Come to the Green Side

Schaumburg Township has established an on-site, medicine drop-off box in their parking lot at 1 Illinois Boulevard in Hoffman Estates. Anyone with unused and expired prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs can drop them inside the box.

If you’re looking for an alternative way to recycle your small electronics, check out these available options:

• Nikon Trade-In Program for cameras and lens
• GameStop Trade-In program for iPhones, smartphones, tablets, wearables, consoles, video games, controllers, retro gaming
• Best Buy Trade-In program for cell phones, tablets, e-readers, gaming hardware, computers, cameras, camcorders, wearable technology, smart home devices, fitness equipment
• Walmart CExchange program for cell phones, tablets, game consoles, voice speakers, laptops, wearables
• Amazon Recycling program for small home electronics and and components

They all operate a bit differently so find that one that is right for you.

The Rotary Club of Schaumburg-Hoffman Estates, in conjunction with Blue Star recyclers, is celebrating Earth Day with a Community Electronics Recycling Event.

It will be held from 3-6 p.m. on Thursday, April 22 at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg parking lot, 1800 E. Golf Road.

The event will be socially distanced and will follow all Covid-19 restrictions.

Recycling fees apply based on the item.

Accepted items include: laptops, desktops, printers, keyboards, DVD and VCR players, stereos, video game players, cell phones, printers, fax machines, AV equipment, microwaves, hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, fans.

Large appliances, thermostats, and smoke/CO2 detectors will not be accepted.

What: Free Bur Oak, Pin Oak and/or Swamp White Oaks are available either bare-rooted or potted.

Where:  Egan Water Reclamation Plant, 550 S. Meacham Road, Schaumburg

When:  Wednesday mornings, 9 a.m. to noon, March – October

Who:  Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD)

Elk Grove Village, in partnership with Elk Grove High School is hosting its first Earth Day Recycling Event!

The event is scheduled for:  Saturday, April 22, 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. at the Elk Grove High School Parking Lot, 500 W. Elk Grove Boulevard.

This recycling event is for items that cannot be disposed of through the village’s weekly curbside program.  Items collected will include:

• Motor oil
• Anti-freeze
• Paint (Latex or Oil)
• CFL Light Bulbs
• Batteries
• Clothing
• Bicycles
• American Flags
• Eyeglasses
• Fire Extinguishers

This event is open to SWANNC member communities.  In Schaumburg Township, this includes Elk Grove Village and Hoffman Estates.  IDs will be checked for resident status.    

Electronic items will be accepted at the village’s Electronics and Document Destruction Event on Saturday, June 3.  

The Village of Schaumburg is serving as a collection site for donated shoes of all sizes and ages to help people in our community and across the country who live in poverty.

Please drop off gently-used, closed-toed shoes in the collection box located next to the elevator at the west entry of the Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center, 101 Schaumburg Ct.

Donated shoes will be sent to Soles4Souls, a not-for-profit global social organization committed to fighting poverty.

This collection drive is led by a Boy Scout with the Schaumburg Troop 493 as part of an Eagle Scout project.

With the closing of the ongoing electronics recycling location at the Hanover Parks Public Works garage, there has been a void for a similar spot close to Schaumburg Township.

News has reached us that the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County is now offering their services at the following location:

Cuba Township Road District Facility
28070 W. Cuba Road
Barrington
Monday thru Friday 7–2:30
Excluding holidays

The following items are accepted at this location.  Those that might be of most interest have been highlighted.

