Recycling Collection For Fluorescent Tubes, Styrofoam, Electronics, Batteries -- Saturday

On Saturday, January 10th, the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County (EDMC) will conduct a recycling collection for fluorescent tubes, Styrofoam™, electronics, and batteries from 9 a.m. until noon at the Metra Station parking lot, 4005 Main Street, in McHenry. They continue to collect certain items which are not usually accepted by curbside programs, and which would be harmful to the environment if put in a landfill. It costs them to recycle these unusual items and therefore donations of any size would be appreciated from all who bring materials to the drive. 

The Defenders’ will take household batteries, car batteries, fluorescent tubes, clean Styrofoam™, VHS & Cassette tapes, CDs, DVDs, packing peanuts and re-usable, unpopped bubble wrap. Electronics, such as computers, televisions, phones, printers, clean microwaves, and electronic toys, are accepted. TVs and computer monitors will be accepted for a donation of $10-$35. (Become a new member of EDMC at the recycling drive, at the Basic or higher level, and get two coupons to recycle a television or monitor for FREE!)

There are alternate drop off sites for electronics:  Algonquin Township Road District in Crystal Lake, 847-639-2700 X6, Computer Recycling Center in Crystal Lake (computers only), 815-455-6300 (call for information) and Lakewood's electronics drop-off site at 6570 Haligus Road, south of Ballard Rd. Styrofoam can be dropped off any time at the Lakewood Village Hall or the Lakewood Public Works building on Haligus Road.

USAgain Clothes Collection System (http://www.usagain.com) will be providing a truck at each EDMC drive to accept any kind of cloth items—clothing, linens, or just plain rags, clean and bagged.  They will also accept shoes, tied together by their laces and placed in the bag. 

You can donate aluminum cans at all recycling drives to help fund their educational and advocacy programs.

Defenders recycling drives are held monthly on the second Saturday, alternating between McHenry in odd-numbered months and Woodstock in even-numbered months.  Area residents may drive up and drop off their recyclables with Defenders’ volunteers, who help to unload and sort the materials.

For more information about the recycling schedule and types of materials accepted, or to access the Green Guide recycling directory which is put out annually by the Lou Marchi Total Recycling Institute at MCC, visit the Defenders’ website at http://www.mcdef.org/recycling_information.htm, or find them on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/EnvironmentalDefenders.

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the environment. The group provides the community with educational programs and volunteer action on pollution prevention, sustainable land use and energy and natural resource conservation. Donations are encouraged and are tax-deductible as charitable contributions.  For more information, visit www.mcdef.org or call 815-338-0393.