• This month, Kane County Connects will highlight the organizations that are working to conserve and protect our local environment. Check out this “Countdown to Earth Day” feature every day from now until April 22 to learn more about the people and projects that are helping to improve sustainability throughout the Fox Valley. This article was submitted by Recycling Coordinator Jennifer Jarland, with photos by Resource Management Coordinator Cecilia Govrik.
  

Kane County’s first recycling event of 2016 recycled tons – 100 tons to be precise!

Kane County Recycling Coordinator Jennifer Jarland said the event, held Saturday at the Kane County branch court on Randall Road in St. Charles, was a logistics challenge but a huge success, made possible through the assistance of three score of volunteers and traffic-control help from the county’s Office of Emergency Management.

“A beautiful, sunny day accented by a cold wind kept us hopping,” Jarland said. “We gratefully had a total of about 60 volunteers, county staff, and partner companies working at the event to help unload vehicles and guide traffic.”

During the course of the event, which ran from 8 a.m. to noon, Kane County Recycles served about 1,600 residents on Saturday. If you do the math, that translates to more than six cars per minute total and about four per minute through the electronics line.

“I’m not even sure how that is possible, but we did it!” Jarland said. “The event normally serves 600 to 800 cars, so this was definitely a bumper-to-bumper event.”

Jarland said a big thank you goes out to the “stalwart volunteer traffic officers” from the Kane County Office of Emergency Management, who kept every one safe and progressing through the lines.

By the Numbers

Here’s what was brought in by Kane County residents for recycling:

• 7,000 pounds of books (reused and recycled)
• 700 pounds of cardboard (from the boxes that people brought stuff in)
• 24,000 pounds of shredded documents (two full trucks)
• 6,500 pounds of paint (655 cans of paint)

That’s a 38,200 pound subtotal, PLUS….

“We don’t have the final weight yet, but we filled eight 53-foot trailers with electronics!” Jarland said. “Based on past records I’d estimate that we collected around  … ”

• 165,000 pounds of electronics.

That’s total of 203,200 pounds of material recycled!

“That is a crazy amount of material,” Jarland said. “In fact, it is close in weight to two Endeavor Space Shuttles!”

Remember, There Are 7 More Events in 2016

The Kane County Electronics Recycling collection events are held from 8 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of each month, from April through November, at 540 S. Randall Road in St. Charles.

Remaining dates in 2016 are: May 14, June 11, July 9, Aug. 13, Sept. 10, Oct. 8 and Nov. 12.

Electronics and books will be accepted at all events. Check online for a list of the additional items we will accept at certain events throughout the year. Please note that these events are for Kane County residents only.

3-TV limit

Kane County will accept up to three TVs per car of any type, size or age. The county cannot take any more than three TVs per car in order to equally serve as many residents as possible. Large loads of TVs will not be accepted.

Kane County Recycling Events Are Not for Businesses to Use

This program is for Kane County residents only. Loads from landscapers or other entrepreneurs who have collected from clients will not be accepted. Businesses, institutions, schools, and non-profits may not use this event, but must contract for recycling services from a certified electronics recycler.

SOURCE: Kane County Recycles