MONTREAL (RecyclingMonster): Fort McCoy's Qualified Recycling Program (QRP) generated more than $1.1 million in recycling revenue during fiscal year 2026, with scrap brass shell casings from military training ranges accounting for most of the proceeds.

According to a September 18 release from the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve, the Wisconsin installation collected, processed and recycled approximately 140 tons of scrap brass shell casings during the fiscal year.

The QRP worked with Fort McCoy's Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation to manage the spent casings generated through training activities. Five openly competitive sales of the material generated a combined $1,098,958.

Brass Shell Casings Drive Recycling Revenue

Qualified Recycling Programs at military installations are designed to recover, segregate and sell eligible recyclable materials rather than manage them as conventional waste. Fort McCoy's FY26 results illustrate the financial significance that high-value nonferrous scrap can have within such programs.

Under federal law governing recyclable-material sales at military installations, proceeds can be used to cover the operating, maintenance and overhead costs associated with installation recycling programs. Remaining qualifying funds may also support specified installation projects and morale or welfare activities.

Shipping Container Review Adds Recycling and Reuse

Fort McCoy's QRP also worked with the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security to evaluate land and sea shipping containers that had previously been used as range training aids.

The review identified nearly 40 tons of containers that were no longer serviceable. After determining that the material could not be reused, Fort McCoy sent it for recycling, generating approximately $6,383 for the program.

The installation also assessed another 1,161 tons of containers that remained fully serviceable. Rather than sending those assets to scrap, Fort McCoy transferred them to the Defense Logistics Agency for reuse elsewhere within the military system.

The reuse approach extended the service life of the government-owned containers while avoiding unnecessary replacement procurement, according to the Army Reserve release.

Recycling Revenue Returns Value to Fort McCoy

Fort McCoy officials said cooperation among the installation's directorates was central to the FY26 results, allowing materials to be evaluated for reuse before recycling and enabling marketable scrap to be consolidated for competitive sale.

The program's proceeds support the installation under federal rules governing military Qualified Recycling Programs, including recovery of recycling-program costs and other authorized uses.

The FY26 results show how material segregation, competitive scrap sales and reuse screening can work together within a large institutional recycling program to recover value from discarded materials while keeping serviceable assets in use.