About the Waste and Materials Management Program

Our program oversees facilities and activities to ensure they are managed in a way that minimizes negative public health, environmental, and economic impacts. We continually evaluate policies, regulations, and activities so they are relevant, consistent, and do not cause undue regulatory or economic burden. We foster sustainability and minimize impacts to the environment, including those that contribute to global climate change, through waste material reduction, reuse, and recycling.

Through a central bureau, five regional headquarters and several service centers, WMM staff work with stakeholders statewide. Our program's work covers activities from inspections and compliance assistance to communications and outreach. Our staff time focuses on efforts to prevent groundwater contamination and other pollution (through plan review, inspections and compliance assistance) and to provide the public, partners and regulated facilities with information, tools and guidelines to reduce waste and prevent environmental contamination.

We carry out these activities in four main program areas.

The Solid Waste Management program ensures proper management of solid waste through regulation of municipal, industrial, and construction and demolition waste landfills. Staff license facilities; close poorly located or operated facilities; and make sure new facilities are properly located, designed, constructed, operated and maintained. The program also encourages beneficial use of industrial byproducts to preserve resources, conserve energy and reduce the need for additional landfills.
The Hazardous Waste Management program oversees the generation, transportation, storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous waste throughout Wisconsin. Staff work with generators and facilities to ensure proper management of hazardous waste and to prevent threats to human health and the environment.
The Recycling program promotes and regulates recycling through review of municipal recycling programs and recycling and compost sites. Staff seek innovative approaches to minimize waste generation and increase recycling. Focus areas include promoting reuse of construction and demolition debris, diversion of organic wastes, and diversion of products containing toxic materials from landfills.
The Mining program regulates the environmental aspects of metallic and nonmetallic mining, including working to return closed mines to productive, healthy land. Nonmetallic mines throughout Wisconsin yield products as varied as sand, stone for monuments, agricultural lime, gravel and dolomite used in road building. Currently, there are no metallic mining sites operating in the state, but staff monitor reclamation and remediation activity at three closed mines.

Other focus areas include:

Program Accomplishments

Our program's annual reports provide a succinct overview of our accomplishments in solid and hazardous waste management, recycling and waste reduction, mining and more.

Program Contacts

Use the DNR staff directory to help locate the right person to answer your questions. Our directory will help you to search by subject, name and county.

Contact lists for specific program areas:

Organizational charts are provided to help you understand how staff are organized in the central office and in the five regional offices.

For more information, contact:

DNRWasteMaterials@Wisconsin.gov
608.266.2111

Last Revised: Wednesday January 25 2012