Wisconsin Legislature: Chapter ATCP 137

ATCP 137.01ATCP 137.01 Scope and authority. This subchapter is adopted under ss. 100.20 (2) and 100.295, Stats. This subchapter applies to representations made for any product that is sold or leased, offered for sale or lease, or promoted or distributed for sale or lease at wholesale or retail. This subchapter applies to oral, written or graphic representations including advertisements, product labels, statements made in the print or broadcast media, and representations made in the form of trademarks, logos, symbols or trade names.

ATCP 137.01 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1994, No. 457, eff. 2-1-94; am. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96.

ATCP 137.02ATCP 137.02 Definitions. In this subchapter:

ATCP 137.02(1)(1) “Decomposition” means the biological, chemical, photochemical, or other physical process by which an organic substance is broken down and its molecular structure dismantled into soluble nutrients, minerals, inorganic compounds, simple organic compounds found in nature, carbon dioxide, methane or water, or any combination of those breakdown products.

ATCP 137.02(2)(2) “Department” means the state of Wisconsin department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection.

ATCP 137.02(3)(3) “Organic substance” means a natural or synthetic substance consisting of, derived from, or chemically related to carbon compounds in which hydrogen is bonded to carbon.

ATCP 137.02(4)(4) “Package” means any container, wrapping or packing material in which a product is contained or enclosed.

ATCP 137.02(5)(5) “Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, association or other business organization or entity.

ATCP 137.02(6)(6) “Post-consumer material” means a product or other material generated by a business or consumer that has served its intended end use and has been recovered or diverted from the solid waste stream for purposes of recycling.

ATCP 137.02(7)(7) “Pre-consumer material” means material generated during any step in the production of a product that has been recovered or diverted from the solid waste stream for the purpose of recycling. “Pre-consumer material” does not include the virgin content of scraps or by-products generated and reused within the original product manufacturing process.

ATCP 137.02(8)(8) “Product” means a manufactured article, good, commodity, package or container that is sold or leased, offered for sale or lease, or promoted or distributed for sale or lease at wholesale or retail. “Product” includes a package or container that accompanies, encloses or contains another product.

ATCP 137.02(9)(9) “Recycled material” means pre-consumer material or post-consumer material, or both.

ATCP 137.02(10)(10) “Represent that a product is degradable” means to represent directly or by implication, through the use of any words or images, that a product is capable of complete or partial decomposition, and includes any representation that a product is biodegradable, photodegradable, compostable or decomposable.

ATCP 137.02(11)(11) “Represent that a product is recyclable” means to represent directly or by implication, through the use of any words or images, that a product is entirely or partly composed of materials that can be recovered from the solid waste stream and used in the manufacture of other products.

ATCP 137.02(12)(12) “Represent that a product is recycled” means to represent directly or by implication, through the use of any words or images, that a product is entirely or partly composed of recycled material.

ATCP 137.02(13)(13) “Representation” means any oral, written or pictorial representation made in connection with the sale, lease, offering for sale or lease, promotion or distribution of a product. “Representation” includes advertisements, product labels, statements made in the print or broadcast media, and representations made in the form of trademarks, logos, symbols or trade names.

ATCP 137.02 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1994, No. 457, eff. 2-1-94; am. (intro.), Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96.

ATCP 137.03ATCP 137.03 General prohibitions.

ATCP 137.03(1)(1) No person may represent, directly or by implication, that a product is recycled, recyclable or degradable if the representation is false, deceptive or misleading.

ATCP 137.03(2)(2) No person may represent, directly or by implication, that a product is recycled, recyclable or degradable if the representation violates this chapter.

ATCP 137.03 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1994, No. 457, eff. 2-1-94.

ATCP 137.04ATCP 137.04 Degradability representations.

ATCP 137.04(1)(1) No person may represent, without qualification, that a product is degradable unless all of the following apply under customary conditions of use and disposal in the area where the product is sold:

ATCP 137.04(1)(a)(a) The product decomposes completely to the point that it is entirely broken down into soluble nutrients, minerals, inorganic compounds, simple organic compounds found in nature, carbon dioxide, methane or water, or any combination of those breakdown products.

ATCP 137.04(1)(b)(b) The product decomposes completely within a reasonably short period of time compatible with normal conditions of use or disposal of the product.

ATCP 137.04(1)(c)(c) The product’s decomposition does not release any contaminant or substance at a level that violates state or federal environmental quality standards, or that is toxic to persons or the environment.

ATCP 137.04(2)(2) If a product does not meet all of the requirements under sub. (1), no person may represent that the product is degradable unless the representation is qualified to the extent necessary to avoid consumer deception.

ATCP 137.04(3)(3) No person may misrepresent, directly or by implication, any of the following:

ATCP 137.04(3)(a)(a) That a product is degradable under customary conditions of use and disposal in the area where the product is sold. If a product is not degradable under customary conditions of use and disposal, the representation shall specify the conditions of use and disposal under which the product is degradable. If a specified disposal method is not available to a substantial majority of the population in the area where the product is sold, the representation shall clearly disclose that it may not be available.

ATCP 137.04(3)(b)(b) That a product is compostable in home composting piles or devices. If composting is specified as a method of disposal, the representation shall clearly indicate whether the product can be safely and effectively composted at home.

ATCP 137.04(3)(c)(c) The rate or extent to which a product will decompose under customary conditions of use and disposal in the area where the product is sold, or under specified conditions of use and disposal.

ATCP 137.04(4)(4) A label only used at wholesale by a manufacturer of connectors for beverage containers as defined in s. 134.77 (1) (b), Stats., representing compliance with s. 134.77 (3), Stats., to packagers of beverages as defined in s. 134.77 (1) (a), Stats., does not constitute a representation, for purposes of this section, that a plastic beverage connector is degradable.

ATCP 137.04(5)(5) No person may represent that a product is degradable unless both of the following apply:

ATCP 137.04(5)(a)(a) The representation complies with s. ATCP 137.07.

ATCP 137.04(5)(b)(b) The person can substantiate the representation under s. ATCP 137.08.

ATCP 137.04 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1994, No. 457, eff. 2-1-94; am. (4), Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96.

ATCP 137.05ATCP 137.05 Recyclability representations.

ATCP 137.05(1)(1) No person may represent, without qualification, that a product is recyclable unless the product is entirely composed of materials that satisfy all of the following requirements:

ATCP 137.05(1)(a)(a) The materials can be collected, separated or otherwise recovered from the solid waste stream by recycling systems that are readily available to a substantial majority of the population in the area where the product is sold, using normal methods of operation.