Wisconsin Code § 287.13

Municipal waste flow control; required use of recycling or resource recovery facility
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(1) DEFINITIONS.
In this section:
(b) “Collection” means the aggregating of solid waste from its
primary source and includes all activities up to such time as the
waste is delivered to a facility for transfer, processing or disposal.
(d) “Facilities for the recycling of solid waste or for the recovery of resources from solid waste” means facilities the primary
use of which is to convert or recycle solid waste into usable materials, products or energy or to incinerate solid waste for energy
recovery.
(e) “Municipality” means a county, a city, a village or a town
if the town has a population of 10,000 or more. Notwithstanding
the fact that the population of a town is less than 10,000, if the
town enters into an agreement with a city or village concerning
the establishment of a facility for the recycling of solid waste or
for the recovery of resources from solid waste and concerning the
required use of that facility, the town shall be considered a municipality except the town may not be the municipality responsible
for a facility.
(f) “Local unit of government” includes a county, city, village,
town, school district, county utility district, sanitary district or
metropolitan sewerage district.
(g) “Person” includes individuals, partnerships, associations,
limited liability companies, corporations and local units of
government.
(h) “Recycling” means the transfer, transporting, processing,
marketing and conversion of solid wastes into usable materials or
products and includes the stockpiling and disposal of nonusable
portions of solid wastes, but does not include the collection of
solid wastes.
(i) “Sewage or industrial waste sludge” means the residue material resulting from the treatment of sewage or industrial waste
water.
(2) REQUIRED USE; IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURE. A municipality may require any local unit of government, occupant of a
single-family or multifamily residence, retail business, commercial business or industry to use a facility for the recycling of solid
waste or for the recovery of resources from solid waste generated
within the limits of the municipality which is not exempt under
sub. (5) if:
(a) The municipality adopts an initial intent resolution.
(b) The municipality prepares or arranges for the preparation
of a comprehensive facility project description report and submits
this report to the department.
(c) The municipality determines that required usage of the facility is in the best public interest.
(d) The facility is constructed, operated, maintained, expanded, modified and closed in compliance with this chapter and
chs. 281, 285 and 289 to 299 and all necessary permits, licenses
and approvals required by the department are obtained.
(e) The municipality adopts a valid solid waste flow control
ordinance and issues a required use order.
(3) REQUIRED USE; JOINT IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURE.
Two or more municipalities may enter into an agreement concerning the establishment of a facility for the recycling of solid
waste or for the recovery of resources from solid waste and concerning the required use of that facility. The municipalities
which enter into this type of agreement may require any local unit
of government, occupant of a single-family or multifamily residence, retail business, commercial business or industry to use a
facility for the recycling of solid waste or for the recovery of resources from solid waste generated within the limits of those municipalities which is not exempt under sub. (5) if:
(a) Each of the municipalities adopts an initial intent
resolution.
(b) The municipality which is responsible for the facility prepares or arranges for the preparation of a comprehensive facility
project description report and submits this report to the
department.
(c) Each of the municipalities determines that the required use
is in the best public interest.
(d) The facility is constructed, operated, maintained, expanded, modified and closed in compliance with this chapter and
chs. 281, 285 and 289 to 299 and all necessary permits, licenses
and approvals required by the department are obtained.
(e) Each of the municipalities adopts a valid solid waste flow
control ordinance and issues a required use order.
(4) REQUIRED USE; CONFLICTS BETWEEN MUNICIPALITIES.
(a) Conflicts in nonpopulous counties. If one municipality has a
valid initial intent resolution, no other municipality may adopt an
initial intent resolution or municipal waste flow control ordinance which covers the same type of solid waste generated in the
same recycling or resource recovery area unless the first municipality revises its initial intent resolution or adopts a municipal
waste flow control ordinance so that there is no conflict. This
paragraph is not applicable to a county with a population of
750,000 or more or to any municipality in this type of county.
(b) Conflicts in a populous county. 1. If a city, a village or a
town which is a municipality in a county with a population of
750,000 or more has a valid initial intent resolution, the county
may not adopt an initial intent resolution or municipal waste flow
control ordinance which covers the same type of solid waste generated in the same recycling or resource recovery area unless the
city, a village or a town which is a municipality revises its initial
intent resolution or adopts a municipal waste flow control ordinance so that there is no conflict.
2. An initial intent resolution for a county with a population
of 750,000 or more is not valid for a city, a village or a town
which is a municipality in that county if the city, a village or a
town which is a municipality adopts a resolution of refusal to participate in a county waste flow control program within 6 weeks
after the county initial intent resolution is adopted and if the city,
a village or a town which is a municipality adopts an initial intent
resolution of its own within 3 months after the county initial intent resolution is adopted.
