Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a midwestern state, ranking near the middle of American states in population with 5,686,986 in the 2010 census (20th in current rankings) and in area with 65,498 square miles (23rd among the 50 states). The state capital is Madison; the largest city and metropolitan area is Milwaukee. Wisconsin has two lake borders, on Lake Michigan to the east and Lake Superior to the north. The word Wisconsin originates from a French corruption of the name given to the Wisconsin River by an Algonquian-speaking Native American group at the time of European contact. (The original word and its meaning are now unknown.) The state built a reputation as “America's Dairyland” and was the center of American dairy production until California surpassed it at the end of the 20th century. Wisconsin still ranks second in total dairy production and fans of the state's professional football team affectionately call themselves “cheeseheads.” Boasting plenty of green space, the Wisconsin Dells and Door County have developed as popular tourist destinations for midwesterners. Pride in its natural amenities is a reason why the state has had a long tradition of environmental preservation and activism.

The Wisconsin economy is built on manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare, but the state is often perceived as a farming state, despite the fact that manufacturing makes up a much greater part of its income. Agriculturally, Wisconsin is one the nation's leading producers of several crops and ranked second for overall milk and butter production. Food processing is a large component of Wisconsin manufacturing, including several well-known brands such as Oscar Mayer and Tombstone frozen pizza. Kraft Foods has over 5,000 employees in Wisconsin. Transportation and capital equipment are the mainstays of manufacturing in the state, but Wisconsin is also a major production center for paper, packaging, and consumer goods.

The 16th Nationwide Survey of MSW Management in the United States found the following: in 2006 Wisconsin had an estimated 5,881,023 tons of MSW generation, placing it 25th in a survey of the 50 states and the capital district. Based on the 2006 population of 5,617,744, an estimated 1.09 tons of MSW were generated per Wisconsinite per year (ranking 39th); 3,540,157 tons were landfilled (ranking 23rd) in the state's 35 landfills; it was ranked joint 36th out of 44 respondent states for number of landfills and was continuing to increase its capacity. Wisconsin exported 315,000 tons of MSW and the import tonnage was 1,518,598. Wisconsin has two waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities that processed 454,321 tons of MSW (15th out of 32 respondents); 1,886,545 tons of MSW were recycled, placing Wisconsin 19th in the ranking of recycled MSW tonnage. Landfill tipping fees across Wisconsin were an average $37 per ton, while the cheapest and most expensive average landfill fees in the United States were $15 and $96, respectively. As of 2009, the following materials were banned from Wisconsin landfills: yard waste under six inches, white goods, lead acid batteries, and tires. Materials set to be banned in the future include used oil filters, televisions—both cathode ray tube and non-cathode ray tube—computers, and other electronic equipment.

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