DECEMBER 2022 NEWSLETTER
Member Spotlight: All American Recycling
All American Recycling is a proud member of the IRF and a full-service scrap metal recycling company, specializing in recycling all ferrous and non-ferrous metals. This includes copper, aluminum, steel, lead, sheet iron, plate & structural, auto cast including rotors, brake drums, springs, and large bulk items. They have four locations: Joliet, Ford Heights, Aurora, and Chicago. Their drop-off, pick-up, and demolition processing services are available for both businesses and individuals. Their well-kept and well-organized recycling centers offer a smooth recycling experience. They also offer all the equipment necessary for larger jobs. For example, they can supply dumpsters for the removal of your scrap material. They can drop off open-top containers, van trailers or roll off boxes and collect them when they are full or send one of their trucks to your site to load materials live.

All American Recycling prides itself on their honesty, integrity, and friendly customer service by building solid business relationships that last. They never stop looking for newer and better ways to serve their customers. All American wants to improve their customer’s recycling experience and deliver top dollar for their materials. For more information on All American Recycling, please visit their website or call them directly.
Welcome Sue Steilen - NEW IRF/IRA Executive Director
After interviewing several talented and qualified candidates, the executive committee recommended hiring Sue Steilen. Both the Illinois Recycling Foundation (IRF) and the Illinois Recycling Association (IRA) Boards agreed and named Sue Steilen our new Executive Director.

Sue has held leadership positions at associations for more than 20 years and served on the boards of several non-profit organizations. For the past 12 years, she has held a variety of administrative positions at the Village of Homer Glen including coordinating electronic and hazardous waste collection events in her more recent role as their Community Events Coordinator.

Please join both the IRF and IRA Boards in welcoming Sue and be sure to call or email her about any questions related to renewing your membership, becoming a benefactor or participating in our Annual Conference. She is also happy to post your job openings and any press releases about your organization's accomplishments on the IRF social media.
REGISTER for our Upcoming Webinars
Hop into CERA!
Illinois' Covered Electronics Recycling Act for Residential Electronics Recycling
Bloomington/Normal
Thursday - January 19, 2023

The Illinois EPA and IRF are offering an in-person program to assist cities and counties with leaning into the CERA program and finding ways electronics recyclers throughout the state can be of assistance. If you recycle electronics and have any interest in working with your local community, be sure to register and attend this FREE in-person event.
This event is being sponsored by ERRO - Electronic Recycling Representative Organization. This is the PRO operating the Illinois Clearinghouse created by the Electronics EPR legislation. Over the course of the year, the PRO submits a plan to the Illinois EPA to serve all the Counties that op into the State program by March 1 of each year for the next calendar year. The CERA law requires coverage of a large portion of the costs associated with recycling a wide array of items.
IRF Annual Membership Drive Continues
All current IRF and IRA members should have already received their renewal notice. If you have not, please contact Sue Steilen our Executive Director or any one of our Board Members today!

Sticking with our "NO INFLATION HERE" theme, 2023 Member Dues are remaining the same as 2022 dues! However, we are asking you to consider becoming an Event Sponsor if you are able. This sponsorship of $1,000 ensures educational programing and includes membership, along with extras promotional benefits for you.

We appreciate your support of our organization and mission. Please understand that we rely on members that have the means to step up to the $2,000 Benefactor status, so we can continue to provide the informative newsletters, insight and connections that you have come to expect. Call or email with any special needs or questions. Thank you for all you do for recycling and composting, along with your continued support.
Seeking Committee Members
As an IRF member, you are eligible to participate in one or more of our active committees. These committees tend to meet four to six times a year. Currently, with the start of a new Board term, all committees are seeking new members to participate. Upcoming committee meetings will focus discussion on the development of committee goal(s) for the 2023 membership year.

To view committee meeting times, please view the IRF Committee Calendar. If you are interested in joining a committee, please contact Sue Steilen and the committee chair as listed below.
C & D, Ron Tazelaar
Electronics, Luke Fikejs
Legislative, Ron Tazelaar
Regional Outreach, Adena Rivas
Communications, Marta Keane
Social Justice/Diversity, Mike Nowak
Education, Bert Jacobson
Textile Reuse, Gina Peshek
Traditional MRF, Aaron Harmon
Organics/Composting, John Lardner
Illinois State University has been selected as our host site for the 2023 IRF Annual Conference! Over the coming months, we will be securing speakers, room blocks and tours. Please stay tuned for updates and let us know topics of interest to you.

