Chicago’s blue cart recycling program is notably choosy, accepting limited types of plastic, paper, aluminum and glass. That doesn’t mean nothing else is recyclable. There’s a program, for example, that collects unwanted Barbie dolls — but only the Barbie brand. Another program accepts eyeglasses, and yet another takes crayons. Similarly, there are ways to recycle everything from Legos to charging cords and wet suits to empty deodorant containers.
But identifying these programs, and then schlepping items to individual collection points, could turn recycling into a full-time job. The Sustainability Market was created to simplify the process by establishing a one-stop drop-off point for myriad programs. Market organizers maintain a list of accepted items and any special instructions required to prep an item for drop-off.
Last week’s market also incorporated a special emphasis on textiles, from mending to re-purposing to recycling items not acceptable for donation.