SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) have announced the completion of a new report, Illinois Materials Management and Recycling Opportunities. Following the Materials Management Advisory Committee’s (MMAC) report to the General Assembly in 2021, the Illinois EPA commissioned the ISTC at the University of Illinois to conduct a 2-year study of large volume recyclables that would provide information regarding recycling and diversion efforts in Illinois as well as barriers and opportunities for further diversion.
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The list of materials covered in this study includes organics, textiles, plastics, metal, and glass. The report discusses generation of the materials, their impacts on landfills and recycling, the existing infrastructure and end markets for each, and more information about the materials. ISTC supplemented materials management research with written and verbal stakeholder engagement in several stages of the project, which included listening sessions for each material category.
“Illinois EPA appreciates all who participated in the MMAC’s efforts and in the outreach conducted by the ISTC as part of their study,” said Illinois EPA Acting Director James Jennings. “We believe this report provides additional information to further the on-going work being done to expand recycling in Illinois.”
The report findings can be utilized to understand more about the recycling industry, existing policy, goals, and funding opportunities in Illinois and other states. A statewide recycling needs assessment will begin this year to help further the information gained through the MMAC’s report to the General Assembly and this Illinois Materials Management and Recycling Opportunities report.
The report can be downloaded from https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/ or https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/waste-management/materials-management/materials-management-advisory-committee.html.
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