Chicago City Wire

City of Wheaton Environmental Improvement Commission met Feb. 28

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

I. Call to Order: Chairman Ted Witte called the meeting to order at 7:30.

Present were Susan Bachraty, Cathy Coleman, Kay McKeen, Tony Pope, David Popham, Stephen Siemer, Allison Torrence, Seema Wadia, Jim Wozniak, and Bob Young. Absent were Nancy Flynn and Brian McKee. Also in attendance was Wheaton resident Brian Malone.

II. Approval of Minutes:

Bob moved that the minutes from the January meeting be approved. Steve seconded. The minutes were approved by unanimous voice vote.

III. Budget Report:

Bob reported that there have been no expenditures in the new year, so $25,500 remains open to spend.

IV. Public Comment:

None

V. Reports:

1. Annual Report: This was accepted as submitted.

2. Electronic Recycling (Feb. II): Tony reported that he, Bob, David, and Steve from EIC, Thuy Le from SCARCE, and Luke Bosevic from York High School worked the event with six employees from EWorks. A steady amount of electronics, as well as significant amounts of textiles, Christmas lights, and scrap metal, 200+ fluorescent bulbs, about a dozen smoke detectors, and 15 gallons of cooking oil were collected.

Kay compiled a list of items collected in 2022 at the monthly events for DuPage County: 

•holiday lights—2,842Ibs.

•smoke detectors—95Ibs.

•electronics—178,997Ibs.

•textiles—31,361Ibs.

•cooking oil—3,136.5Ibs.

• pumpkins- 5 tons

•fluorescent bulbs—no official tally, but 200+ bulbs every month

Items collected at the 2022 April Recycling Extravaganza:

•paper shredding—25,7001bs.

•SCARCE—3,750Ibs. books;1800 Ibs. records, school supplies, musical instruments, holiday lights, keys, bread tags

• Mercury thermostats, thermometers, barometers, UV Bulbs-12 Ibs.

•Working Bikes-44 bikes, appx 792 Ibs.

• SCARCE/HAZCHEM-household batteries, 1045.1 Ibs.

• Interstate Battery-55 car, sump pump, marine batteries,1925 pounds

• Wheaton Lions Club-425 eye glasses, 34 hearing aids, 37 pounds

• DPC Sheriff, James Mendrick-9 bins of medications, syringes, epi pens, 270 pounds 

•AmeriGas- propane tanks-24 large, 408 Ibs., 21 small, 27.3 Ibs.

• Milton Township-Melba's Place Medical equipment, 8 walkers,19prcrutches, 4 wheelchairs,5 canes

• Soccer gear-lots of bins of misc gear

•Flat Can-170 aerosol cans, 13 propane tanks, 93 Ibs.

•Epaint-Latex paint, 220 gallons of paint, 4500 Ibs.

VI. Upcoming Projects:

1. Electronics Recycling (March II): Bob, Tony, David, and Susan will work this event.

VII. Unfinished Business:

1. Recycling Extravaganza (Apr.l, 2023): Kay reported that this event will be held from 8:30-12 at the DuPage County Fairgrounds. 

• Bob moved that we approve $500 for the rentat ofthe fairgrounds. Cathy seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous voice vote. 

• We wilt collect household batteries again this year. Over 1,000 pounds were collected last year. The cost went up last year before the batteries were picked up, and SCARCE covered the additional costs. It is impossible to predict what kind of response there will be this year, so to cover a portion of the price increase and any unexpected costs, Bob moved that we allocate up to $2500 for the battery cotlection. Cathy seconded. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. 

