[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6180696,"mediaKeyId","5116873-ae16e377897c8d248875ff04f6616fda","parentId",5116873,"title","County’s Switch Together group-buy reports 111 installations, adds 1,107 kilowatts; staff urges residents to act while incentives remain","audioSeconds",150,"startMs",1458000,"endMs",1608000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5116873-ae16e377897c8d248875ff04f6616fda&start=1458&end=1608","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5116873-ae16e377897c8d248875ff04f6616fda/thumbnail_1458000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6180696/DuPage-County/Illinois/Countys-Switch-Together-group-buy-reports-111-installations-adds-1107-kilowatts-staff-urges-residents-to-act-while-incentives-remain","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6180696-9cb41c56c5a7935747ee1549077527e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770749053&Signature=kcgg~KudMv7DtpHGQGiKuw4avQJUTAFeWhCOad6eVVOl5veIk-cbPPy99uLaehkXBV7fwK6D8ZrqCKs5J4FFmgkSO-e1dCsf9-~bL~IxLybOjfV8C~26BD~gq7F26TfZ4fmJcquStYl00qxWOkllvWO8VXMFlBzXbLL8B-jEXcY2j1mIc~bEk0L18Tj3S-Ov4N3y6V90RwTWTRSUNipvzs1z2Yc-vDru6HevRaarxQbAAlFUBnw9q0Ph~7G~~dZRGvEr~Pzm7ratm-YjWQiP8KMHXgvcA4eSFpIzULN142Y~7j7uYNOVO1GPqQmIKMhvOrWpz-vsvYrM9-IMMmC51w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","DuPage County, IL","date","2025-07-02T12:43:21.137Z","article","A staff member updated the DuPage County Environmental Committee on the Switch Together solar group-buy campaign and said the program has led to 111 residential installations representing roughly 1,107 kilowatts of added solar capacity.

“Since the start of the program, we’ve had actually a 111 installations. So 1,107 kilowatts that were added solar capacity,” the staff member said. The presenter said 93 households accepted solar offers during the current campaign period and that the county’s letter — signed by Sheila — will be mailed to residents to notify them the outreach is legitimate.

Staff said the program uses a group-buy model to reduce costs and help residents access incentives, and that some federal and state incentives begin to decline in 2026. “If you’re gonna do it, do it now,” the presenter said, summarizing the timeline for favorable incentives.

The effort has partnered with iChooser and previous partners including the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), the presenter said; staff will continue to post information on the county website and include the program in mailed newsletters.

Committee members asked about legitimacy and complaints on social media; staff said the county letter and website materials aim to preempt scams and that staff will respond to questions from residents who call the county.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","DuPage County Environmental Committee Meeting, Tuesday 7/1/25","oneSentenceSummary","County staff said the Switch Together summer 2025 solar group-buy has resulted in 111 installations and added about 1,107 kilowatts of capacity; staff encouraged residents to participate soon as incentives decline in 2026.","taxTitle","DuPage County, Illinois","taxId",2547,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6180700,"County staff outline rollout of Illinois Battery Stewardship Act, state program to expand battery recycling starting Jan. 1, 2026",136,1206000,1342000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5116873-ae16e377897c8d248875ff04f6616fda&start=1206&end=1342","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5116873-ae16e377897c8d248875ff04f6616fda/thumbnail_1206000.jpg","/articles/6180700/DuPage-County/Illinois/County-staff-outline-rollout-of-Illinois-Battery-Stewardship-Act-state-program-to-expand-battery-recycling-starting-Jan-1-2026","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6180700-caa8325dc3bd56e8cc963cdf8f5cf7f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770749053&Signature=klBCYJYyibxMYEro3oEwafHc2dCnTdMbj5XwLiCp4dcyQyCEAcMWNI83tEoTohGRVoPZysZ5TNFTkWzs34xZlhkkb7AWbyX2sfGcYEKLBAY0gdSW0PK5jA~f~QdvNWtQqAnb6XpQTURP0lalO1ceP4Y73RO14mKqZbfBaR8vyfI2Ej6dcgMBxwy05xFhEBm09ajUVPS5yYn1IrOwDgLz8B8gx6WqzxzNCNkHAzg4VfweFPIx2EmJyAhCMLa0xHFdD3HgOWw9f8WDB0mpuAQl~x7SWG1LrII-nAKESihFH3k0TdSOOyEJe6o3IvbRkThwIiZ1M05r2MA5LMDpB7fkEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A staff member told the DuPage County Environmental Committee that the Illinois Battery Stewardship Act will begin state-wide implementation on Jan. 1, 2026, creating a product stewardship program for primary and rechargeable portable batteries.

