I live in Chicago and we have one of the worst recycling rates in the country, even for valuable materials like aluminum. I have read about the Oregon bottle bill which has been successful.
I live in Chicago and we have one of the worst recycling rates in the country, even for valuable materials like aluminum. I have read about the Oregon bottle bill which has been successful.
The conclusion I’ve come to is location and space. Basically we need tight local hubs where people can drop off their recyclables at no cost. Then volunteers can sort these recyclables. You take the efforts of scrappers who prowl the alleys, and the efforts of people who want to recycle their materials and have a synergistic solution which costs nearly nothing if the government cooperates.
People are barely willing to take their recycling to the alley, I doubt they’ll schlep it to a pickup site for free, especially since so many Chicagoans don’t have cars or wheelbarrows or bike trailers.
And getting volunteers to sort it? That’s another no-sell.
We need solutions, and I’m glad you’re thinking about it, but keep thinking.
I just emailed House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, and Representative Maurice A. West, II about Release HB 1089 (Illinois Container Fee and Deposit Act) from Rules Committee. 😂