Village may offer recycling carts

The World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour runs from 8 to 9 p.m. Saturday. Residents from Bangkok to Sydney to Hoffman Estates will take part by shutting off their lights during the hour as a symbolic gesture hoping to raise awareness about climate change.

Familiar buildings like the Sears Tower and Motorola Corp.'s Schaumburg headquarters will dim lights and light candles, but officials readily admit turning off electricity for just an hour will hardly have an impact on the Earth's environment. Earth Hour is supposed to be symbolic, and hopefully the event will encourage the public to better conserve resources.

One way Hoffman Estates residents can help is by recycling, and the village board on Monday took steps toward getting recycling bins for residents. They didn't take a vote and only discussed the matter.

Officials still aren't sure if the program would be mandatory, though on Monday most of the trustees said they were leaning toward having an optional tryout.

Residents would have 65-gallon "toter" carts with covers for recyclable materials. The covers are essential to stop waste -- like this newspaper you are possibly reading -- from getting blown through the neighborhood. Officials say newspapers account for about 60 percent of recycled materials. Yes, I'm also aware you may be reading this online.

Brooke Beal, executive director of the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County, said residents are enthusiastic about the carts. Once they're in place, SWANCC has never been asked to remove them. There have been cases when residents asked for a different size bin. They are also available in 95- and 35-gallon sizes. Recycling in other towns has increased up to 30 percent after the bins were installed, Beal said.

The program could bring $50,000 to $100,000 to the village, Beal said, depending on how much material is recycled. There would be a 30-day trial period for the bins, after which residents could call SWANCC to get rid of the bins or request a different size, Beal said.

Village officials don't know how much the recycling program would cost, and trustees requested the cost of mandatory and voluntary programs. The village's residential solid waste contract expires on Dec. 31. The village has a timeline of introducing the program over the summer and distributing the carts by September.

Renovations delayed: April's village meetings were supposed to be moved because of remodeling to the village board chambers at 1900 Hassell Road. But because of a problem getting the right benches for the room, renovations for the board room have been delayed. Mayor William McLeod said it would take 16 weeks to get the pews. Renovations could now take place in July.