A big Earth Day thank-you from Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency

Dear Editor:

In observance of Earth Day, the Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency would like to acknowledge the following individuals, businesses, organizations and agencies that have assisted the agency over the past year. It is with their support, cooperation and assistance that the Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency is able to provide many of recycling opportunities offered in the county.

The glass recycling program, in its 10th year, continues to grow annually. In 2013, over 48,000 pounds of glass was collected and removed from the local waste stream. The Joint Solid Waste Agency continues to partner with Verallia Saint-Gobain Containers and the Lincoln Woman's Club to sponsor the program. Volunteers from Lincoln Woman's Club work the collections, and without their assistance, the glass recycling program would not be possible, due to the labor-intensive aspect of inspecting the glass for contamination. The participation of Verallia Saint-Gobain Containers was crucial in the development of the glass recycling program, for without it, there would be no local recycling market for the glass. Glass collected is taken to the Verallia Saint-Gobain Containers plant, where it is crushed into cullet and reused in the production of new glass containers. Proceeds from the glass collection are divided between the waste agency and the Lincoln Woman's Club and are used to support projects such as the Recycled Materials Division in the Art Department of the Logan County Fair.

In 2013, the agency co-sponsored two confidential on-site paper shredding events with the State Bank of Lincoln. Without State Bank of Lincoln's sponsorship, these events would not be available to the public, due to cost of the program. Several hundred households participated in the two events, with approximately 5,800 pounds of shred collected. The nearly 3 tons of paper was taken to Midwest Fiber in Normal, where it was baled and sent on to a paper manufacturer for processing.

The agency continues its longtime partnership with the Logan County Fair Association as a collection site for many of its recycling events. The Logan County Fairgrounds has served as the site for household hazardous waste, electronics, white goods and tire collections in the past and continues as the collection site for glass recycling. The agency appreciates the ongoing support of the Logan County Fair Association and its board.

The Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency, in partnership with the Illinois EPA, sponsored a used tire collection with local units of government in July of 2013 to collect illegally dumped used tires removed from public roads or rights of way. Participants included 10 townships, the city of Atlanta and Logan County. Approximately 400 car tires, or 4.95 tons, were collected.

In its second year of electronics recycling, Habitat for Humanity of Logan County collected over 144,205 pounds of electronic equipment, including computers, TVs and other household electronics. Monthly collections are the second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon at the Habitat for Humanity warehouse, on the corner of Woodlawn and Jefferson streets in Lincoln.

The agency would also like to acknowledge Walt and Julie Landers and the drivers of Area Disposal who are always willing to assist the program when needed — such as removing garbage left at recycling sites throughout the county. While the agency contracts with Area Disposal for the transportation of its recyclable materials, Walt and Julie and the Area Disposal staff have gone above and beyond in assisting the program. The Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency looks forward to continuing to work with Walt Landers in his new position as Lincoln street and alley superintendent.

The agency would like to thank the Lincoln Street and Alley Department staff, as well as the town and village workers who keep collection sites throughout the county accessible year-round. These workers maintain the area around the collection bins, ensuring the safety of those using the sites. Their staff have also assisted in the removal of non-recyclable items left at the bins.

Lastly, I would like to thank the board of the Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency for their continuing guidance and support. The agency's board, made up of representatives from across Logan County, strives to provide a quality recycling program for county residents. Their dedication to the agency and the ideals of recycling is evident in the continued expansion of the program.

Without the assistance of these individuals, governmental agencies, civic organizations and local businesses, the Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency would be unable to provide many of the special collections it currently offers. The Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency is grateful for the ongoing partnerships and support demonstrated by these groups.

To access the most up-to-date information on the Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency, "like" us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/logancountyrecycling.

Sincerely,
Mitzi Rohlfs, coordinator
Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency

[Posted April 22, 2014]