Hazardous Waste & Recycling

Background:  The solid waste reduction, recovery, and recycling law was enacted to promote the development of waste management structures and encourage the reduction, reuse, and recycling of Wisconsin's solid waste.  Wisconsin's recycling law passed in 1990 and bans a variety of materials from landfills.  They must be reused, recycled, or composted.  Different levels of local government take charge of implementing this law.  Sometimes a county or a village takes responsibility.  

Wisconsin DNR publication - Overview of the statewide recycling program  

View a list of items that are banned from our landfills and incinerators statewide (PDF).

Wisconsin Clean Sweep is a grant program that provides reimbursement to communities that collect and dispose of household hazardous wastes, agricultural pesticides, and prescription drugs. Grants may be awarded to counties, towns, villages, cities, tribes, sanitary and sewerage districts, or regional planning commissions. Grants can support the collection and disposal of these products. Prescription drug grants can also be used to buy drop boxes.  Collections may be one-day events or may be year-round sites.  Some communities have collections but do not receive Clean Sweep funding from DATCP. 

Walworth County has been working diligently to help residents and businesses with the reduction of this waste. These disposal bans apply everywhere in Wisconsin, and include: 

• Businesses
• Homes
• Institutions
• Schools
• Special Events

Businesses

Businesses are required to recycle under the same landfill ban as households. Recyclables must be collected separately from trash. Recycling containers must be available in the building, and building owners must provide recycling carts or dumpsters outdoors for collection by a hauler.  Businesses that generate very small quantities of hazardous waste may also use these collections, under our VSQG program. 

Clean Sweep Program Email List

Clean Sweep is advertised in local newspapers 3 to 4 weeks before the program is held. Should you wish to receive direct notification by email, please contact us at walcosw@co.walworth.wi.us  and we will add you to our emailing lists. Or click on "Notify Me" on our Homepage to choose what you may want to see from Walworth County.

Public Works Committee

The Public Works Committee is the County Board liaison committee for the Solid Waste Division.

_{Funding for this was made possible, in part, by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). The views expressed in written materials, publications, speakers, and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of DATCP, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organization imply endorsement by the State of Wisconsin}.