As an IRF member, they are proud to be part of the solution and support the mission of waste reduction and recycling through their services. For more information or to explore opportunities for your organization to work with Quincy, please visit their website at www.quincyrecycle.com. They offer a variety of services in paper converting, plastic recycling, metal recycling, cardboard recycling, food waste management, product destruction, reverse logistics (the process of moving products from consumers back into the supply chain), and will strive to meet your recycling needs.

All 2022 IRF and IRA members should have already received their renewal notice. If you have not, please contact Allessandra Kummelehne, our Executuve Director or any one of our Board Members today!

Spread the word! New members who join now for 2023 may start enjoying their member benefits today!

Sticking with our "NO INFLATION HERE" theme, 2023 Member Dues are remaining the same as 2022 dues!

We appreciate your support of our organization and mission.

Please understand that we rely on members that have the means to step up to Benefactor status so we can continue to provide the informative newsletters and webinars that you have come to expect. Call or email with any special needs or questions. Thank you for your continued support.

To view committee meeting times, please view the IRF Committee Calendar. If you are interested in joining a committee, please contact Allessandra Kummelehne and the committee chair as listed below.

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!

There is new emphasis on reducing the construction of facilities in areas of the state where people may already be living in highly polluted conditions or be unable to have their concerns heard and addressed due to economic factors. This has given many of our members pause as they seek to expand operations to meet the increasing desire for recycling services. The IEC gave a presentation at the conference in August and the US EPA gave a presentation at the recent NRC Congress. To learn what communities are considered environmental justice areas, it turns out some tools developed by the Illinois Solar for All program may be useful. One goal of this program is to allocate 25% of funding toward environmental justice communities, and a searchable map has been developed identifying Illinois communities considered to be environmental justice communities.

View the map and other resources at: Environmental Justice Communities - Illinois Solar for All (illinoissfa.com)

Illinois Solar for All ensures that projects are focused in areas that stand to benefit the most from access to solar energy, including environmental justice communities. This focus is based on the principle that all people should be protected from pollution and that all populations have a right to a clean and healthy environment.

For more information on the program, contact: info@illinoisSFA.com.

The 2022 election is over with J.B.Pritzker earning a second term, the house and senate still under the control of the democrats and the state supreme court gaining more democratic controls. The Veto session is expected to get underway shortly with the SAFE-T act being the main area of concern. While we were following EPR legislation for Carpet and Paint, we do not expect them to move during this session. Many expect both to return in the Spring session, along with EPR for Packaging. There has been interest in addressing batteries, as they are a threat to MRFs and Electronics recyclers, among others. IRA will continue to monitor. We welcome you to let us know of any concerns you have regarding legislation.

Communication Basic to Advanced on Thursday, December 15, 2022

Communication is key as we address recycling contamination, encourage reuse, along with smart purchasing habits. Print media, electronic newsletters, social media and electronic news sources all offer ways to reach residents and businesses but they require an understanding of the formats and audiences. Learn from some seasoned professionals, featuring software suggestions and tips. $50 for non-members, FREE for all members!

Hop into CERA - Illinois Residential Electronics Recycling in January, 2023

The Illinois EPA and IRF are working on 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.

Each month, the IRF hosts an educational and thought-provoking webinar for members and non-members. These webinars address a variety of topics in the recycling, composting and reuse industry. If you have an idea for a topic or member to highlight, please contact Allessandra Kummelehne at executivedirector@illinoisrecycles.org.

Interested in being our featured sponsor for a webinar? Email us executivedirector@illinoisrecycles.org. Benefits of sponsorship include membership to IRF, company logo included in all pre-and-post event marketing materials, company logo included on live webinar and recording, and a sponsorship spotlight profile mention by the Board President during the webinar. Sponsorship also includes a newsletter highlight of your organization. .

A Note from the President, Marta Keane

With America Recycles Day behind us and Thanksgiving just ahead, please let me take this opportunity to thank you for your support of our organization and of recycling in general. I am genuinely grateful to every one of you that I have met over the years. Each of you has taught me something new about our industry, about the benefits of working together for the betterment of all. We have come through some difficult times and we know the future holds more uncertainty, but we also know that we can count on friends and colleagues to make the journey successfully. To that end, I encourage you to join a committee, be more involved and enjoy the holiday!

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.

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. more reflective of our members, 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.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE JOINED THE

If you have already joined and would like to upgrade to this status, send an email to executivedirector@illinoisrecycles.org.

"It makes a big difference to recycle. It makes a big difference to use recycled products. It makes a big difference to reuse things, to not use the paper cup - and each time you do, that's a victory."