The range of recyclables has grown, too,
and now includes containers such as those from household
cleaners, beauty products and grocery items. The growing amount
and expanding range of recyclables, coupled with greater
consumer awareness, has led to an increasing number of requests
from residents for more than one blue bin as well, a step that
will no longer be necessary once the new, larger bins are
distributed.
Tests of the larger recycling bins in other
communities have shown that residents typically increase their
recycling, while reducing their garbage, a development that can
reduce refuse disposal costs because less must go to landfills.
With this idea in mind, the Village hopes to eventually offer
Oak Parkers who begin to recycle more the option of reducing
the size of their standard refuse cart and paying less for
garbage service. New refuse carts would likely be the same size
as the new recycling bins, and hold 64 gallons of garbage,
rather than the 96 gallons held by the carts currently used.
Other services such as fall leaf
collection, special pickup services and yardwaste and refuse
sticker programs will not change.
For more information on the Village's
recycling and refuse collection programs call 358.5700 or email
publicworks@oak-park.us.
A new contract with Waste Management-Metro
(WM) to provide residential refuse hauling services will have
recycling playing an increasingly larger role over the
five-year life of the contract.
When the new contract goes into effect in
January, WM will begin replacing the familiar blue recycling
bins with new, larger bins with wheels and lids, similar to the
current red or green refuse carts, but about one-third smaller.
The new bins will allow residents to take full advantage of the
latest "single-stream" collection approach that
eliminates the need to separate recyclables. All recyclable
materials, whether paper, glass, plastic, aluminum or most
metal containers, can simply be tossed into the same collection
vessel, with separation occurring at the recycling sorting
center. The wheels on the new carts will make it easier for
residents to get their recyclables to the collection point, the
lids will reduce litter by keeping out animals and
eliminating wind-blown paper, and the carts themselves will
allow haulers to use automatic lifts for quicker and more
efficient collections.
The Village's pending move to larger
recycling bins coincides with modest, but steady, increases in
the amount of recyclables collected in Oak Park over the past
five years.
Above: An example of
the new recycling bin
Official hours for Halloween trick or
treating are 3 - 7 p.m. on Fri., Oct. 31. Parents should
accompany young children, especially after dark, and inspect
all treats. Other safety tips include:
• Use
make-up instead of masks
• Choose
only flame-retardant costumes.
• Wear
light-colored clothing at night or add reflective tape to dark
colored costumes.
• Give and
accept only wrapped and packaged candy.
• Go out in
daylight and carry a flashlight in case of delay.
• Stay
within your neighborhood and visit only homes you know.
For more information on trick-or-treating
hours call 358.5670 or email clerk@oak-park.us. For safety
information, call 445.3300 or 386.3800, or email fire@oak-park.us or police@oak-park.us. Park District
recreation centers are hosting a range of programs. For a
schedule of park activities, visit www.oakparkparks.com, click on programs,
then Halloween fun, or call 383.0002.