“The Illinois Battery Stewardship Act… will launch 01/01/2026,” the staff member said. The staff member said the law initially covers smaller portable batteries and that larger battery types — such as e-bike packs and other high-capacity batteries — are slated to be accepted under later phases, with 2028 mentioned as a rollout target for larger units.

Staff said the state has allocated grant funding that will be made available to communities this fall to support new drop-off sites and that DuPage County staff are discussing potential local collection points. The presenter said many current drop-offs take only rechargeable batteries and that the stewardship program will expand primary battery collection across the state.

Committee members asked how collected batteries are processed. The presenter said the product stewardship organization operating under the law is required to recycle collected batteries and cited lithium as a valuable feedstock that can reduce dependence on foreign supply chains. The presenter described the state contract for recycling as more stringent in its most recent form, though county staff said they would follow up with specific contract details.

No formal action or vote followed the briefing; committee members asked staff to monitor the grant solicitation and work with municipalities on potential local drop-off locations.","Committee was briefed on the Illinois Battery Stewardship Act, which staff said will require statewide battery recycling for portable primary and rechargeable batteries beginning Jan. 1, 2026, with larger batteries phased in by 2028 and state grant funding to support local drop-off sites.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6180705,"County staff, Chicago Region Trees Initiative plant 38 trees on campus; county to water new trees for three years",168,1068000,1236000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5116873-ae16e377897c8d248875ff04f6616fda&start=1068&end=1236","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5116873-ae16e377897c8d248875ff04f6616fda/thumbnail_1068000.jpg","/articles/6180705/DuPage-County/Illinois/County-staff-Chicago-Region-Trees-Initiative-plant-38-trees-on-campus-county-to-water-new-trees-for-three-years","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6180705-9498b3ba29a81e4ac070f8288705a347/orig.mp4?Expires=1770749053&Signature=YDqFhiLmBzmXcsGLq-njkkwq5-UG5XA2x1Qi6VmP9NroM4FHhV20-Wg3GbH6lFI3pgyIRcShZMwmdXOqq3kbwjqImiLfGyWMNg43agUyBXQzgfpEoa4OCu~DUDA1hB7LjOWuMG~5C55vOfcj3zxhkB2o7hLPCZ4NcGi6bs3KCzjxlrRW1Lt6GAXNjLTonypVOyGrL7bfdOgFsLDCkOdasmaemMEao-ZETpBxV1R1ILQrbGWO1TdXk7uomGDLjmLIKOd8pSBPTCrzSvHt1vbsQn3iGK73ZikLI87p0tLh-1-lGKO3c2jH6R9FmAg4p7CSZhpETXJmdp-uCYNa7H181w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Staff member Jen Moyer told the DuPage County Environmental Committee that the county partnered with the Chicago Region Trees Initiative and its crew to plant 38 trees on campus in May and to train grounds staff.

“They brought a crew. They provided 24 hours of labor alongside our crew,” Jen Moyer said. She said the campus has planted close to 500 trees in the last 10 years and emphasized that most recent plantings are native species.

Moyer said the county signed an agreement to water the new trees for three years and that newly planted small trees will receive soaker or “gator” bags for the first year. “We actually signed an agreement saying that we are responsible for watering for the next 3 years,” she said.

Moyer described the partnership as both a planting and professional-development opportunity for campus grounds staff. The committee asked how the watering and early-care maintenance would be monitored; Moyer said staff will check gator bags and irrigate when rainfall is insufficient.

