PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Michael Brown, (309) 454-3169 x.11
For immediate release: June 17, 2019
With early support from numerous local partners and sponsors, the Ecology Action Center (EAC) is optimistic about a local hazardous waste collection in the near future. Illinois Farm Bureau® (IFB), Compeer Financial, Rivian Automotive, Republic Services, Henson Disposal and Recycling, and Area Disposal Services have all pledged their support for the tentative fall 2019 McLean County Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection event. These entities join the City of Bloomington, McLean County, and the Town of Normal as part of a unique public-private partnership led by the EAC.
“We are one of only a handful of Illinois communities stepping up to provide for HHW collection in the absence of reliable Illinois EPA funding and the only community anywhere that I am aware of that provides this service through a combination of public and private funding,” said Michael Brown, Executive Director of the Ecology Action Center. “We encourage all local residents to donate to the McLean County HHW Fund and support this important effort.”
As the solid waste agency for McLean County, Bloomington, and Normal, the EAC is responsible for coordinating Household Hazardous Waste Collection for the community. However, the traditional funding for these events through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) has become very irregular and infrequent. The McLean County HHW Fund was created to meet the need and has provided for three successful local HHW collections and nearly 75,000 gallons of hazardous wastes collected for safe disposal.
The EAC has set a fundraising goal for the 2019 HHW Fund of $35,000 to allow for a growing awareness of the need for proper hazardous waste disposal and related increases in attendance at the fall HHW collection. The EAC asks local residents to make tax-deductible donations online; businesses interested in sponsorship opportunities can contact Michael Brown at [email protected] or 309-454-3169 x.11.
Improper disposal of household hazardous wastes pollutes local water supplies and the environment. Whether it is thrown out with regular trash going to a municipal waste landfill, dumped illegally down the drain, storm sewer, or in a ditch, these actions compromise the safety of drinking water thereby threatening the health and well-being of area residents.
Free resources include a notification email list for HHW updates, instructions on disposal of nonhazardous latex paint, suggestions on alternative (non-hazardous) products, and information on the EAC’s Yard Smart program, promoting sustainable landscaping and gardening with less synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
The Ecology Action Center is a not-for-profit environmental agency with a mission to inspire and assist local residents in creating, strengthening and preserving a healthy environment. The EAC acts as a central resource for environmental education, information, outreach, and technical assistance in McLean County.
