University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point officially began its resource recovery in the fall of 1989.  Wisconsin Act 292, the first legislation in regard to recycling, became effective on April 18, 1988.  This act defined the following for state agencies: purchasing specifications; purchasing of products made from recycled and recovered materials; resource recovery and recycling programs for state agencies and local governmental units; use of recycled and recovered materials in state construction projects; and annual reporting.  Act 292 also specified that 50% of office paper generated by agencies would be recycled by January 1, 1990.

In order to implement a broader range of recycling activities as required by Act 292, Wisconsin Department of Administration initiated a research contract with University of Wisconsin-Madison solid waste and recycling experts.  The research goals included analyzing waste composition, recycling potential, market assessment and procurement policies.  With these goals in mind, five pilot locations were chosen to acquire necessary data for design, development and implementation.  These facilities included a health care facility, a group of correctional institutions, a state park, a group of six highway waysides and a university campus--University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

In July of 1988, a special subcommittee was formed to draft legislation to enhance Wisconsin�s recycling program.  On April 27, 1990, Senate Bill 300, more commonly known as Wisconsin Act 335, was approved by Governor Tommy Thompson.  The thrust of this act was to establish statewide municipal recycling programs.  The ten major elements included landfill bans with deadlines to meet these demands:

January 1, 1991

•  Lead acid batteries

• Appliances

• Used oil

January 1, 1993

•  Yard waste

January 1, 1995 

• Corrugated paper and boxes

• Newsprint

• Magazines

• Office papers

• Glass containers

• Plastic packaging

• Aluminum cans

• Steel containers

• Tires

• Polystyrene foam

• Bimetal steel/aluminum beverage containers

In addition to the state mandates, Portage County and the City of Stevens Point passed ordinances in 1990 and in 1991 banning newspapers, magazines, steel and aluminum cans, waste oil, batteries, glass bottles, corrugated cardboard and certain plastics from the landfill.