Politics & Government

Free Recycling Carts Still Available To Lake Forest Residents

First shipment will be delivered to homes in mid-September.

There has been an overwhelming demand for the City of Lake Forest’s recycling cart program slated to roll out in September.

With more than two-thirds of its first allocation of the 65-gallon carts taken, it’s not too late for residents to request their free cart to be delivered next month.

Carts are available on a first-come, first-served basis and will be dropped off at homes on recycling days. Residents can sign up for a recycling cart via the City’s website by clicking on the Recycling a la Carte icon.

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If residents do not have Internet access, they can call (847) 810-3582 to request a cart. Residents can also request a second cart for $50 by calling (847) 810-3582 to be placed on a waiting list. 
 
The Lake Forest City Council unanimously approved (June 2011) the purchase of 3,250-wheeled green carts to replace the existing recycling bins over the next 12-18 months. The 3,250 carts will cover half of the City; the City will purchase and distribute the remaining carts in early fall of 2012. 
 
The carts will minimize the debris in neighborhoods and the sturdy wheels will make transportation to the curb easier. Each cart will hold the contents of four bins and are free to residents. As the recycling program grows, carts will help generate additional revenues by increasing the volume of materials recycled. 
 
This year the City anticipates generating $100,000-plus (2,500 tons) from recycling. The City anticipates collecting almost 2,700 tons of recycling materials by fiscal year 2015. The City’s goal is to generate additional revenues by increasing residents’ recycling by 15-20 percent.
 
The first phase of carts will cost the City $160,000. The project will be financed largely through a $100,000 grant the City received from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The remaining $60,000 will be paid for by the City and is included in the Capital Fund for the current fiscal year. 
 
The funding to complete this project is distributed over two years. The City will apply for the same grant in early 2012 to fund the final phase of the project. In case the City does not receive the grant in 2012, the City will budget the required funding to ensure citywide completion of this project.


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