The long journey of decontaminating Wisconsin lands from hazardous waste left by the electronics recycler 5R Processors has reached its conclusion. The effort spanned multiple sites and was the result of legislation tagged as 2021 Wisconsin Act 234, a clear response to the environmental debacle facilitated by the now-defunct company's mismanagement of toxic materials. 5R Processors once dealt with the disposal of electronic waste, which, due to lead content, necessitates careful handling yet the company ran afoul from 2011 to 2016 when they illegally stored and shuffled around crushed leaded glass, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources release, the cleanup drive cost the state a total of $4.6 million, just marginally tipping over the $4.5 million earmarked by the legislation. Natasha Gwidt, DNR Waste and Materials Management Field Operations Director, described the project as "a large undertaking," citing collaboration with local municipalities and third-party agents as a significant factor in reaching the finish line. Funds for the cleanup were pulled together from state resources, and restitution efforts, and were scattered across impacted sites, with $824,000 spent in Ladysmith, $1.3 million in Catawba, and $2.4 million in the city of West Bend.
The cleanup was arduous, with over 1.5 million pounds of crushed cathode ray tube glass among other electronic debris and hazardous materials removed from the premises. It wasn't a solo endeavor. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources expressed gratitude toward the many local entities that pitched in – from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) spearheading asbestos abatement to local governments in Price, Rusk, and Washington counties, as well as the village of Catawba, and the city of Ladysmith. This collaborative spirit was pivotal, as the city of West Bend itself hauled away 64 roll-off dumpsters of solid waste from its respective site.
"Community support and partnerships were vital to these cleanups," Gwidt emphasized, as stated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Each site with its own narrative of contamination now looks toward a future of redevelopment and functional utilization by the surrounding communities. The completion of these cleanup activities sparks the possibility for these tracts of land to be reabsorbed into the fabric of the cities and counties, perhaps as a reminder of the balance between industry and ecological stewardship.
