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Environmental Collaboration Office
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Every year, 22 million pounds of plastic pollution enters the Great Lakes, half of which flows into Lake Michigan alone. Like in many communities, you can see this pollution littering our beaches, our streets, and our waterways every day.
Recent research has shown the real threat is in the plastic you can't see. While plastic never truly decomposes, over time it breaks into smaller and smaller pieces called "microplastics" that are often too small to see without a microscope. These plastic pieces eventually end up in our water, our food, and in our bodies.
In 2015, the State of Wisconsin passed Assembly Bill 730 limiting the authority of cities, villages, towns, or counties to regulate "auxiliary containers," or bags, cups, bottles, and other packaging that is designed to be reusable or single-use.
Specifically, this means the City of Milwaukee CANNOT:
The City of Milwaukee is dedicated to becoming a Water Centric City by showcasing our global leadership in managing our water resources in a sustainable and resilient way.
The Environmental Collaboration Office is proud to be a core organizing member of the Plastic-Free MKE movement. The Plastic-Free MKE Coalition is made up of passionate community members, small business owners, agencies, and local non-profits all working to protect our health, waterways, and communities.
Residents can get involved with Plastic-Free MKE through a range of volunteer activites, including recruiting businesses for the Lake Friendly Business Program, increasing public awareness, and assisting educational initiatives.
Visit the Plastic-Free MKE Volunteer Page for more information or email [email protected].
A business or neighborhood does not need to be by the water to see the benefits of being Lake Friendly. With a growing awareness of the damage plastic pollution causes our city, consumers are looking to find and support local businesses doing their part and help drive change.
What is It? The Lake Friendly Business Program was created in collaboration with Plastic-Free MKE to help local business owners make the switch from styrofoam and other single-use plastics to more sustainable materials. View the Full List of Lake Friendly Locations.
How to Get Involved: Businesses that pledge to be Lake Friendly will be paired with a trained volunteer to audit current practices and switch to reusable, compostable, and recyclable materials.
Benefits: Businesses that successfully meet Lake Friendly criteria will receive a window decal, marketing materials, and promotion from Plastic-Free MKE.
Sign Up and Get Started
What is It? The Lake Friendly Neighborhood Program is a NEW opportunity to help homeowners prevent plastic pollution. Sherman Park is the first Lake Friendly Neighborhood.
How to Get Involved: Host drop-off locations for plastic bag recycling, install and maintain a Hold On To Your Butt MKE cigarette butt receptacle, promote composting, hold clean-up events, and invite Plastic-Free MKE to community events at least once a year.
Benefits: Neighborhoods that meet Lake Friendly criteria will receive 50 co-branded Lake Friendly Neighborhood yard signs, educational marketing materials, and promotion.
Take the first steps toward a conscious community event that protects the environment with helpful tips from Milwaukee's Green Events Guide.
Remember the basics:
Download the City of Milwaukee Green Events Guide Printable Brochure
In November 2019, the Milwaukee Common Council voted on new legislation to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic straws in our community. This legislation took effect on April 14, 2020, prohibiting food establishments from providing any customer with a single-use, plastic straw, where “single-use” means a product that is designed and intended to be used only once and is generally recognized by the public as an item that is to be discarded after one use.
The Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) is North America's leading certifier of compostable products. While plastic straws may only be provided upon request, reusable straws of any material and single-use BPI-certified biodegradable straws may be offered at any time.
Aceptable materials include, but are not limited to: bagasse, paper, bamboo and vegetable-based plastic alternatives (like "PLA").
It is recommend that you consult both your regular material supplier and BPI's Online Database to find the alternative products that work best for your business.
Many individuals in our community require straws to drink due to a wide variety of strength, mobility, and other medical concerns. Unfortunately, many compostable options are not always viable solutions. Those who require straws need them in both hot and cold beverages. Metal straws will heat up in coffee and aper straws pose choking hazards for some individuals. Some individuals require more flexible or soft materials than glass or bamboo straws.
This legislation was created specifically with these individuals in mind. Single-use plastic straws can and should be available for those who request them. These disabilities are not always visible. If someone requests a plastic straw, trust they know what's best for their bodies and respect their request.
Recycling is the law in the State of Wisconsin. When the Wisconsin Waste Reduction and Recycling Law passed in 1990, about 17% of municipal solid waste was recycled. By the end of 2004, 10 years after the recycling requirements were fully implemented, the number had climbed to 32%. Today, recycling markets are expanding, creating jobs in Wisconsin and diverting waste from landfills. Learn more about recycling from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Banned materials include:
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City Hall, 200 E. Wells Street, Room 603, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
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