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Wis. Gov. Backs Down On Ending Mandatory Recycling

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Gov. Scott Walker is backing away from his proposal to eliminate mandatory recycling after some key GOP lawmakers said his plan went too far.

Instead, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Sunday, his administration is suggesting that some communities might want to merge their garbage collection services to save money.

Walker's 2011-13 budget had called for ending the mandate that Wisconsin communities run recycling programs. His budget also ended the subsidy program that went with it. But Walker kept the requirement that homeowners and businesses still need to recycle paper, plastic and cans.

The newspaper reports that the Department of Natural Resources and a group of solid waste and recycling organizations traded proposals late last week on how to manage and fund recycling in future years.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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