La Crosse, WI · Coulee Region MRF

10 tons/hour.
10 material types.
22,000+ households served.

Green Circle Recycling is western Wisconsin's single-stream material recovery facility — handling everything from municipal curbside collections to commodity bale sales and commercial pickup, all under one roof in La Crosse.

Get in Touch See the Facility Book a Tour
4th-Generation Family Ownership Est. 1955 · Harter's Quick Clean-Up Wisconsin DNR Recognized CNG Fleet · Sustainability-First 58% Throughput Increase 2022–23
By the Numbers

The Facility Behind the Numbers

Our investment in automation and scale means better economics for everyone — from municipal tip-fee payers to commodity buyers seeking clean, reliable supply.

10
tons/hour processing capacity
10
material types separated simultaneously
22,000+
households served in La Crosse County
58%
single-stream throughput increase 2022–2023
Who We Serve

Find Your Path

Green Circle Recycling serves three distinct buyer audiences — and every page on this site is built around your specific priorities.

Track A

Municipal & Hauler

City public works directors, county solid waste coordinators, and independent haulers who need a certified MRF to receive single-stream loads. Decisions driven by tip-fee economics, drive time, and Wisconsin DNR compliance.

  • Competitive per-ton tip fees
  • Wisconsin DNR certified MRF
  • Closest MRF to western WI municipalities
  • RFP-ready documentation and reporting
View Municipal Services
Track C

Commercial Generator

Facility managers, sustainability officers, property managers, and small-business owners across the Coulee Region who need reliable recycling pickup with diversion reporting.

  • Scheduled commercial pickup
  • Cardboard & OCC rebates for high-volume
  • Diversion reporting for ESG compliance
  • Roll-off containers available
View Commercial Services
Why Green Circle

The Closest MRF to Western Wisconsin. The Only One That's Locally Owned.


The nearest large MRF competitor is over 200 miles away. Every ton of material that stays local saves haulers a long round trip and keeps tip-fee economics favorable for municipalities and commercial generators across the Coulee Region.

As a fourth-generation family business dating to 1955, Green Circle Recycling is not a division of a national waste corporation. Decisions are made locally, relationships run deep, and continuity is built into the ownership structure.

Regional Geography

Located in La Crosse — the geographic hub of the Coulee Region, serving WI and southeastern MN.

Advanced Automation

Optical sorter + two robotic sorting arms installed 2023, running alongside bypass belts and recirculating systems.

Integrated Hauler + Processor

Harter's Quick Clean-Up provides collection. Green Circle processes. Rare among regional MRFs.

CNG Fleet

Compressed natural gas vehicles reinforce a genuine sustainability story — not just a talking point.

Sorting Technology

Optical Sorters. Robotic Arms. Cleaner Bales.

Our 2023 technology investments push Green Circle Recycling into the same tier as major Midwest MRFs — with the responsiveness and flexibility of a family-owned operation.

Optical Sorter

Near-infrared optical identification sorts plastics and paper by type automatically — faster and more accurate than manual lines.

Robotic Sorting Arms (×2)

Two picking robots installed in 2023 supplement optical sorting, reducing contamination and increasing bale cleanliness.

Bypass + Recirculating Systems

Material that doesn't sort cleanly on the first pass routes back through — not to landfill. We recover more per ton.

Full Technology Overview
Strategic Position

Wisconsin's MRF Market Has a Western Gap. Green Circle Fills It.

WM Germantown — Wisconsin's largest MRF — is roughly 200 miles from La Crosse. BOW Partnership in Appleton and Pellitteri in Madison are equally distant. Green Circle is the regional anchor.

Municipalities

Local MRF means lower hauling mileage, better tip-fee economics, and a vendor who picks up the phone. No 200-mile round trip to drop a load.

Commodity Buyers

Consistent regional bale supply from a facility investing in cleanliness. Less contamination means more usable material per ton you purchase.

Commercial Generators

A local recycling partner who processes what you generate — not a broker who sends it three states away. Better traceability for ESG reporting.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Green Circle Recycling located?

Our facility is at 2800 Larson St, La Crosse, WI 54603. We are the closest single-stream MRF to municipalities throughout western Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota.

What materials does Green Circle Recycling accept?

We process 10 material types simultaneously: OCC (cardboard), mixed paper, PET plastics, HDPE plastics, aluminum cans (UBC), steel cans, glass, and additional streams. Contact us for a full accepted-materials list and contamination policy.

How much material can you process?

Our facility processes up to 10 tons of single-stream recyclables per hour using optical sorters and two robotic sorting arms installed in 2023. Between 2022 and 2023 our single-stream processing rate increased 58 percent — a pace recognized by the Wisconsin DNR.

Does Green Circle offer municipal recycling contracts?

Yes. We work with municipalities, counties, and independent haulers on multi-year contracts. We provide tip-fee documentation, contamination reporting, and DNR compliance support. Contact us or visit our Municipal Contracts page to start a conversation.

Can I buy baled recyclables from Green Circle?

Yes. We sell baled OCC, mixed paper, PET, HDPE, aluminum UBC, and other commodities. Direct purchase and broker relationships are both available. Visit our Commodity Bale Sales page or contact us directly.

Ready to talk?

Whether you're a city solid waste coordinator, a paper mill procurement manager, or a business owner who needs a pickup — we'll get back to you within one business day.

Contact Us Book a Facility Tour