What is the Illinois Recycling Foundation?

Presented by: Clair Ryan, Gina Peshek, & Barb Day

Clair Ryan – Recycling Program Coordinator, Kane County. Clair began as the Recycling Program Coordinator for Kane County’s Department of Water and Environmental Resources in January of 2022. In this role, she is responsible for maintaining and implementing the County’s Solid Waste Plan, planning and implementing recycling events, and for public outreach and education. While relatively new to the materials management field, Clair has long been interested in recycling and the fate of our collective “stuff” as a citizen, and is quickly learning the details and players. Gina – Account Manager, Helping Hands. Gina has been in the recycling business since 2016. She worked for one of the largest waste recycling companies with paper, cardboard and plastics. Because of her passion for a greener environment, she chose to work in the textile industry. She has been working with Helping Hands since 2019. She Helps not-for profit-charities and other organizations keep reusable textiles out of landfills. Barb says recycling was ingrained into her. However, she became focused on the issue, when, she went back to school, Northeastern Illinois University, and received her Bachelor’s in environmental studies with a focus on natural areas management. Bells went off in her head when she took a class on solid waste issues. Lou Marchi was the professor. Prior to that she had been assistant editor on a trade press magazine, Pollution Engineering. Over time the magazine focused a lot of space on hazardous waste issues, but her interest remained in solid waste. Barb has been a member of the board of directors of Citizens For Conservation in Barrington, Stillman Nature Center in South Barrington and, of course, the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County. It was Alice Howenstine telling Barb about the recycling activities the Defenders work at that encouraged her to become active with them. She has a website, www.oldstufftonewstuff.com. She has been trying to develop it for years and welcomes any thoughts or comments about it.

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