State disposal rules / Wisconsin
Wisconsin DNR · Wisconsin's recycling law (Wis. Stat. ch. 287)
Wisconsin rules for construction debris
Wisconsin's recycling law bans recyclable containers, paper, corrugated cardboard, appliances, electronics, tires and yard waste from landfills and incinerators. On a remodel the items that bite are cardboard packaging, old appliances and brush.
- 1Rule Wisconsin's recycling law
- 2Items named 13
- 3Construction materials 0
- 4Fee pages in state 1
What Wisconsin DNR lists
The 13 entries below are copied from Wisconsin DNR, Materials banned from landfills and incinerators (no update date printed); 0 of them are construction materials. Recyclables and packaging: 7; Batteries, electronics and hazardous items: 3; Yard and food waste: 1; Appliances, tires and bulky items: 2.
| Material or project | Rule |
|---|---|
| Corrugated cardboard or containerboard | banned. Flatten boxes. |
| Major appliances | banned |
| Electronics | banned |
| Waste tires | banned, except incinerated with energy recovery |
| Yard waste (grass, leaves, brush under 6 inches across) | banned; compost or energy recovery |
| Lead acid batteries | banned |
| Waste oil and used oil filters | banned (oil may be burned for energy) |
| Aluminum, bi-metal and steel containers | banned |
| Glass containers | banned |
| Plastic containers #1 and #2 | banned |
| Newspapers, magazines and office paper | banned |
| Foam polystyrene packaging | banned, but DNR allows disposal until markets exist |
| Plastic containers #3 to #7 | banned, but DNR allows disposal until markets exist |
Source: Wisconsin DNR, Materials banned from landfills and incinerators, Wisconsin's recycling law (Wis. Stat. ch. 287); read 2026-10-21. The agency's current text governs.
How the rule is applied
- The DNR points builders to separate construction and demolition debris guidance; the ban list itself does not single out wood, shingles or drywall.
- Brush counts as yard waste only under 6 inches in diameter; larger wood is outside that ban.
The debris these rules touch, by weight
A loose cubic yard of cardboard weighs 106 lb, appliances weighs 145 lb, mixed yard waste weighs 250 lb, glass bottles weighs 380 lb and foam packaging and insulation weighs 32 lb. None of them would push a level-full 20-yard past the 4-ton low end of Republic Services' allowance. One 8-ft pickup bed holds about 2.5 cubic yards, or 265 lb of cardboard.
Disposal fees in Wisconsin on this site
Dane County charges $63 per ton (in 500-lb steps up to a ton). One 8-ft pickup bed of mixed debris costs $47 there.
Other states: Massachusetts · Vermont · New Hampshire · California · North Carolina · Florida. To size the container itself, use the dumpster sizer.
This page summarises Wisconsin DNR's published text as read on 2026-10-21. It is not legal advice; local ordinances, haulers and facilities can be stricter, and the agency's current rule governs.