Are you interested in becoming an early sponsor? Contact our Executive Director today!
Member Resources
Legislative Update from IRA

Our legislators completed Veto Session and returned home to their districts. Some are meeting with constituents but most are enjoying the holidays after an election year. Action will be heating up in Springfield by mid-January and we know a few bills will be returning, including Paint, Carpet and the new version of EPR for Packaging. The IRA will be following the progress and asking for members input when hearings are scheduled. Become a member of IRA for $500 and you are automatically a member of IRF, but with more detailed perspectives on legislation.

California is not Illinois but it can be a harbinger of things to come. See an interesting story on this west coast state with a history of firsts on their new recycling laws in Resource Recycling

Michigan passed a series of bills expected to bolster recycling!
A Note from the President, Marta Keane

Season's Greetings! Another year in the books and one that saw the return of our in-person two-day conference that we have long been known for offering. With excellent speakers there and at our webinars, we truly fulfilled our mission to educate on waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting. We were sad to see Gloria McDonald leave after 5.5 years of excellent service, but we appreciate Allessandra Kummelehne's organization these past few months and as she leaves to devote more time to precious little ones. We are excited to bring Sue Steilen on board to lead us into the future. It is only in service to you that she will thrive and to that end, I ask you to let her know about your organization, your challenges and your successes. She will be truly unitizing your information to craft programs, social media posts and newsletter content. We want to share your news, promote your job listings and events or expansions. Together, we can seek grant funds to enhance residential understanding of recycling and improve services throughout Illinois.
SEND US YOUR JOB POSTINGS
We encourage members to view our Member Directory where many websites lead to job postings. Visit the IRF Membership Directory and find member's websites to see their job listings. Here are just a few:

LRS (formerly Lakeshore Recycling Systems) has a wide variety of job postings
The Conservation Foundation, in DuPage County, is looking for a Farm Manager
HELP US CELEBRATE YOU
You can show off in a press release or simply show us your everyday operation. Either way, we can utilize your photos on social media and on our website. We are asking IRF Members to send photos of their recycling and collection operations. Pictures can be of office collection, residential drop-off, MRF sorting lines, curbside service, someone placing items in recycle bins, reuse events, compost operations, etc. Please send jpeg/jpg pictures to info@illinoisrecycles.org.
2023 SPONSOR WEBINAR SERIES
Each month, the IRF has been hosting educational webinars. The Board of Director's wants to make these free to all, including non-members. This is not possible without sponsors. Become a leader by sponsoring an educational and thought-provoking webinar!. These webinars address a variety of topics in the recycling, composting and reuse industry. If you have an idea for a topic and wish to sponsor, please contact Sue Steilen at executivedirector@illinoisrecycles.org.
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE JOINED THE
ILLINOIS RECYCLING FOUNDATION FOR 2022
(Find services or contacts to improve your success)
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR 2022 IRF BENEFACTORS
Consider adding your logo here. Become a 2023 BENEFACTOR for $2000.
If you have already joined and would like to upgrade to this status, send an email to executivedirector@illinoisrecycles.org.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding now available to...

On November 17, 2022 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $100 million in grants for recycling infrastructure and recycling education and outreach projects throughout the country. The Solid Waste...

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Can This Chicken Company Solve America's Food Waste Problem?

"Welcome to how we solve food waste in this country," said Do Good Foods co-founder and co-CEO Justin Kamine, as he led a tour of the company's eastern Pennsylvania factory. Inside, large, green bins were filled with surplus food from 450...

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Farm to Food Bank program looking for right mixture

If a convenient process existed that offered a minimal amount of money to farmers for surplus specialty crops, Cook County farmer Ruth Zeldenrust would be on board. "From a farmer's standpoint, I can tell you that so much is just being left out...

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The next frontier in e-commerce packaging: reusable bags ...

Like Returnity, zero-waste brand Trashless is branching off from its original model into other reusable possibilities. The company delivers glass-bottle milk to over 50 local convenience stores and coffee shops. It also currently delivers several ...

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SAVE THE DATE!
  • Become a Sponsor now to have your annual membership included.

  • Be sure to block this time for being an Exhibitor or simply attending.

  • We had a great turn out at the 2022 in-person conference and expect a larger one in 2023. See old friends and make some new ones at this amazing networking event

  • Let us know what topics you want to learn more about, sessions are being planned now. If you have a topic you wish to present, send us some details and the committee will consider it.
“What I am trying to cultivate is not blind optimism… but radical hope.”

~ Junot Diaz

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM
@illinoisrecycles

FOLLOW US ON LINKEDIN
Illinois Recycling Foundation / Illinois Recycling Association, PO Box 411, Geneva IL 60134
708 358 0050
info@illinoisrecycles.org