Service will be offered to residents on second and fourth Tuesdays
By Megann Horstead | For The Bugle
sweditor@buglenewspapers.com
@JolietILNews
The city of Joliet has launched a new electronic recycling program, after forming a pact with Will County.
The deal, which was approved last week by the Joliet City Council, intends to provide Joliet residents with a new option for recycling electronics.
Councilwoman Jan Quillman said the deal means Joliet residents won’t have to see line items added to their monthly water and sewer bills.
“That’s what makes this a sweet deal for folks,” she said.
For those looking to utilize the new service, recycling began Oct. 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Will County parking lot located at the corner Marion and Ottawa streets. The service is expected to continue operating on site on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month during an agreed upon timeframe.
Joliet and Will County residents will be allowed to drop off up to two television sets and an unlimited amount of other electronics, according to the agreement. Residents will be required to show identification in order to use the service.
Until last week, Will County operated four recycling locations with limited days and hours in Lockport, Peotone, New Lenox and Romeoville.
The previous electronic collection program in Joliet, dubbed Recyclepalooza, came to a halt about a year ago, city officials said. Those events weren’t provided as frequently as the new electronic recycling program.
Joliet City Manager Jim Hock said issues previously seen at recycling events in the city are addressed under the new pact.
“Last year, they did two programs, Recyclepalooza, and it was a huge major drop off,” Hock said. “Because of the logistics and increased participation of those programs, there were lines all the way out to JJC. They couldn’t loop them back and forth enough and drop them off in time, so that’s why we’re changing the program.”
The city will pay Will County up to $10,000 from the general fund to account for one year’s cost of the program.
To date, Joliet officials have only approved funding through February.
At that time, the city will review community input gathered through a Waste Management survey regarding door-to-door electronic recycling pickup service to decide if that’s a better option. That service would cost taxpayers $15 a year, and it is setup to include disposal of all hazardous materials, in addition to electronic recycling.
Hock said he would bring the results of the Waste Management survey to city officials’ attention to decide what course of action is necessary.