The presentation noted the partnership involved species selection from the Chicago Region Trees Initiative’s recommended list and aimed to increase the share of native trees on campus. Committee members thanked Moyer and had no follow-up actions or votes.","County staff and the Chicago Region Trees Initiative planted 38 trees on county campus in May, bringing the campus’s decade-long total to nearly 500 plantings and providing on-the-job training for grounds staff.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6180709,"SCARCE reports rise in community recycling events, warns of fires and hazards at sorting facility",997,69000,1066000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5116873-ae16e377897c8d248875ff04f6616fda&start=69&end=1066","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5116873-ae16e377897c8d248875ff04f6616fda/thumbnail_69000.jpg","/articles/6180709/DuPage-County/Illinois/SCARCE-reports-rise-in-community-recycling-events-warns-of-fires-and-hazards-at-sorting-facility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6180709-72cd8264377f6df8c9f1280528aa6f7d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770749053&Signature=bvJj~zE6HWkemwyy1c1CFNFb-lOV3WkYTpeg-pgPRUJ3YpHsdbgpsVmACEfv2~22BoIkleimqz19ue4oMSE3qOwPwATkWCoAWAdAVdowHpK2v31p9PlEnlr-F-jPQG00tA6U07eqHwHZ8QdWe5-MxwRU-odWYcuw6x-dqUJXqtpT647XQJr1RjfWSapV9d5bc5DzZEuL9cLWO902SNsObgaAkHdJNvz6oDQUzL9TM6hggsj3MVuCFY5kOX3LNcdLAEpH~fvmOzEltZ0NOm0YVE9K2I02ngq5HmEN8O4Ue~vK5~7YRBBxLyVjLXs8v5lzxdC-zZFliOYFrVyg8i8PtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kaye, a presenter from SCARCE, told the DuPage County Environmental Committee that SCARCE’s spring programs drew hundreds and expanded recycling options while also flagging worker safety issues at local material recovery facilities.

SCARCE hosted a Garden Market with 28 vendors and counted “over 600 people attend,” Kaye said, and ran composting workshops, teacher training and community recycling events that together reached “almost 3,000 people” from April through June. She said SCARCE’s spring collections also yielded 70,000 pounds of books, paper and cardboard.

Those outreach efforts are intended to reduce landfill waste and increase reuse. “We try to reach a variety of people at their interest level or their concern level so we get a broader range of people coming in and learning steps they can take,” Kaye said.

Alongside those successes, SCARCE described safety problems at the region’s material recovery facility operated by Groot. Kaye said facility staff report a high rate of injuries and hazards caused by improper sorting: “they’re having about 4 fires a month,” she said, and staff frequently encounter syringes and other hazardous items. Kaye said the facility fills a 55-gallon drum with syringes roughly every three to four weeks and that employees face daily risks from hidden lithium batteries and medical waste.

SCARCE showed examples of items that should not be placed in home recycling and said the nonprofit is boosting public education after reporting incidents such as a live snake and partial animal carcasses arriving in recycling carts. Kaye said the human sorters at the plant remain vulnerable despite automation improvements.

The presentation also highlighted community-level solutions. SCARCE volunteers built and sold home compost bins using scrap lumber and wire mesh and promoted tree-planting and native-plant sales. Kaye said the group worked with schools to remove single-use black plastic lunch trays districtwide and supported student-led environmental clubs.

The committee asked for follow-up information about where residents can take syringes and EpiPens and about outreach to veterinarians and physicians to prevent medical waste from entering curbside recycling. SCARCE noted an upcoming October collection event intended to give residents proper disposal options and to reduce hazards at the sorting facility.

Committee members thanked the presenter and had no formal vote on the report.","SCARCE told DuPage County officials about expanded composting and recycling outreach — including a 600-person garden market and 70,000 pounds of books and paper recycled April–June — and relayed safety concerns at the Groot recycling facility, including frequent fires and daily needle finds.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County’s Switch Together group-buy reports 111 installations, adds 1,107 kilowatts; staff urges residents to act while incentives remain

County staff outline rollout of Illinois Battery Stewardship Act, state program to expand battery recycling starting Jan. 1, 2026

County staff, Chicago Region Trees Initiative plant 38 trees on campus; county to water new trees for three years

SCARCE reports rise in community recycling events, warns of fires and hazards at sorting facility