The recipients of the money include a document shredding company, a company operating a drop off recycling facility, an environmental council, and a number of companies focused on boosting the recycling of electronics.
“Growing our economy in a way that helps our environment can be accomplished by investing in companies and communities that are expanding the recycling industry in Central Illinois. By supporting these kinds of innovative programs that are recycling everything from cans to computers, we are lessening the demand on our landfills and creating more jobs for our working families,” Gov. Blagojevich said.
F & W Resources Inc., Springfield, has been awarded a $50,000 grant to develop a 24-hour-a-day accessible drop-off recycling site in the city. This project will double the number of recycling drop-off sites and improve the geographic diversity of recycling opportunities for city residents, especially those living in multi-family dwellings who are excluded from participating in the city’s curbside recycling program. The drop-off center can also be used by area businesses and individuals who live in the vicinity of Springfield. This project is expected to divert an additional 325 tons of recyclable commodities annually.
Affordable Shred, Riverton, has been selected to receive a $50,000 grant to expand its document shredding/recycling business. This project will allow Affordable Shred to offer its services to customers within a 45-mile radius of Springfield. It is expected that this project will divert a total of 348 tons of recyclable commodities a year.
Rick Weekly with Affordable Shred, said that the grant money will be used to purchase an additional truck. The addition of the truck will allow the company to extend its service coverage to as much as a couple of hundred miles. The coverage area also will focus more on the potential markets in rural parts of the state where there is often limited competition.
The company is a plant-based shredding operation. The material is delivered back to the company’s plant where it is shredded and baled.
The company has five employees.
The Lower Sangamon River Resource Conservation and Development Council, in cooperation with the city of Virginia, has received a $7,659 grant to develop a drop-off recycling site in Virginia. While accessible to city residents, individuals who live in areas surrounding Virginia will also have access to the drop-off center. This project is expected to divert 490 tons of recyclables from being landfilled. For additional information please contact: Randy McClure - 217-452-7786
The following grants come from a newly established Electronics Recycling Program. The grant program focuses on the development and expansion of permanent collection and processing facilities that handle end-of-life computers and other electronics.
Butler Distribution, located in Springfield, has been awarded a $75,000 grant to expand and relocate its processing and recycling operations to set up a permanent collection site that will serve residents and businesses located in central and southern Illinois counties.
Computer Banc is a mainly volunteer-supported, not-for-profit organization located in Springfield that works to provide computers to children who have a diagnosed learning challenge and come from homes with limited income. The organization has been selected to receive a $42,187 grant to establish a permanent site where donated computers and other associated electronic equipment can be collected, refurbished or otherwise recycled.
BLH Computers, Inc., Springfield, has been awarded a $73,680 grant to expand and enhance their electronic equipment collection and processing capabilities. In addition to upgrading their current structure to facilitate increased collection, de-manufacturing and refurbishing activities, BLH Computers Inc. will also offer a pick-up service for customers generating significant volumes of electronic equipment for recycling.
We Care Recycling, a not-for-profit organization located in Carlinville, has received a $6,295 grant to establish and operate a computer and electronics collection site at their main recycling facility in Carlinville. The objective of the program is to provide individuals and small businesses of Macoupin County with an environmentally sound way to dispose of old, obsolete and end-of-life electronics.
“We should always take advantage of opportunities to grow our economy in ways that protect our environment. Gov. Blagojevich and I know these investments will pay important dividends for years to come,” State Senator Deanna Demuzio (D-Carlinville) said.