Waukesha County Pays Communities $1.2M for Recycling Efforts

Editor’s Note: The following information was provided to Patch via a news release from Waukesha County.

Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas recently announced that 25 municipalities will receive checks this week totaling $1.2 million for participating in the County Recycling Program and delivering their recyclables to the Material Recycling Facility (MRF). Since 2001, participating municipalities have received a total of more than $9.7 million return on investment.

“The total amount returned to our local government partners this year is the same as last year. Markets have remained high for the second year in a row,” said Vrakas.  “Our highly successful recycling program is a cooperative endeavor among communities, the county and the private sector that reduces duplication of services and operates in a cost-effective manner while conserving natural resources, creating jobs, and meeting the demand by manufacturers for recycled materials.

“The more people recycle the more the County, participating municipalities, residents, businesses, and our environment benefit.”

The intergovernmental cooperative program uses state grant funds received on behalf of participating municipalities and revenue from the sale of recyclables to coordinate program education, as well as process and market recycled materials at the County recycling facility.  The $1.2 million in dividend payments to municipalities is intended to help offset their residential recycling collection costs. Last year recycling collection contracts cost participating municipalities more than $3.3 million.

Municipal disbursements range from $2,568 to the Village of Lac LaBelle to $285,562 to the City of Waukesha. The rebate incentive formula is based on the number of tons recycled in each community and the percent of waste recycled. Consequently, the more residents recycle and reduce waste, the larger the rebate is for their community.

 Since its start, the MRF has processed more than 420,000 tons of newspaper, cardboard, magazines, paper cartons, paper packaging, office paper and mail, glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, and metal cans collected from residents. This is equivalent to about 20,400 semi trailers full of recyclables or a line of trucks more than 232 miles long.

Residents that need an additional recycling bin for all their recyclables can contact their municipal office or visit one of the special distribution sites for a free bin. For locations and a recycling guide visit  www.waukeshacounty.gov/recycling.