Kane County's annual Recycling Extravaganza returns July 22

Kane County's Recycling Program will be hosting its annual Recycling Extravaganza on Saturday, July 22, from 8 a.m. to noon at 540 S Randall Road in St. Charles.

Note: There will be no shredding at this event, but they will be taking in a large variety of materials, some of which they only collect once a year. See the Recycling Program Events Page for more details, and see the information below to ensure the best event experience.

Instructions for the best event experience:

1. Please arrive between 8 and 11:45 a.m. for optimal service. Do not arrive early, as it creates a long, unmoving line before we even get going.

2. If possible, approach the event from the south (traveling northbound) to make an easy right turn into the driveway. While the left turn lane for southbound traffic will be open if conditions allow, it may need to be closed by traffic police if long back-ups occur.

3. If bringing batteries, please sort prior to arrival as follows: Type 1, all alkaline batteries regardless of shape or size plus all small, alkaline-equivalent rechargeables; Type 2, all button cells and all single use alkaline-equivalent lithium batteries; Type 3, all high powered dry cell rechargeable batteries such as rechargeable electronic batteries, larger toy batteries, power tool batteries. Note, they can't take wet lead acid batteries (e.g. car or sump pump) or any battery weighing more than 11 lbs. Please alert event staff if you are bringing any damaged rechargeable batteries. See photos to assist with sorting here.

4. If bringing lights, please sort prior to arrival as follows: separate fluorescent and linear LED lights and bring loose, not tied or in original packaging. With bulbs, bring any CFLs, LEDs and HIDs in separate containers, loose and not in original packaging. Please no incandescent or halogen bulbs.

5. Use the event map and info below, and pack in reverse order so that the materials for the first stations are closest to your doors/truck hatch.

Items accepted in the order encountered on site:

• Station 1 = Books: Textbooks, kids books, hard and soft cover books in good condition. Donated items will be sorted for reuse and items without reuse value will be recycled. This station will also accept shredded paper from home shredding in paper bags stapled closed.

• Station 2 = Electronics, clothing and textiles, flattened cardboard: computers, TVs and computer monitors (with a fee), DVD players, fax machines, printers, copiers, keyboards, mice, cables, receivers, tablets, phones, video game systems and more games, etc. Clean clothing, textiles, shoes and wearable accessories in usable or damaged condition. Any flattened corrugated cardboard or box board. Full list can be found on pages 2-3 of the 2023 Recycling Center Guide.

• Station 3 = Dry cell batteries: Must be sorted into groups as described in item 3, above. Event staff will ask you to pull out of line and sort containers of mixed batteries in order to drop off.

• Station 4 = Styrofoam: Clean food service foam. Stains are okay, chunks and goo are not. Block and sheet Styrofoam (marked plastic #6), Styrofoam coolers. No packing peanuts or non-polystyrene foams.

• Station 5 = Bikes, helmets, baskets, tools: Adult, children's and youth bikes in repairable condition (no extreme rust please)

• Station 6 = Recyclable/hazardous bulbs and lamps: 4- to 8-foot fluorescent tubes, other misc. shape fluorescent tubes, CFLs, LEDs and HIDs. Please separate as described in item 4, above. Event staff will ask you to pull out of line and separate any mixed bulbs or packaged/taped-up items in order to drop off. No string lights (Station 2 will accept them) and no halogen or incandescent bulbs please.

• Station 7 = Aerosols, compressed gas, child car seats: Full or empty spray cans accepted, and small canisters of CO2 (max size 20 oz.), MAPP gas (max size 14 oz.), Isobutane (max size 16 oz.), Propane (max size 16oz.). All ages and models of child car seats. Fees apply. More details on item acceptance at flatcanrecycling.com/aerosol-recycling/.

• Station 8 = Latex-based paints and coatings: Latex (water-based) paint and coatings in liquid state. Dried up latex-based products can be put in regular trash. Oil-based paints, stains and other coatings are a hazardous waste and are not accepted. Fees apply.

The fees are payable directly to on-site vendors with cash or card: TVs and computer monitors: $25 for screens under 21 inches, measured diagonally, or $35 for 21 inches and over. No fee for laptops, tablets, or all-in-one desktop machines. Aerosols: $1 per item. Compressed gas: CO2 (max size 20 oz.), MAPP gas (max size 14 oz.), Isobutane (max size 16 oz.), all $1 per container. Propane (max size 16 oz.) is $3 per container. Child car seats: $20 per seat to cover disassembly and transport of various components. Latex paint and coatings: $1 per quart or smaller; $3 per gallon; $5 per 2-galon can; $15 per 5-gallon bucket.

They will not be doing confidential document shredding at this event. There will be shredding on Sept. 30.

Items that will not be accepted: carpet or carpet padding; household hazardous wastes other than allowable aerosols; spray adhesives or expanding foams; oven cleaners; spray sealants; self-defense sprays; tires; bubble wrap or packing peanuts; large household appliances/ "white goods" or Freon-containing appliances; incandescent or halogen bulbs (it can be put in regular trash) No wet-cell lead acid batteries (e.g., car or sump pump batteries); batteries of any kind over 11 lbs. in weight; or materials generated in the course of operating a business.

Partners Include: Kane County Water & Environmental Resources, eWorks Electronics Services, Pacesetter Books, Flat Can Recycling, EPaint Recycling, DART Container Corp, Fluorecycle, & Working Bikes.

Visit www.countyofkane.org/recycling/ for more information. Contact Clair Ryan, Kane County's Recycling Program Coordinator, at recycle@countyofkane.org or (630) 208-3841 with any questions