A-Team Recyclers opened its doors in 2015 as a partnership between James Larkin and Terry Bouwman with over 15 years of experience in the electronic recycling field. Primarily devoted to recycling items from commercial business, with a focus on refurbishing, they soon expanded to include government collection contracts for residential service under the Illinois EPR electronics law. Located in Shorewood, Illinois within easy access to State Route 55 and Route 80, they grew their success, increasing staff, providing service throughout the closure of business during the height of COVID because recycling was recognized as an essential service. Today, as we all recover from COVID, they continue to provide responsible and reliable electronics recycling to businesses, banks, healthcare institutions, schools and local governments. Visit their website at www.A-TeamRecyclers.com

Members of the Illinois Recycling Association enjoy the benefit of spotlighting their Business, Government, Educational Institution or Non-Profit entity in a future Newsletter. If you would like to be featured, please send an email to info@illinoisrecycles.org.

There are a wide array of issues that impact recycling. Most people don't think about them but the Illinois Recycling Foundation is based on providing connections and forums for exploration of these issues. From the marketability of black plastic to sorting difficulties and changes in materials used by manufacturers. We are well aware of green washing and claims of compostability or recyclablaity that have no basis in every day reality. Join a committee today and communicate with others facing your challenges. See the list of committees by clicking here!

REGISTER NOW FOR THE NEXT IRF WEBINAR

Government leaders from more than 200 communities in the Chicago region, with help from NOAA and other climate change experts, have devised an action plan that they say is the first of its kind in the U.S. See how our industry fits into this bold plan.

A Note from the President, .

Mary Margaret Cowhey: In 2014 the IRA Membership voted to form a separate 501c3 organization to concentrate on the educational, networking, and best practice goals of the organization. Due to a variety of complications and legal hurdles, that Mary Margaret Cowhey diligently worked through after joining the Board in 2016, we achieved the separation in 2020.

James Jennings: In July 2019, Governor Pritzker signed House Bill 3068, creating a Statewide Materials Management Advisory Committee. A few years earlier, under the previous governor, the Department of Commerce’s recycling grants program was disbanded. Thanks to the leadership of the MMAC by James Jennings and many of those serving on the committee, recommendations were presented to our state officials on July 1, 2021. The 219 page Illinois Materials Management Advisory Committee Report to the General Assembly calls for an increase in recycling and composting and envisions the Illinois EPA authority to broaden beyond enforcement and measurement but to include grants for industry improvements and education. It is with high hopes for the future that we offer James Jennings this award for his steadfast stewardship over the past two years and in the implementation of these goals in the years ahead.

Scott DeFife: Restaurants and Taverns have lacked access to glass recycling in Illinois even as it was a base of residential collection programs for decades. More provocatively, glass bottle manufacturing in our state currently relies on Michigan glass while our bars, already burdened with high disposal costs from food waste, are stuck with the weight of glass as well. In 2021 Scott DeFife, as part of the Glass Packaging Institute and newly formed Glass Recycling Foundation, partnered with Corona marketing staff, ten of the largest Chicagoland distributors and an experienced firm from Arizona to provide up to twice a week collection service to interested establishments in Chicago and the five Counties surrounding it. In addition to the summer program, they are working to make a permanent difference; seeking more participants, more sponsors and growth of the program for the foreseeable future. As a group working to encourage all businesses to recycle, it brings us great joy to present this award to Scott for this breakthrough in recycling.

After two years, threats of nuclear plant closures and an end of state solar financing, the Governor just signed the the Climate & Equitable Jobs Act. This legislation is considered the nation’s most equitable climate legislation, and of special significance in a coal producing state because it phases out the use of coal for electricity by 2045. While not related to recycling, it is significant as it reduces pollution and makes efforts to address recycling of solar panels more imperative. The switch to electric vehicles, including trucks, is also related to our industry.

Register today for the next

Recycling is Infrastructure Too Campaign webinar!

Registration is also open for the (virtual) National Recycling Congress presented by the National Recycling Coalition. Register here for this 2-day virtual event on November 3-4, 2021

Registration is also open for the National Zero Waste virtual Conference presented by Zero Waste USA. Register here for this 2-day virtual event on December 8-9, 2021.

Click Here to see their positions on the Board, their pictures, their bios.

Churches Caring for Creation (CC4C), a mission-based environmental organization in Norman OK, currently operates two “Styro-Stations” in local churches which are open to the public for dropping off foam recycling. Materials accepted include foam cups, plates, clamshell take-out containers, meat trays, egg cartons and coolers. CC4C received a $23,000 grant from the Foodservice Packaging Institute’s Foam Recycling Coalition (FRC) to add a foam densifier to its current operations. With this new equipment, CC4C can expand its operations from two drop offs to providing collection events for an additional five neighboring towns, providing access to foam recycling to approximately 90,000 more households. CC4C is the 20th grant recipient to receive FRC funding since 2015. Over 4 million additional residents in the US and Canada can recycle foam as a result of FRC grants. Visit www.RecycleFoam.org to learn about foam recycling, read about previous recipients or apply for a grant.

Tired of the chasing arrow symbol causing confusion? Some states are working to address the issue. https://wasteadvantagemag.com/truth-in-labeling-bill-to-prohibit-chasing-arrow-symbol-on-unrecyclable-products/