Manitowoc County Recycling Center
3000 Basswood Rd, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States

Welcome to the Manitowoc County Recycling Center Website.  The Recycling Center is also known as a Material Recovery Facility (MRF). Material recycling and waste reduction services are provided to the Citizens of Manitowoc County. Many commonly recycled materials are accepted on a year round basis and a variety of special collection and education programs are offered to better serve the community.  The Basswood and Woodland Compost sites are operated through the MRF.  We provide educational outreach to promote the important role that recycling and materials recovery has for now and the future. The MRF is operated in partnership with Holiday House of Manitowoc, Inc. serving people with disabilities since 1957.

Business Recycling Program

This law also requires businesses to separate items banned from landfills and incinerators or to send them to a facility that will separate them. Also, facility owners are responsible for providing separate containers for recyclables, providing for collection and transport to a recycling facility, and notification and education of employees or tenants of programs.

THE BENEFITS - It's easy to do! Taking a few minutes a day to recycle has many benefits. Recycling reduces the amount of pollution in the soil, water, and air, making it a cleaner place to live. Also recycling gives manufacturers back the raw materials they need to make new products. This cuts down on the costs of harvesting new raw materials and does not take as much of a toll on natural resources. Recycling also has its financial benefits. It reduces the cost of disposal and lowers taxes because of less pollution. Recycling will also give your business a "green" image, which will make your business more attractive.

Where to Start

Get a recycling program started at your business! Perform a self-audit on your waste and see what and how much recyclables are in it. Then come up with a specific recycling plan and some goals to reach. Contact your local hauler to set up a recycling pickup, or you can also self-haul recyclables to the Recycling Center if you do not produce enough to contract a hauler. Place labeled recycling bins next to your trash bins and encourage your employees and tenets to use them. Make sure they look differently from the trash bins, and are labeled with what recyclable item should go in it to avoid confusion. The Manitowoc County Recycling Center has free drop off of recyclables plus a number of other programs to help your business recycle, including Yard Waste Drop-off sites, year round Electronics Collection, and Tire Collection in the fall.

Electronics

The recycling center accepts electronics year round at the Main Office during the listed hours.  It is important to recycle electronics because they can contain hazardous materials and recoverable raw materials. This includes computer, audio/video equipment, microwaves, batteries, ballasts and light bulbs.  In 2012 residents brought in 227,500 pounds of electronics and 12,400 light bulbs.  Bring electronics to the recycling center main desk.  There is a fee most items.  Be sure to call if you have questions.  There is typically help available to unload larger items, though it is wise to call ahead for large loads or especially heavy items like photocopiers and large screen TVs.

Waste Tire Collection 2016

The 2016 Manitowoc County Waste Tire Collection will be held for two weeks this September. County residents can drop off tires for a nominal fee at the Manitowoc County Recycling Center from September 12 to 24 during normal office hours.Tires have been banned from landfills for many years. Because of the high disposal costs, tires are thrown in our woodlands, waterways, along roadways, or in illegal stockpiles. Improper disposal can lead to significant environmental problems such as surface and groundwater contamination, fires which release toxic fumes, and the creation of habitats for pests such as rodents and mosquitoes. Proper disposal will reduce or eliminate these problems!

The Manitowoc County Waste Tire Collection started in 1998 and has collected approximately 3.205 million pounds of waste tires to date. The majority are small car and truck tires though all sizes show up, from small lawnmower tires to large mining equipment tires.Waste tires can be reused in a number of beneficial ways. They can be shred into rubber chips and used as artificial turf or as cover in playgrounds. Finely ground "crumb rubber" can be used in athletic tracks, sidewalks and other rubber products. Nylon and steel found in tires is also separated and recycled. Depending on what materials are in the tire they may also be used as a fuel source in specially designed incinerators that are licensed to use "tire derived fuel".