(5) EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN SOLID WASTES. A municipality
may not require the use of a facility for:
(a) Solid waste produced by a retail business, commercial
business or industry which is privately processed and reused.
(b) Solid waste consisting of scrap, new material or used material which is separated from other waste for sale, reuse or
recycling.
(c) Solid waste from a single-family dwelling which is disposed of on or held for disposal on land surrounding the dwelling
by a person who owns or leases and occupies the dwelling and
owns or leases the surrounding land.
(d) Solid waste which is sewage or industrial waste sludge.
(e) Solid waste produced by a commercial business or industry which is disposed of or held for disposal in an approved facility, as defined under s. 289.01 (3), or a mining waste site, as defined in s. 295.41 (31) , covered by a mining permit under s.
295.58, owned or leased by the generator or on which the generator holds an easement and designed and constructed for the purpose of accepting that type of solid waste.
(f) Solid waste received and processed by a recycling or resource recovery facility which exists on January 1, 1984, or for

which a feasibility report, a permit application or other application is submitted to the department on or before January 1, 1984.
(g) Solid waste generated within a town if the town voluntarily has entered into an agreement or contract with a city or village
for the recycling or the recovery of resources from these wastes
and if the city or village has adopted a waste flow control ordinance or if the facility operated by the city or village may receive
waste under par. (f).
(h) Solid waste which is a type of waste which the municipality determines is unsuitable for recycling or resource recovery at
the facility.
(i) Solid waste that consists of eligible electronic devices, as
defined in s. 287.17 (1) (gs) , used by households or covered
schools.
(6) INITIAL INTENT RESOLUTION. A municipality may adopt
an initial intent resolution at any time except as provided under
sub. (4) and except that a municipality may not adopt more than
one initial intent resolution covering a specific recycling or resource recovery service area within a 10-year period. An initial
intent resolution remains valid only if a comprehensive facility
project description report is submitted within 2 years after that
resolution is adopted and if a municipal waste flow control ordinance is adopted within 5 years after that resolution is adopted.
An initial intent resolution shall include:
(a) A statement of the municipality’s intention to establish or
utilize or to contract for the establishment or utilization of a facility for the recycling of solid waste or for the recovery of resources
from solid waste or, if the municipality enters into an agreement
under sub. (3) but is not the responsible municipality, a statement
of the municipality’s intention to participate in that project.
(b) A statement of the municipality’s intention to adopt a
solid waste flow control ordinance.
(c) A description of the types of solid waste which may be
subject to the ordinance.
(d) A description of the anticipated recycling or resource recovery area which may be subject to the ordinance.
(7) COMPREHENSIVE FACILITY PROJECT DESCRIPTION REPORT. After an initial intent resolution is adopted and prior to the
adoption of a waste flow control ordinance, the responsible municipality is required to prepare or arrange for the preparation of a
comprehensive facility project description report and submit it to
the department for review in order to assess the environmental
regulatory permits, licenses and approvals required for the facility and to determine the acceptability of the proposed effective
period. At a minimum, this report shall include:
(a) A detailed description of the proposed facility for the recycling of solid waste or for the recovery of resources from solid
waste, including details on facility size and location, preliminary
engineering design plans, a study of the required waste quantities
and waste composition and a detailed report of the facility anticipated capital and operating costs.
(b) A detailed description of methods for transporting solid
wastes to the facility including transportation routes, transfer facilities and estimates on proposed collection, storage, transportation and residual disposal costs.
(c) An identification of energy or material markets; a project
timetable and implementation schedule; an identification of parties responsible for facility procurement; and a summary of the
tipping fee, schedule of rates and other charges required for facility implementation.
(d) An identification of the quantity, composition and types of
solid waste to be processed at the proposed facility for the recycling of solid waste or for the recovery of resources from solid
waste, an identification of the quantity, composition and types of
solid waste in the municipality which are not to be processed at
that facility, plans for the treatment or disposal of this residual
solid waste and a summary of the economic and environmental
impacts of the reduction in volume or the change in characteristics of the residual solid waste on existing solid waste treatment
and disposal facilities serving the recycling or resource recovery
area.
(e) The proposed effective period for any municipal waste
flow control ordinance adopted for the facility. The department
shall determine if the proposed effective period is acceptable
based upon all of the following:
1. The expected life of the facility.
2. The length of time required to finance the capital cost of
the facility.
3. The potential for the development of improved or alternate
methods or technology for the recycling or the recovery of resources from the types of solid waste to be processed at the
facility.
(7m) AMENDMENT OF RESOLUTION OR REPORT. A municipality may amend an initial intent resolution adopted under sub.
