No person shall keep, conduct or maintain any building, business premises, premises or structures for keeping, storing or piling in commercial quantities recyclable materials without first obtaining a recycling license.

For more information, refer to Chapter 10, Article XII of the La Crosse Municipal Code.

Processing Facility – A building, business premises or premises used for the collection and processing of recyclable materials. Processing means the preparation of materials for efficient shipment, or to an end-user's specifications by such means as baling, briquetting, compacting, flattening, grinding, crushing, mechanical sorting, shredding, cleaning or remanufacturing.

Recycling Center – Such facilities include buying or accepting recyclable material from the public, moving it to a shipping container and storing it until shipment. Such recyclable material shall be stored within closed containers or buildings. Such facilities are the principle use of the site. Processing may be allowed subject to noise controls and screening along with express permission by the Council when any license is granted.

Pick-Up Station – Mobile self-contained collection sites. Such facilities shall provide limited day to day storage of material in enclosed trucks or trailers. No structures or building with the exception of required screening or bulk-fed reverse vending machines. These facilities are typically an accessory use on site and will require a license.

Reverse Vending Machine – A mechanical device that accepts one or more types of aluminum containers and issues a cash refund. Reverse vending machines include single-fed and bulk-fed. Single fed machines which resemble soda vending machines in size and appearance will be considered accessory to commercial or industrial uses in administration of this code. Bulk reverse vending machines are those which accept several containers at once. Because of their size, location requirements and noise concerns, bulk type machines will be treated as recycling pick-up stations for the purpose of this code.

License Period

The license year shall be from July 1 to June 30 following and may be renewed for additional one year periods.

License Fee

The non-refundable license fee is due at the time of application (cash, check payable to City Treasurer or credit with convenience fee).

• Recycling Processing Facility - $110.00
• Recycling Center - $110.00
• Recycling Pick-Up Station - $110.00
• Recycling Reverse Vending Machine - $110.00

How to Apply

Applications shall be made in writing on the form prescribed by law and filed with the City Clerk's Office who may issue the same after appropriate review by the La Crosse County Health Department, Police Department and Fire Prevention and Building Safety and approval by the Common Council. All applications for this license must be in writing to the City Clerk not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the granting of this license.

• Download Application

Questions?

For more information, contact the City Clerk's Office at (608) 789-7510.

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