MGE received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Environmental Performance in 2005 for recycling construction materials at the West Campus Cogeneration Facility.

MGE was honored for its commitment to recycling, which not only reduces environmental impacts, but also saves money. Recycling at the construction site saved more than $103,000 by cutting landfill fees and selling recovered materials such as copper.

The comprehensive effort to recycle facility construction waste was managed by WasteCap Wisconsin.

*Each ton of cardboard and paper recycled saves 17 trees.
*Each ton of wood recycled saves seven trees.
*Each ton of steel recycled saves the energy equivalent of a ton of coal.
*Each ton of aluminum recycled saves enough electricity to power the average Wisconsin home for 10 years.

Concrete: From sidewalks, roads, curbs and leftovers from newly poured, concrete is crushed and used in making new concrete or as general construction gravel for roadbeds and fill.

Metal: Leftover pieces of pilings, pipe, wire and beverage cans are separated by type and sent to special foundries where they become new products.

Wood: From packaging pallets and crates, construction framing and forms is ground up, metals removed and used for wood mulch in landscaping or spread on construction sites for erosion control.

Cardboard and paper: Contractor offices generate lots of paper. Many materials are shipped in cardboard packaging and are made into new cardboard and paper or other materials such as cellulose insulation, packing material or egg cartons.