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Calling all SWANCC member communities....Schools, Libraries, and now, Nonprofits are all available to apply for a $500 Waste Reduction Grant!

Do you have an idea for Waste Reduction and need a bit of financial support? Don't wait, apply for a grant today!

Need more time to be creative and think through your initiative? No problem. Based on funding availability, applications are now accepted all year!

Waste Grant Announcement

Waste Grant Application

What do I do with my small,

empty fuel canister?

Many of us enjoy camping, backpacking, etc. during the summer and find the use the small fuel canisters helpful when cooking meals. But what do we do when we are finished with them?

They can NOT go into the trash and can NOT go into your recycle bin!

Why? That's a good question!

Even though the canisters may seem empty, they can still contain explosive gas. Garbage and recyclables are tossed, tumbled, and compressed when collected from our curbside carts. These processes can easily rupture a cylinder and cause a fire or explosion. Fires at a waste or recycling facility and in collection vehicles are dangerous for workers and the public. This can also drive up the costs of processing waste.

So what do we do?

There are drop off locations that take these cylinders and see to it that they are safely and properly managed. In this process, the canisters get purged with nitrogen to remove the propane. The reclaimed propane is then sold. The steel gets canister itself, gets compacted and recycled.

The outlets that accept these canisters are the Household Hazardous Waste Facilities as well as Flat Can Recycling. Links to each site are below. Be sure to call first to check on collection and if there are any nominal fees that may be involved!

Chicago Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility

Naperville Household Hazardous Waste Facility

Rockford Rock River Reclamation District

Solid Waste Agency of Lake County

Flat Can Recycling

Discover how small changes in your school kitchen and cafeteria can have a big impact for your community and the environment.

June 18, 11 - 12 pm

Learn how to inspire students to take action against climate change by reducing waste at school. The Zero Waste Schools team at Seven Generations Ahead will share how conducting lunchroom waste audits and analyzing what’s in the trash can lead to significantly less waste. We’ll talk about:

• How to conduct a lunchroom waste audit
• Operating a share table
• Offer vs. Serve
• Minimizing plastic waste
• Available curriculum

You'll also hear strategies from members of the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County's Waste Reduction Action Team and Pamela Duncan King, Director of McHenry County Schools Environmental Education Program (MCSEEP).

All school stakeholders are encouraged to attend - teachers, kitchen and lunchroom staff, school and district administrators, etc.

There will be plenty of time for Q&A at the end, so bring questions about how to incorporate waste reduction initiatives into your school routines.

Register HERE.

For more information and guidance for accepted material and to view the entire 2024 schedule, please visit SWANCC's electronics recycling and

document destruction webpages.



Other Special Materials

SWANCC Member Communities offer programs for various materials that are reusable, recyclable, or need to be disposed of in an environmentally-safe manner.

These include:

• fluorescent bulbs
• mercury containing devices
• sharps
• batteries

Please contact your community to confirm participation before dropping off items.