Environment (Waste Management)

AB 893 creates a $250,000 annual grant program from the environmental fund to support planning for regional biodigesters. These facilities convert organic waste (like food scraps or farm byproducts) into energy, primarily benefiting agricultural and waste management projects. The bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture to administer the grants and develop rules for their use. It does not fund construction but focuses on initial planning phases for new biodigester facilities.

SB 702 requires producers of covered batteries (like portable and medium-sized rechargeable batteries that can be easily removed) to fund and manage recycling programs through designated "battery stewardship organizations." Starting January 1, 2027, producers must mark batteries with their brand and, by January 1, 2029, include chemistry details for proper recycling. Consumers cannot dispose of covered batteries in regular trash after January 1, 2028, and must instead use designated collection sites. The bill excludes medical device batteries, lead-acid batteries, and certain alkaline batteries from these requirements.

SB 778 creates a mandatory producer responsibility program requiring businesses that package products sold in the state (like retailers, restaurants, and manufacturers) to fund recycling and packaging reduction efforts. It establishes fees paid by "producers" (including brands, importers, and manufacturers) to a new packaging reduction organization, which will manage recycling programs and track recycled content. The bill defines "recyclable" packaging as materials that can be consistently processed for reuse, excludes advanced recycling methods from this definition, and sets requirements for packaging reduction goals. This replaces voluntary recycling with a structured system where producers directly finance waste management, affecting all businesses selling packaged goods within the state.

AB 605 allows municipal solid waste facilities that received loans under Wisconsin's clean water fund program (for wastewater infrastructure) to retain a portion of environmental repair fees collected from waste disposal. Specifically, these facilities may keep fees equal to their outstanding loan principal and interest while repaying the loan, instead of paying all collected fees to the state department. The bill directly affects municipal waste facilities that have secured such loans, modifying how they handle environmental fees. This change streamlines loan repayment by redirecting fees that would otherwise go to the state. The bill amends existing statutes to create this exception without altering general fee collection requirements.