A statewide program pushing to make recycling easier has Tazewell County as an early adopter.
“Recycle Coach” is a free app with a database of location specific information on how, where and what to recycle. The app is rolling out to six Illinois counties at the moment, with programs in Chicago and Lake County already active.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) says 63% of the state’s population will have access to the app once the six counties are fully onboard.
“We knew right away that this is something that we wanted to be a part of,” said Amanda Hunt, the Environmental Health Educator at the Tazewell County Health Department.
County Communications Specialist JD Raucci says the program is part of a broader push for green initiatives in Tazewell County. Those include projects like e-waste recycling days and composting in county buildings.
Hunt says she identified the need for a program like Recycle Coach at one of those e-waste recycling days.
“We found that, yeah, here in Tazewell County, we really want to recycle. We just don’t know how,” said Hunt. “So this is going to give us the opportunity to have those resources right there in their hands.”
Hunt expects widespread adoption of the app to increase recycling in the county and lower the amount of hazardous materials mistakenly sent to recycling centers.
The IEPA anticipates even broader benefits. In a press release, they say increased recycling means lower greenhouse gas emissions, less contamination in state waterways and less opportunities for waste mishandling.
A resident in a participating county can download the app, put in their zip code and get localized information on recycling and waste disposal options. Raucci says Recycle Coach is still gathering data on some local municipalities at the moment.
His favorite feature is called “What Goes Where?”
“For example, in my office, I had some Christmas lights that I was like ‘alright, these are kind of done and dusted. What should I do with them?’” he said. “You take a picture of them, and it tells you where you can recycle them, how you should be recycling them, if you can recycle them.”
Raucci demonstrated by taking a picture of a paper coffee cup, which the app identified and gave instructions on recycling.
Recycle Coach is listed on all major app stores.
