MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Josh Kaul announces today that Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) has obtained a civil judgment against United Liquid Waste Recycling, Inc. (United) requiring it to pay a $160,000 penalty for alleged violations of the state’s hazardous substance spills laws and wastewater discharge laws that occurred primarily at and around United’s Dodge County waste storage facility.

“Hazardous substance spills harm our natural resources and put people’s health at risk,” said Attorney General Kaul. “We will continue working to ensure that those who violate our environmental laws are held accountable.”

According to the complaint, United collects and stores industrial and municipal wastes and recycles them by applying them as fertilizer to farm fields. The complaint alleges that United failed to report and remediate hazardous substance spills, failed to properly maintain its wastewater storage facilities, improperly applied waste to fields, and failed to report its waste collection, sampling, and application activities as required by United’s wastewater discharge permit.

Assistant Attorneys General Jennifer S. Limbach and Bradley J. Motl represented the state and worked closely with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to obtain this judgment. The Order for Judgment was signed by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Stephen Ehlke on November 11, 2022.

The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance approved the proposed resolution on May 31, 2022.