• Cable Receivers
• Cameras
• Cassette Tapes
• CD Players
• Compact Discs
• Computers (including tablets)
• Computer Drives
• Cords & Cables
• Digital Converter Boxes
• Digital Video Disc Players
• Digital Video Disc Recorders
• Electronic Keyboards
• Electronic Mice
• Facsimile Machines
• Holiday Lights
• Mainframes
• Microwave Ovens
• Modems
• Monitors
• PDA Organizers
• Portable Digital Music Players
• Printers
• Satellite Receivers
• Scanners
• Shredders
• Software Discs (floppy and zip)
• Small Household Appliances
• Small Scale Servers
• Stereos
• Tablets
• Telephones
• Televisions
• VCR Tapes
• Video Cassette Recorders
• Video Discs
• Video Game Consoles

Items NOT ACCEPTED include:

• Air Conditioners
• Broken Glass
• Dehumidifiers
• Electric Fixtures
• Fluorescent Light Bulbs
• Large Household Appliances
• Lead Acid Batteries
• Liquid or Chemical Waste
• Paint Cans
• Packaging Materials
• Fire Extinguishers
• Smoke and Fire Detectors

Thank you SWALCO!

The Schaumburg Park District will be hosting a screening of the award-winning documentary, Green Fire, which is the first feature-length documentary about the great conservationist Aldo Leopold (1887-1948).  The film was honored with an Emmy award for Best Historical Documentary at the 54th annual Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in November 2012.  

When:  Wednesday, September 3, 2014.  7:30 p.m.

Where:  Spring Valley, 1111 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg

                            More info:  Call 847-985-2100 or visit http://www.parkfun.com

At many of the local Recycling Events, people quite often bring leftover paint with them, hoping that these cans will be accepted.  Unfortunately, that is hardly ever the case.  The fact of the matter is there are very few locations in the area–let alone Schaumburg Township–where paint may be dropped off.  You might consider:

Roselle Ace Hardware
821 E. Nerge Road
Roselle, IL  (in the Cross Creek Commons Shopping Center)
630-351-2080
They will accept paint gallons and quarts for a small fee.  $2.50 for a gallon and $1.50 for a quart.

Northern Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity Re-Store
800 N. State Street
Elgin, IL  60123
(847) 742-9905
*They will accept almost-full cans that are less than a year old.

Otherwise, we offer these hints for getting rid of the paint yourself in a safe, ecological manner.

You first need to determine if it’s latex or oil-based paint.  If it is oil-based, that is considered a hazardous waste and needs to be dropped off at one of the area’s hazardous waste locations.  That list can be found below.  If it is latex, try these solutions:

• If less than one-fourth of the paint in the can still remains, simply leave it in the sun to dry out. Once solid, you can throw away the paint with the rest of your trash.
• If a lot of paint remains, brush the excess on newspaper or cardboard paper and leave it out in the sun to dry.
• Another option is to mix the paint with an equal amount of kitty litter and leave it open to dry.

The paint may then be disposed of in your trash although it is a good idea to leave the can open so that the garbage man is aware the paint is dried up.

For those of you with oil-based paint, the hazardous waste locations are:

Naperville Fire Station #4 1971 Brookdale Road Naperville, IL 630-420-4190 Saturday and Sunday, 9-2.   No latex paint.

Solid Waste Agency of Lake County 1311 N. Estes St. Gurnee, IL By appt only for all IL residents Collections on 2nd Saturday & 4th Monday; Upcoming on Feb. 13 & 22, March 13 & 22. 847-336-9340

Rockford Rock River Reclamation District 3333 Kishwaukee Rockford, IL 8-4 Sat.; 12-4 Sun. 815-387-7400.  No latex paint.

Cook County Goose Island 1150 N. Branch St. Chicago, IL 312-744-7606 Tues. 7-12; Thurs. 2-7;  1st Saturday of month 8-3.   No latex paint.

Do you have a fire extinguisher that looks something like this model?  Or, maybe you’ve had one hanging around the kitchen, basement, garage or workshop that has seen its better days?  Now is the time to switch out the old model in a safe, eco-friendly way.

The Environmental Committee of the Village of Schaumburg is hosting a free fire extinguisher recycling event for residents (no businesses.)

Saturday, November 17  10 a.m.–1 p.m. 

Schaumburg Public Safety Building
1000 W. Schaumburg Road

Once you’ve recycled the old model, be sure and update with a newer one!

Contact Martin Metreger of the Engineering and Public Works Department at 847.923.6644 if you have any questions.