unit received a grant under this section or 1989 Wisconsin Act 335, section 85 (5) for the grant period preceding the grant period for which the application is being made, a financial report on the activities that have been or are likely to be funded by the grant in that preceding grant period, including a statement of whether any portion of that grant was or is likely to be spent on activities not related to the requirements of this subchapter and, if so, how much of the grant was or is likely to be spent on those activities.

287.23(4)(d) (d) Beginning with the application submitted for 1993, information on financial incentives that the responsible unit is using or plans to use to encourage reduction of the amount of solid waste generated or disposed of in the region.

287.23(4)(e) (e) Information concerning user fees used or proposed to be used to finance costs of the recycling program and, if no user fees are used, an explanation of why they are not used.

287.23(5b) (5b) Grant award. The department shall award a grant under this subsection to each eligible responsible unit that submits a complete grant application under sub. (4) for expenses allowable under sub. (3) (b). The department shall determine the amount of the grants under this subsection as follows:

287.23(5b)(a) (a) Determine the total amount that would have been awarded under this section for 1999 if no grants had been reduced under sub. (5p).

287.23(5b)(b) (b) Determine the amount that each responsible unit received under this section for 1999 or the amount that the responsible unit would have received.

287.23(5b)(c) (c) Award to a responsible unit the proportion of the total amount available for grants under this section that is equal to the proportion of the amount determined under par. (a) that the responsible unit received, or would have received, for 1999 as determined under par. (b).

287.23(5p) (5p) Late applications.

287.23(5p)(a) (a) If a responsible unit submits its application under sub. (4) after October 1 but no later than October 10, the amount of the responsible unit’s grant is 95 percent of the amount determined under sub. (5b).

287.23(5p)(b) (b) If a responsible unit submits its application under sub. (4) after October 10 but no later than October 20, the amount of the responsible unit’s grant is 90 percent of the amount determined under sub. (5b).

287.23(5p)(c) (c) If a responsible unit submits its application under sub. (4) after October 20 but no later than October 30, the amount of the responsible unit’s grant is 75 percent of the amount determined under sub. (5b).

287.23(5p)(d) (d) If a responsible unit submits its application under sub. (4) after October 30, the responsible unit is not eligible for the grant.

287.23(6) (6) Disbursement. The department shall disburse a grant to the applicant after approval, but no later than June 1 of the year for which the grant is made.

287.23 History History: 1989 a. 335; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16, 75; 1995 a. 27; 1995 a. 227 s. 905; Stats. 1995 s. 287.23; 1997 a. 27, 41; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16; 2011 a. 32.

287.23 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. NR 542, Wis. adm. code.

287.24 287.24 Recycling consolidation grants.

287.24(1) (1) In this section, “population” means the number of persons residing in a region, as determined by the department based upon the most recent decennial or special census or the most recent, subsequent population estimate under s. 16.96.

287.24(2) (2) The department shall make a grant from the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (6) (bw) for a year to a responsible unit that has been determined under s. 287.11 to have an effective recycling program if any of the following applies:

287.24(2)(a) (a) The responsible unit is a county.

287.24(2)(b) (b) The responsible unit is a federally recognized Indian tribe or band.

287.24(2)(c) (c) The responsible unit has a population of 25,000 or more and consists of one or more municipalities.

287.24(2)(d) (d) The responsible unit is not eligible under par. (a), (b), or (c) but one of the following applies:

287.24(2)(d)1. 1. By October 1 in the year preceding the year for which the grant is made, the responsible unit consists of what had been at least 2 responsible units.

287.24(2)(d)2. 2. By October 1 in the year preceding the year for which the grant is made, the responsible unit enters into a cooperative agreement with another responsible unit for the joint provision of at least one of the following elements of an effective recycling program:

287.24(2)(d)2.a. a. Performing comprehensive program planning.

287.24(2)(d)2.b. b. Collecting and transporting recyclable materials.

287.24(2)(d)2.c. c. Sorting recyclable materials at a materials recovery facility.

287.24(2)(d)2.d. d. Developing and distributing educational materials relating to waste reduction, reuse, and recycling.

287.24(2)(d)2.e. e. Carrying out a program of technical assistance to businesses and owners and occupants of multifamily dwellings to increase the availability and convenience of recycling.

287.24(2)(d)2.f. f. Any other program element approved by the department.

287.24(3) (3) Subject to sub. (4), the department shall determine the amount of a grant to a responsible unit under this section as follows:

287.24(3)(a) (a) Divide the amount available under s. 20.370 (6) (bw) for the year by the total population of the responsible units eligible under sub. (2).