Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waste Diversion Reuse topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
DuPage nonprofit SCARCE tells committee it diverted thousands of books, expanded hazardous-waste dropoffs
Summary
At the DuPage County Environmental Committee meeting Oct. 7, a SCARCE representative described book‑reuse efforts, instrument and school-supply donations, new hazardous‑waste grants and upcoming events that organizers say will keep material out of landfills.
A SCARCE representative told the DuPage County Environmental Committee on Oct. 7 that the nonprofit significantly increased reuse and recycling activity this summer and early fall, rescuing books and other materials from landfill and expanding hazardous‑waste collection programs.
The presentation detailed program activity and why it matters locally. "Between June 1 and Aug. 29, 2,235 teachers chose over 45,000 books," the SCARCE representative said, and volunteers — described in the presentation as 115 people — inspect and restock the materials. The group also reported recycling 116,000 pounds of damaged or unsalvageable books, cardboard and paper from July through September.
SCARCE described multiple community efforts: a busy Stemapalooza event with about 27–28 hands‑on activities, a book reuse program that supplies multilingual classroom materials (the presenter said more than 100 languages are spoken in DuPage County), and a laundromat literacy program that has grown to about 22 locations. The group also highlighted donations of musical instruments and classroom paper from businesses, and an Eagle Scout project that produced 30 bookcases for literacy sites.
The presentation noted work to repurpose materials from a closing paper facility in Addison, identifying the firm as Domtar and saying volunteers made three van pickups of rolled paper used by schools for bulletin boards. SCARCE said repair grants covered cleaning and parts for donated instruments and described ongoing outreach connecting items with classroom needs.
On hazardous‑waste handling, the presenter said SCARCE received a DuPage County member initiative program grant, funding from the Chicago Area Hazardous Materials Management Association and a small grant from the Growth Foundation (Downers Grove) to expand collection and safe disposal of smoke detectors containing radioactive components (americium). "We got 29 smoke detectors" at a recent event, the presenter said, and organizers hope to fill four collection bins this month; planned collection events include a Downers Grove fire station event and a Oct. 18 collection at St. John Lutheran Church in Darien.
SCARCE also reviewed recycling collection events this year: the group counted 774 cars at a recent Downers Grove event and 208 cars at Wood Dale; a Winfield Township event had roughly 400 cars, organizers said. Other programs noted included a countywide pumpkin‑composting "pumpkin smash," cooking‑oil collection (turned into biofuel), and partnerships with municipal environmental commissions and volunteer groups.
Vice Chair Lucy Evans thanked SCARCE and said: "It's amazing how much stuff that you can save from going into the landfill." The committee did not take formal action on the presentation; the item was informational.
Committee staff and the presenter said event dates and program details are posted on SCARCE's and the county website.