(6) or a comprehensive facility project description report prepared under sub. (7) before the adoption of the municipal waste
flow control ordinance. If the amendment is adopted after the
public hearing under sub. (9), the municipality shall publish a notice of the amendment and the opportunity for a hearing, and
shall conduct a public hearing if requested by 6 or more residents
of the municipality. After the public hearing, or after the deadline for requesting a hearing if none is requested, the municipality
shall issue a modified determination concerning best public interest under sub. (8) and any person adversely affected by the municipality’s modified determination concerning best public interest
may appeal the determination under ch. 68.
(8) BEST PUBLIC INTEREST; CRITERIA. A municipality may
determine that a required usage is in the best public interest if it
finds the:
(a) Required use will result in reuse or recovery of material
from solid waste.
(b) Required use will lessen the demand for solid waste disposal facilities.
(c) Required use will conserve natural resources or energy.
(d) Required use is necessary to obtain the type and quantity
of solid waste necessary for operational volumes needed to make
the facility economically feasible.
(e) Alternatives to required use which may be used to obtain
the necessary type and quantity of solid waste have been compiled, analyzed and considered.
(f) Required use is consistent with planning efforts of the
municipality.
(h) Operation of the facility is technically feasible and will not
result in significant adverse environmental impacts based upon a
comprehensive facility project description report prepared under
sub. (7).
(i) Required use and operation of the facility will be responsive to the extent feasible with legitimate public concerns expressed at the public hearing under sub. (9).
(j) Construction, operation, maintenance, expansion, modification and closure of the facility will comply with chs. 281, 285
and 289 to 299 and all permits, licenses and approvals required
by the department will be obtained.
(k) Proposed effective period is reasonable based upon the
factors specified under sub. (7) (e) 1. to 3.
(9) BEST PUBLIC INTEREST; HEARING; APPEALS. (a) A municipality shall conduct a public hearing and permit public participation at that hearing prior to issuing any determination concerning best public interest under sub. (8).

(b) Any person adversely affected by the municipality’s determination concerning best public interest under sub. (8) may appeal the determination under ch. 68.
(10) MUNICIPAL WASTE FLOW CONTROL ORDINANCE. Except
as provided under sub. (4), a municipality may adopt a municipal
waste flow control ordinance if the municipality adopted an appropriate initial intent resolution under sub. (6), if the municipality or, if the municipality enters into an agreement under sub. (3),
the responsible municipality submitted the necessary comprehensive facility project description report required under sub. (7),
if the municipality issued a determination of best public interest
utilizing criteria under sub. (8) after conducting the hearing required under sub. (9) and if the facility complies with this chapter
and chs. 281, 285 and 289 to 299 and all permits, licenses and approvals required by the department are obtained. The municipal
waste flow control ordinance shall include:
(a) A description of the applicable facility for the recycling of
solid waste or for the recovery of resources from solid waste.
(b) A description of the recycling or resource recovery area
subject to the ordinance and for which a required use order may
be issued.
(c) A description of the types and quantities of solid waste
which are subject to the ordinance and for which a required use
order may be issued.
(d) A description of the persons who are subject to the ordinance and who may be required to use the facility under a required use order.
(e) A description of the minimums and maximums for the tipping fee, schedule of rates and other charges which may be imposed for use of the facility without amendment or revision of the
ordinance.
(f) The effective period of the municipal waste flow control
ordinance. The effective period and any revision of the effective
period is required to be approved by the department based upon
factors specified under sub. (7) (e) 1. to 3. A municipal waste
flow control ordinance is not valid after the expiration of its effective period.
(g) A description of the methods proposed to be used to meet
the recycling requirements of sub. (17).
(11) REQUIRED USE ORDER. A municipality may issue a required use order following the procedures required under sub.
(12) if it adopted a municipal waste flow control ordinance and if
the order is consistent with that ordinance. A required use order
shall include:
(a) A description of the specific recycling or resource recovery area subject to the order.
(b) Specification of the types and quantities of solid waste
subject to the order.
(c) A summary of the plans for the use of the solid waste.
(d) A description of the point or points where the solid waste
is to be delivered or where the solid waste will be collected under
the order.
(e) A summary of the tipping fee, rates and other charges
which will be imposed for use of the facility under the order.
