SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): The Illinois Recycling Foundation awarded the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES) with the Outstanding Public Sector Award. The award is in recognition for establishing the first Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM Center) in the County.
The County had opened doors of the CHaRM Center in South Holland, IL on Earth Day in April this year. The grand opening ceremony was attended by over 600 residents from various municipalities across Cook County. It was established with the help of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from the County, in addition to grant funding from The Recycling Partnership and The Foam Recycling Coalition.
The CHaRM Center accepts wide range of materials including electronics, clothes and textiles, used personal healthcare equipment, small furniture, small appliances, Styrofoam, metals and general household recyclables. The collections till date have exceeded 37,000 pounds.
The Center provides opportunity for residents to drop-off items, which are then reused or recycled, thus keeping them away from landfills. It is open from 7 AM to 12 Noon every Tuesday, 2PM to 7 PM every Thursday and 9AM to 3 PM on second Saturdays.