​​News & Announcements, May 2024:​​​​​​​

​Presentation: Composting for Everyone, Batavia, May 8: ​Celebrate International Compost Awareness Week in style by learning about composting in Kane County! The Kane County Recycling Program Coordinator will present and answer questions about transforming yard waste and food scraps into "black gold" for the garden at Batavia Public Library, Weds., May 8th, 7 - 8pm. Please complete free registration here. 

Spring Composter & Rain Barrel Pick-up, May 10: ​Orders for the sale are closed. Pick up of purchased items will be on the afternoon of May 10th at the LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles from 3pm - 6pm. 

Next Kane County Recycling Pop-Up, in NORTH Aurora, June 1: The e-Works box-truck & staff will be collecting recyclables, including electronics (fees for TVs and computer monitors), clothing and textiles, cardboard, books, and paper in the parking lot of North Aurora Police Department, 200 S. Lincolnway Street, North Aurora from 9am - noon on Saturday, June 1, 2024. See more about item acceptance and fe​e-carrying items on our Centers page - Look under the Aurora pop-up. 

Aurora Electronics Recycling Event, June 22: Unilock is hosting a public e-waste collection at its 301 E. Sullivan Road location in Aurora on Sat. June 22 from 9am - 2pm. Note that the Unilock event will not accept CRT (box)​ TVs or alkaline batteries.

Kane County Recycles 2024 Green Guide: We have a new 12-page guide covering waste reduction and sustainability info for Kane County residents. You can download a PDF of the guide today. If you're on our mailing list, print copies will be arriving in your mail box soon, and bulk distribution to municipal buildings, libraries, etc. is continuing through mid-March.​

Battery Awareness: ​The Kane County Recycling Coordinator recently worked with peers to develop some statewide guidance (see website and Facebook). Need to know where to recycle batteries in Kane County? Here's the scoop! Do you think you might have a "spicy pillow" (a.k.a. a damaged lithium-ion battery) on your hands? Kane County residents can r​educe fire​ risks by learning how to recognize damaged batteries, where to take them​, and how to prevent battery damage in the first place right here!

Updated Medication Take-Back Options: ​We have updated our medications page with new info for drop-off kiosks and mail-in options provided through the Illinois Drug Take-Back Act. The page now includes a custom map of Kane County take-back kiosks funded through the program. 

New "Bits and Pieces" Self-Service Kiosk at Fabyan: We are happy to ​announce the availability of a four-bin kiosk at the Fabyan Recycling Center for small hard-to-recycle items. These items are being collected to benefit existing local organizations or programs. The items accepted at the Kiosk are: Bin 1 - ink jet cartridges​; Bin 2 - dry art and school supplies (what does that mean? glad you asked - we have a full list here​); Bin 3 - eyeglasses and hearing aids; Bin 4 - can caddy holders and mul​ti-beverage ring holders. Kiosk items only may be dropped off when the site is open and after-hours or on weekends. All other site materials (electronics, clothing, aerosols, books, paper) may only be brought in during normal site hours (8am- 4pm Mon - Fri).

Kane's First Plastic Bag Ordinance: Did you know that Kane County's first plastic bag ordinance in City of Batavia goes into effect soon, on July 1st? We updated our Plastic Bags and Films page to include information on the ordinance. We also made a new page on Reusable Shopping Bags with our recommendations for the best bag types, tips on reusable bag hygiene and more. Finally, we'll be doing some reusable bag reviews in Kane County Connects next month. Stay tuned!

Think Spring = Yard Waste Season: ​Ahead of spring clean up, we updated our Landscape Waste​ page, which includes information​ and links for regular curbside yard waste programs, and for brush collection programs. As a reminder, some yard waste programs allow food scraps to be mixed in​. ​​​​

New Recycling Center Guide: ​The information inside is mostly unchanged, but we gave our PDF Recycling Center Guide a redesign to improve form and function. 

Green Your Next Remodeling Project: Cons​truction or demolition debris (CDD) results from building, remodeling and demolition projects, both large and small. See our recent article in Kane County Connects for tips on how to lessen impacts and dispose of materials responsibly. Or skip straight to our new CDD page to find businesses providing CDD handling services locally.​