Proprietary article
In Wisconsin's scrap dealer law, an item a dealer may buy only with proof the seller may sell it.
Wisconsin's scrap dealer statute lists 'proprietary articles' that scrap dealers may buy only with documentation, such as a bill of sale, receipt or letter of authorization showing the seller lawfully has the item, or after a diligent inquiry and a report to local police within one business day.
Plastic bulk merchandise containers are on that list: plastic crates, pallets and shells used for bulk transport or storage of retail containers of bottled beverages. They sit alongside items such as catalytic converters and railroad track parts.
The rule doesn't cover wood pallets. See Wisconsin for details.
Expect a Wisconsin dealer to ask for paperwork before buying plastic beverage pallets. The dealer also keeps its purchase records for at least two years and shows them to a law enforcement officer on request. Businesses that sell scrap to a dealer through a written commercial account can be handled under a separate record-keeping route in the same subsection.
Sources
- Wis. Stat. § 134.405 (scrap dealers) Wisconsin Legislature. Accessed October 27, 2026.