Fishing lines can be recycled in Elgin

Fishermen in Elgin beware - you now have no excuse for littering by leaving fishing lines behind.

The city is installing 12 monofilament fishing line recycling stations along the Fox River, including at Walton Island and Hawthorn Hills Nature Center.

Elgin Police Animal Control Officer Matthew Ciesielczyk said he had the idea after noticing that animals, mostly ducks and geese, became entangled in discarded fishing lines. Members of the Elgin Fire Department most recently rescued a Harlequin duck in January in the river by the Kimball Street bridge.

"This is the type of event that these recycling stations will hopefully prevent," said Ciesielczyk, who researched the issue and found Florida has such programs.

"By placing these stations where citizens commonly fish, they will serve as a good reminder to properly dispose of your used fishing line while giving everyone a convenient place to do so."

Capt. Brett Scroggins of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police agreed to maintain and empty the recycling stations, Ciesielczyk said.

The contents will be shipped to a monofilament fishing line recycling center in Iowa, where they will be recycled into other plastic products including tackle boxes, spools of line, fish habitats and toys.