DuPage County committee hears calls to remove single‑use plastic bottles; staff warn of impacts to care center revenue and residents

Jacqueline Casaza, president and co‑founder of the environmental nonprofit Go Green Glen Ellen, and Wendy Vernon, plastic‑reduction chair for the River Prairie Group chapter of the Sierra Club, urged the DuPage County Sustainability Committee to stop selling single‑use plastic water bottles in county vending machines and cafeterias.

Casaza told the committee the county should reduce single‑use plastics because of potential health and environmental risks: “I would strongly support this,” she said, and recommended installing refill stations and, if single‑use containers are still necessary, offering single‑use aluminum bottles while ensuring a recycling system for them.

The committee received a detailed operational briefing from Diane Worski, manager of support services at the county care center, who said the care center has already replaced many disposable…