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DuPage committee hears recap of heavy spring recycling activity and compost workshops from SCARCE
Summary
A SCARCE representative reported a busy April of recycling events, large paper and medical-waste collections and upcoming composting workshops during International Compost Awareness Week; committee chair also noted success of the 2025 campaign sign recycling event.
DuPage County Environmental Committee members heard a report on May 6 about a busy April for local recycling events and upcoming composting workshops tied to International Compost Awareness Week.
Committee Chair Sheila Rutledge opened the meeting by praising the 2025 campaign sign recycling event, saying organizers “literally had to pack down the dumpster because it was overflowing.” Kaye, speaking for SCARCE, gave a detailed recap of recent events and education efforts and highlighted upcoming workshops and partnerships with local food pantries.
Kaye said SCARCE held eight recycling events in April and detailed the Wheaton event’s volumes: “At the Wheaton event, we did 30,000 pounds of paper. We filled all bucks. They had to leave half hour early. Started early, but they were full bulging at the sides.” She also said the events collected a high volume of syringes and medications: “we did 8 containers of syringes and epi pens and, 3 containers of medicine.” Kaye described one participant who said she brought 500 campaign signs.
The SCARCE speaker noted International Compost Awareness Week workshops and local compost-market activity, and referenced a South Side commercial composting operation: “it is called Green Era. It's Downtown Chicago. It's an amazing facility,” and described the facility’s deep-packaging capability. SCARCE said it is supporting composting at local food pantries and school efforts to remove black plastic lunch containers.
Committee members and staff exchanged logistics and thanked volunteers; no formal action was taken. Committee members asked that SCARCE and county staff continue outreach about composting workshops and the county’s recycling events schedule.
The public recap covered community education, event metrics and invitations for committee members to promote upcoming workshops and the Sustainable DuPage tool demonstration earlier in the meeting.
