In 2005, automated recycling collection was introduced in the Village as a convenient means to abide by recycling law. Since then, it has offered the Village the benefits of increased time and financial efficiencies along with decreasing the potential for workers compensation claims. In addition to making the recycling process more simple for residents, it has also provided a way to control garbage collection costs - keeping them lower and then passing those savings on to the utility's customers.
During 2012 however, the amount that residents recycled decreased while the amount of garbage generated increased. As a frame of reference, in 2007, recyclables comprised 31.7% (2,534 tons) of waste collected and garbage comprised 68.3% (5,456 tons). During 2012, recycling accounted for only 25.3% (2,124 tons) of waste collected while garbage accounted for 74.7% (6,287 tons).
Though our community pays a tipping fee of $42.50 per ton of garbage placed in a landfill, we actually receive money back for our recyclables. By choosing to rinse out and recycle what you can as opposed to throwing it in the garbage, you will have a real impact on both our environment and on our waste disposal costs.
You can request a second recycling cart at no extra charge by calling 262.925.6700, and below you'll find a list of the recyclable materials that can be placed in your recycling container. You can also find more information about recycling by clicking here.
Acceptable Recyclables (all should be clean of food remnants)
• newspaper
• cardboard
• magazines
• paperback books
• telephone books
• catalogs
• stationery
• envelopes
• flyers
• bills
• junk mail
• brown paper bags
• clean glass bottles
• clean aluminum or steel (tin) cans
• clean plastic food containers (1-7)
• clean plastic bottles (1-7)
• unlined soda or merchandise boxes
• typing, copy or printer paper
Waxed/coated/wrapping/carbon/ composite/treated/laminated/synthetic/glued papers/items are not recyclable.