Bassi Arranges Styrofoam Recycle Collection October 23
Local residents will have an opportunity to recycle bulky white styrofoam packing material close to home on Saturday, October 23, from 10am to 5pm at the Park District of Highland Park's water park parking lot thanks to a joint effort by Lake County Board member Anne Flanigan Bassi, Moraine Township, the Park District and the generosity of Abt Electronics in Glenview. Environmentalists have been eager to find a means to include this troublesome material in local recycling, but have not yet been successful. The one-day collection opportunity is planned as a collaborative trial run.
Lake County Board member Bassi (District 23) proposed that a recent advance in recycling white bulky styrofoam packing materials, noted on the County's SWALCO website, be made conveniently available to local residents. Abt Electronics has purchased equipment that converts bulky styrofoam into condensed, reusable packing material. Abt accepts materials from the public at their store in Glenview, but when contacted by Bassi representatives, they immediately agreed to bring their recycling trailer to a Highland Park location at no cost.
Bassi contacted Moraine Township Supervisor Mari Barnes, who enthusiastically endorsed the idea and enlisted the assistance of the Park District of Highland Park — and viola! On Saturday, October 23, from 10am to 5pm area residents will be able to bring boxes loaded with bulky styrofoam packing materials to the Park District's Hidden Creek AquaPark parking lot, where an Abt Electronics trailer will be placed. Anne Bassi and her many environmentalist friends, and like-minded volunteers from Moraine Township will be on hand to assist residents with the task of unloading their vehicles. Volunteers from the public are welcome to join in. Most importantly, it is hoped that the entire community participates by filling Abt's 53 foot trailer!
According to the Abt Electronics website, styrofoam takes 20,000 years to biodegrade. Instead of just disposing styrofoam into landfills, Abt has a special machine that essentially melts it down into a little pile, making it look like a coiled snake. These styrofoam coils are bagged and sent to China where they are used again. Annually, the Abt recycling center saves over 240,000 pounds of styrofoam from going to the landfill.
Bassi, a keen environmentalist, notes that "Lake County landfills are estimated to have less than 10 years left. We need to work together to find ways to generate less waste and achieve a goal of 60% recycling in Lake County by 2020 to manage our waste."
The Park District's Hidden Creek AquaPark is located conveniently just off the Deerfield/Central Avenue exit ramps at Route 41, at 1220 Fredrickson Place.
Sponsors of the recycling event hope to repeat it periodically.
Hats off to Representative Anne Bassi, Moraine Township's Mari Barnes, the Park District of Highland Park, and Abt Electronics!
Think green! Bring your clean bulky white styrofoam material to the Hidden Creek parking lot between 10am and 5pm on Saturday, October 23.
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