Recycle on the Go Success Story
Wisconsin Rest Area Recycling Program
In 1992, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation initiated an innovative rest area recycling
program throughout the state in an effort to increase statewide recycling rates. Today, rest area
visitors consistently provide positive feedback about the recycling services at rest areas. This
successful program proves that if recycling is offered at rest areas, travelers take notice.
Facts-at-a-Glance
Wisconsin has 32 rest
areas and 83 waysides.
More than 23 million
people stop at Wisconsin
rest areas and waysides
each year.
» Visitors can recycle
aluminum, plastic, glass,
and newspaper at every
rest area and cardboard
and magazines at select
rest areas.
i WisDOT contracts with
the nonprofit Rehabilita-
tion for Wisconsin for all
rest area maintenance.
"Your recycle area is
great. You may want to
take pictures of the
line- up and send them
to other statesA+."
- Visitor to Grant
County ASW 106.
Photo courtesy of WisDOT
Johnson Creek rest area in Wisconsin showing a cluster of
recycling bins.
Program Overview
With more than 23 million people
stopping at Wisconson's 32 highway
rest areas and 83 smaller waysides
each year, Wisconsin's Department
of Transportation (WisDOT) saw
potential in establishing a recycling
program for rest area visitors. The
recycling program also would help
WisDOT comply with the 50 percent
waste diversion target required for all state agencies by the state's recycling law,
Wisconsin's Act 335. In 1992, WisDOT implemented a pilot recycling program at a
limited number of rest areas. Because recycling rates increased, WisDOT expanded the
"Recycle Wisconsin" program in 1995 to include all interstate rest areas and all rest areas
that receive more than 1,000 vehicles per day.
Nuts and Bolts
WisDOT contracts with Rehabilitation for Wisconsin (RFW), a private nonprofit
organization, for rest area maintenance. RFW manages the Community Rehabilitation
Program (CRP), which provides day-to-day maintenance at each rest area and some waysides.
Under RFW management, CRP crews sort the recyclables and deliver them to the local
recycling center. WisDOT allows CRP to keep the proceeds from the recyclables as long as
the revenue goes to programs to support CRP employees, which gives the community an
incentive to maintain the recycling program.
WisDOT began the program by setting up a primary cluster of receptacles near the main
building of each rest area. The cluster includes a trash can and a clearly labeled bin for
each recycled material collected. Three additional receptacle clusters are placed near the
curb in the parking area. Each participating rest area collects glass bottles, aluminum cans,
plastic, and newspaper; select rest areas also collect corrugated cardboard and magazines.
Wisconsin's contract with RFW, whose work includes maintenance, custodial, trash
disposal, landscaping, cleaning, and recycling duties, totaled $5.5 million in 2001. The state
does not separate recycling costs from its total rest area maintenance budget, nor does it
record the revenue earned by CPR's efforts.
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The Bottom Line
Proceeds from selling the
recyclables go towards CRP
employee education.
Rest area recycling provides
a valued customer service.
In 1998*, rest areas col-
lected:
20.7 tons of aluminum
25.0 tons of plastic
78.4 tons of glass
16.5 tons of newspaper
At today's market prices
for these commodities,
CRP could make
$38,000 to $45,000 from
these quantities.
Increased public aware-
ness and acceptance of
the recycling program was
evidenced by the decrease
in contamination, which
reduced the need for crews
to separate trash from the
recycling containers.
* WisDot stopped measuring the
amount of materials recycled
after 1998 because they had
proven the program successful.
^RECYCLE
W AREA
PLEASE DEPOSIT j
RECYCLABLES ONLY
Reasons for Success
WisDOT conducted a public education
campaign that included: a press release
announcing the program's inception,
brochures available at rest areas, radio
messages on the highway broadcast channel,
and signs placed by trash and recycling bins.
Increased signage helped decrease contamination.
Receptable doors on the recycling bins were
locked to prevent aluminum can scavenging.
After having trouble selling recyclables, CRP
worked to identify markets. CRP recommends
identifying markets before establishing
a recycling program.
Contracting with RFW and CRP involved the public
and community, encouraging their participation.
Future Forecast
The success of the "Recycle Wisconsin" program illustrates the importance of recycling
not only at home, but also when traveling and on the go. After 14 years of rest area
recycling, Wisconsin's program is here to stay and shows that recycling at rest areas
is both feasible and sustainable.
Photo courtesy of WisDOT
Sign directs travelers to recycle at Wisconsin
rest area.
&ER&
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Solid Waste (5306P)
EPA 530-06-023
December 2006
www.epa.gov/recycleonthego
.ecyclecl/Recyclable - Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Postconsumer,
Process Chlorine Free Recycled Paper
EPA is partnering with
other federal agencies,
states, municipalities, and
organizations to promote
recycling away from home.
www.epa.gov/recycleonthego
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