(12) NEGOTIATION. A municipality shall proceed as follows
in issuing a required use order which requires use of a facility for
the recycling of solid waste or for the recovery of resources from
solid waste:
(a) The municipality shall notify those persons who are subject to the required use order at least 90 days prior to the effective
date of that order. The municipality shall notify in writing all licensed collectors operating in the recycling or resource recovery
area at least 90 days prior to the effective date of that order. The
municipality shall notify other local units of government in the
recycling or resource recovery area by providing a written notice
to the clerk of those units of government. The municipality shall
notify in writing the owner or operator of all solid waste disposal
and treatment facilities located in or serving generators located in
the recycling or resource recovery area at least 90 days prior to the
effective date of that order. In addition, the municipality shall
publish a class 3 notice, under ch. 985, in a newspaper having
general circulation in the area. Each notification shall include information specified under sub. (11) (a) to (e).
(b) If a municipality fails to notify a person required to be notified under par. (a), the required use order is not effective and
may not be enforced with respect to that person. If a municipality
fails to notify the owner or operator of a solid waste disposal or
treatment facility as required under par. (a), the required use order is not effective and may not be enforced with respect to that
owner or operator or to a person furnishing solid waste to the
owner or operator.
(c) During the 90-day period following the notification, the
municipality shall negotiate with any or all of the persons subject
to or affected by the required use order and attempt to develop a
contractual agreement on the terms of required usage of the
facility.
(d) In negotiating under this subsection, the municipality shall
consider penalty fees, charges imposed and other financial consequences which will result from the termination of existing service
contracts if a required use order takes effect and is enforced.
(e) If a contract is not entered into on or before the end of the
90-day period, or if, in the case of a person other than a local unit
of government, the person does not make adequate arrangements
for the processing for reuse of the waste generated by it, the municipality shall hold a public hearing on the matter and take testimony for and against the required use of the facility.
(f) If a contract is not entered into within 30 days after the
public hearing, or if, in the case of a person other than a local unit
of government, the person does not make adequate arrangements
for the processing for reuse of the waste generated by it, the municipality may issue a special enforcement order requiring any
person given notice to use the facility, starting on a specified date
at least 30 days after the special enforcement order is issued.
(g) The municipality shall provide procedures so that any person adversely affected by the issuance of a special enforcement
order may appeal that decision under ch. 68.
(13) TERMINATION OF REQUIRED USE. (a) A municipality
may not terminate, suspend or curtail services provided to any
person required to use a facility under this section without that
person’s consent.
(b) The obligations of a person under a required use order issued under this section may not be terminated or affected unless
the municipality consents to the termination or revision.
(c) A municipality shall consent to the termination or revision
of a required use order if the person subject to the order establishes that solid waste generated by that person will be recycled or
treated for the recovery of resources and that:
1. The proposed recycling or recovery of resources is economically efficient;
2. The proposed recycling or recovery of resources would not
reduce the type or quantity of solid waste available to the facility
for which the required use order was issued to such an extent that
the facility could not maintain minimum operational volumes
necessary to fulfill existing contractual obligations for products
or energy or necessary to make the facility economically feasible;
and
3. The proposed recycling or recovery of resources results in
a higher or better use of solid waste resources. A higher or better
use of solid waste resources results if:

a. Recyclable or reusable materials are derived from the solid
waste resources; or
b. Energy is derived from the solid waste resources.
(15) FEE AND RATE REVIEW. The tipping fee, rates and other
charges and any revision in the tipping fee, rates and other
charges established by a municipality for use of a facility for the
recycling of solid waste or for the recovery of resources from
solid waste which is required under this section are subject to review under ch. 68.
(16) PERMITS, LICENSE AND APPROVALS; REPORT REVIEW
AND FEES; PROOF OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. (a) A municipality may not construct, operate, maintain, expand, modify or
close any facility for the recycling of solid waste or for the recovery of resources from solid waste in violation of chs. 281, 285 and
289 to 299 or without any license, permit or approval required by
the department.
(b) The department shall review each comprehensive facility
project description report submitted under sub. (7) and may require a municipality to pay a fee to cover costs incurred by the department associated with this review.
(c) The department may require a municipality to maintain
proof of financial responsibility to ensure the availability of
funds necessary for closure costs associated with the closing of a
facility for the recycling of solid waste or for the recovery of resources from solid waste, and to remedy, abate or prevent hazards
to public health or the environment.
(17) INCINERATION; RECYCLING REQUIREMENTS. (a) In this
subsection, “incinerator” means a device which maintains a controlled process by which solid waste is thermally altered into
gases and residue containing little or no combustible material.
(b) A municipality which adopts a waste flow control ordinance may not operate an incinerator as one of the means of recycling solid waste unless the department certifies that the requirements of par. (bg) are met.
(bg) Solid waste of each type to be incinerated, as determined
in the air permit under s. 285.60, shall be recycled by means other
than incineration to the extent of economic feasibility.
(e) This subsection applies to incinerators in operation on and
after July 1, 1989.

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