1. Product Stewardship in Wisconsin
Mark Walter
Brown County Port & Resource Recovery Department

2. Introduction Recycling in Wisconsin AROW Product Stewardship Efforts
Membership
Mission
Vision
Committees
Product Stewardship Efforts
What's next

3. Wisconsin’s Recycling Laws
Beginning in 1991 Wisconsin law established bans on landfilling of a variety of materials.
1991
Lead Acid Batteries, Major Appliances, Waste Oils
1993
Yard Waste
1995
Aluminum Containers, Corrugated Paper or Other Containerboard, Plastic Containers #1 through #7, Foam Polystyrene Packaging, Glass Containers, Magazines, Newsprint, Office Paper, Steel Containers, Bi-Metal Cans, Waste Tires
2010
Consumer electronics
2011
Waste oil filters and spill material

4. Wisconsin Recycling Rates
Recycling rates (2009) for materials banned from Wisconsin landfills:
Wisconsin State-wide Waste Characterization Study, 2009 4

5. Recycling and Waste Reduction Professionals in Wisconsin
Formed in 1990
501(c)(3) Non-Profit Association
9 Member Board

6. Membership
105 Members (2017)
56 % Government/Non Profit
44 % Business/Trade Association
Wisconsin Integrated Resource Management Conference (WIRMC)
2017 – 18th year
Jointly hosted by AROW, SWANA, and WCSWMA

7. AROW Mission
“Provide statewide proactive leadership on waste reduction and recycling through education, advocacy, collaboration, programs and services.”

8. AROW Vision
To serve as a professional-level interface and resource for recyclers, existing and potential market developers, environmental and non-environmental groups, government officials, equipment manufacturers, equipment dealers, and individuals committed to waste reduction, recycling, product stewardship and resource recovery.
To provide members professional development opportunities through education, research, and the exchange of ideas, best-management practices and technical knowledge in all areas of waste reduction, recycling, product stewardship, and resource recovery.
To inform the public, law-making bodies, the business community, and those involved with solid waste management of the environmental and economic importance of waste reduction, recycling, product stewardship and resource recovery.

9. Governor’s Task Force
Report of the Governor’s Task Force on Waste Materials Recovery and Disposal (December 2006)
“In a manner designed to minimize environmental, economic, and social costs to the residents of Wisconsin and beyond, the State of Wisconsin shall achieve and maintain an integrated materials management system consisting of enhanced producer responsibility for products, effective resource recycling and recovery, and responsible waste disposal - all designed to promote ecological and environmental sustainability.”

10. Task Force Report Recommendations
Minimize Environmental, Economic and Social Costs
Enhance Producer Responsibility for Products
Promote Effective Resource Recycling and Recovery
Promote Responsible Waste Disposal
Promote Ecological and Environmental Sustainability

11. Advisory Committees
Committee membership is limited to active AROW members. Made up of 7 main active members but open to all members’ participation.
Community Education
Organics & Food Residual
Product Stewardship
Public Place Recycling
Government Affairs
Hazardous & Special Waste

12. Product Stewardship Committee
Work to influence and support current product stewardship initiatives and legislation
Develop a product stewardship policy framework for AROW
Educate members and their managers regarding product stewardship initiatives
Identify/shape product stewardship legislative priorities for Wisconsin

13. AROW Product Stewardship Policy
BACKGROUND
AROW believes product stewardship can minimize the product’s life-cycle environmental impact by:
1. improving the design and manufacture of products and their packaging to facilitate their reuse, recycling, or recovery and
2. establishing programs to collect, process and reuse, recycle or recover products and their packaging when they are discarded.
PURPOSE - to establish guiding principles of product stewardship
AROW’s GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP
It is in the best interest of Federal, state, and local governments, industries, consumers and taxpayers to reduce the adverse environmental and financial impacts of consumer products and their packaging
AROW’s ROLE
AROW will promote these principles in its dissemination of information and training and in its advocacy role as a voice for local governments
Approved by the AROW Board of Directors on April 21, 2009

14. Product Stewardship Survey - 2012
Municipal Recycling & Solid Waste Program Managers
Conducted by UW-River Falls Survey Research Center
Electronics, bulky items/furniture, and household hazardous waste top three concerns.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents were not familiar with the terms “product stewardship” or “extended producer responsibility.”
Over half of respondents have referred residents to the E-cycle Wisconsin electronics recycling program.
Majority of respondents favor programs to require manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and fluorescent bulbs be responsible for disposal.
Half of respondents favor management of leftover latex and oil-based paint.

15. Survey Results
1,017 Surveys
305 Respondents

16. Product Stewardship Survey
Established AROW PS Priorities
Latex paint
Pharmaceuticals
Batteries
Mattresses
Bulbs (CFLs)
Carpet
Other Materials: gas canisters, packaging, thermostats, radioactive devices, pesticides, phone books, sharps

17. WI Product Stewardship Efforts
Electronics
E-Cycle Wisconsin
Took effect in 2010
Administered by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Recycled nearly 225 million pounds of electronics
Legislation introduced to modify program

18. WI Product Stewardship Efforts
Paint
PaintCare
American Coatings Association
PSI
Wisconsin
2015 Paint Survey
Draft Fact Sheet
Draft legislation
Pharmaceuticals
Mattresses

19. Future Product Stewardship Efforts
Agricultural Plastics
Single-Use Batteries
Carpet

20. Questions? MARK WALTER Business Development Manager
Brown County Port & Resource Recovery Department 20