The village of Northbrook has recently started two new programs officials say is aimed at reducing single-use plastic bags by collecting plastic film and offering reusable bags.
Drop-off locations have been set up at the Public Works Center, Village Hall and the Police Station to collect used plastic.
Kelly Hamill, director of Public Works, said these programs were initiated by the village’s Environmental Quality Commission, which identified plastic bags as a problem. Hamill said the programs are important because they help keep trash out of the landfill.
“Plastics just don’t break down,” Hamill said. “They sit there, they just don’t go away. Put them in the landfill and it takes too many years to get rid of them.”
The first initiative is called Plastic Film Recycling, which collects everything from newspaper sleeves to grocery bags. The village, however, asks that people do not drop off plastic bottles, plastic utensils or food waste, according to a village flyer about the recycling effort.
These plastic bags will then be sent to Trex Company Inc., which makes outdoor furniture from recycled materials. If Northbrook collects 500 pounds of plastic film over six months, Trex will give the village a free repurposed bench, said Charmaine John, a village employee and Greenest Region Corps sustainability fellow.
“We’re really encouraging residents to come drop off their plastic film so that we can hit this goal and show that Northbrook really takes their reduction initiative seriously,” John said.
Northbrook is part of the GRC collaborative, which includes municipalities that look to make their communities “attractive places to live and work,” according to its website.
The second Northbrook program is called Share-A-Bag, where residents can pick up reusable bags from the village. Residents can also drop off their own reusable bags. The drop-off and pick-up locations are at the Public Works Center and Village Hall.
Hamill said that this is also a way to encourage residents to patronize businesses in the village.
“The other good component about the village-provided bags is that it also helps promote shopping locally,” Hamill said. “It’s got the village’s slogan ‘Live, Dine, Shop Northbrook’ on the bags that we’re providing as well.”
Assistant Village Manager Madeline Farrell said these programs are a great way to encourage sustainability and recycling in the town.
“We hope this program is a success and we think this is a great opportunity to encourage residents to reduce their use and dispose their plastic bags responsibly,” she said.
Marissa Plescia is a freelancer.
