WISCONSIN — Recycling is changing in the Badger State, according to a new report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum.

Not only is the makeup of materials being recycled taking a turn, but so is the stress of its cost for local governments.


What You Need To Know

  • While overall recycling has taken on a slight downward trend in the last decade, cardboard recycling has more than doubled in Wisconsin since 2013

  • At the same time, paper products have seen a 35.6% drop between 2013 and 2022

  • While the amount of tons collected by local governments has gone down, spending has continued to rise at a slow rate

  • Despite this increase in spending, state aid has decreased considerably over the years

While overall recycling has taken on a slight downward trend in the last decade, cardboard recycling has more than doubled in Wisconsin since 2013, climbing from 53,974 to 109,651 tons.

This was especially apparent between 2019 and 2021, when it jumped by 59.3%. Policy Forum officials said this trend is likely due to the increase in online shopping and shipping, which jumped more during COVID-19.

At the same time, paper products have seen a 35.6% drop between 2013 and 2022, most likely resulting from fewer households buying newspapers, getting paper bills and printing documents.

Other materials also saw significant changes, with aluminum containers dropping 16.4% in the same time period. Officials say that could be because younger people are consuming less alcohol and beer. Glass containers, which are the third most recycled item, increased by 10.8% and plastic climbed by 11.5%.

Policy Forum officials say the 2% fewer tons of recyclables collected over the 2013 to 2022 period could be connected to “the rising perception that recyclables all end up in a landfill and growing confusion about what can and cannot be recycled.”

Lightweighting, or packaging becoming thinner and lighter, may be another explanation, officials say. Plastic water bottles weigh nearly 40% less than they did 10 years ago, the report states.

Officials said it also could point to something more concerning: that people are choosing to recycle less of their household waste. The Wisconsin Policy Forum report said it may be worthwhile to improve educational efforts around recycling.

While the amount of tons collected by local governments has gone down, spending on recycling has continued to rise at a slow rate.

Statewide operating spending by municipalities on recycling between 2013 and 2021 has grown 0.6% per year, Policy Forum officials said, pointing to Wisconsin Department of Revenue data. Over that same time, spending by counties grew at a rate of 4.8%.

The difference in spending rates can be explained by how each handles recycling.

Municipalities provide collection through their own staff or through contracts with private firms; services are typically paid for through taxes, state aids or fees. Policy Forum officials say this puts a “downward pressure on costs” because they’re trying to avoid increases to taxes or fees for residents.

Counties, on the other hand, do less collection work and instead operate landfills and recycling centers. Because counties can charge fees for landfill deposits, it allows them to be less constrained by revenue limits. That’s why county spending has risen more rapidly.

Despite this increase in spending, state aid has decreased considerably over the years.

The state used to cover more than 30% of the total spent on recycling by local governments. Now, that number is much lower, with data showing 15.7% coverage in 2021. This is largely because state recycling grants haven’t kept up with growing costs — most have remained flat since 2011, sitting at around $19 or $20 million.

Sales of recycled items for repurposing has helped local governments fill this gap. However, the price for recycled materials are “volatile,” Policy Forum officials state.

That’s evidenced by a 27.8% drop in revenue from recycled items between 2013 and 2019. In 2021, prices rebounded as the price of mixed paper nearly doubled. Policy Forum officials called it a “risk” to rely heavily on this revenue to pay for recycling services.

“If state leaders want to ensure continued high-quality recycling services and limit the growth of local taxes and fees, they could consider increasing state recycling aids to again cover a larger portion of the costs,” Policy Forum officials suggested.