• List of accepted items:

• DuPage County Sheriff- Syringes, EpiPens, medications, sharps, lancets

• Working Bikes - Bikes, helmets, tire pumps, repair tools

• SCARCE - Books, records, musical instruments, BRITA brand filters/pitchers, keys from cars/homes, small inkjet cartridges (N0 toners), holiday lights, x-rays, bread tags, mercury thermometers/thermostats/barometers **NO light bulbs, N0 CFLs

• Wheaton Lions Club - Eyeglasses, sunglasses, hearing aids

• Soccer Gear for Zambia - Soccer items: jerseys/uniforms, socks, shin guards, cleats, soccer balls, nets, referee gear, girls leggings, first aid kits

• Melba's Place (project of Milton Twp) - Walkers, wheelchairs, crutches

• AmeriGas - Propane tanks

• Interstate Battery - Car and other large batteries

• Document shredding (funded in part by DuPage County) Acceptable items: tax records, medical records, sensitive documents **NO plastic fite tabs, N0 vinyl checkbook covers, N0 plastic page protectors, N0 batteries (greeting cards, etc)

•FEEBASEDcollections:

• Collected by Flat Can Aerosol cans - $1 / aerosol products Latex Paint - Quarts $2, Gallons $5, Buckets $20

• Collected by SCARCE, recycled by HazChem Household batteries - $2.50 per pound - credit card only

2. Native Plant Sale (April 29, 2023): Tony reported that Annette has 11 volunteers signed up for Friday and 12 for Saturday. Allison will be a cashier. He also reported that Possibility Place Nursery has requested a deposit. Ted moved that we approve a deposit of $1907 to Possibility Place. Kay seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous voice vote.

3. lllinois Prairie Path Ctean Up (April 29, 2023): Seema reported that the lllinois Prairie Path organization will be doing sign ups on line, including waivers. She will contact our list of volunteers, and request that they contact her and visit the IPP website.

4. Arbor Day (April 28, 2023): A Native White Oak wilt be planted at Edison Middle School. 

5. Bio-swale public awareness: Kay has been working with DuPage County to encourage use.

6. Business Composting: Kay continues to work with downtown businesses to make this a reatity. 

7. Erosion Control Blankets: tabled

8. Review Landscape Ordinance re: No Mow May: Seema reported that the Wheaton ordinance limits grass to 8 inches, or it is considered a nuisance. She investigated other communities participating in this program, and she found that most suspend enforcement of their ordinance until either Mother's Day or the end of May for residents participating in No Mow May to protect pollinators. Several municipalities have reusabte signs to inform neighbors about why they haven't mowed. Seema will compose a memo to share with EICaskingforsuspension ofthe mowing ordinance for residents wishing to participate in No Mow May.

9. Noise Ordinance re: leaf blowers, etc.: Susan investigated Wheaton's noise ordinance and found that noise from landscaping and construction are exempt from the ordinance from 7am to sunset. A gas leaf blower operates at 80-90 decibels. An electric leaf blower operates at 65-70 decibels. Susan will compose a memo about information she found highlighting how surrounding municipalities are handling noise to share with EIC.

10. Sustainability Award: Cathy will investigate steps necessary to move forward with this 

11. Monthly email blasts: EIC would like to include occasional email blasts on environmental topics at appropriate times ofthe year in the city newsletter, weekly email blasts, and/or City of Wheaton Facebook page-wherever the Communications Department thinks they would fit well. An example would be a blurb encouraging leaf mulching to retrieve the nutrients trees need while saving residents time, money, and effort could be posted at the beginning offalt. 

12. Light Poltution—EnergySavings: Steve is investigating.

VIII. New Business:

1. Funding for EIC Events: Earlier in t.he meeting funds were approved for rental ofthe DuPage County Fairgrounds for the Recycling Extravaganza, funds to help cover the cost of household battery recycting at the Extravaganza, and funds for the deposit on plants for the Native Plant Sale.

2. Single Use Plastic Bags: Steve is researching how other communities instituted a fee for these. 

3. Monarch Project: Kay reported that volunteers are needed for this program from April to September. Volunteers would research in forest preserves and parks to see what plants monarchs frequent. Eventually a map would be developed to see where way stations exist and where they are needed.

IX. Adjournment:

Bob moved that the meeting be adjourned. Seema seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 8:50. The next regular EIC meeting is scheduled for March 28, 2023, at 7:30 P.M.

https://www.wheaton.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02282023-2232