ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (September 14, 2021) — Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG) announces a call to action in response to the closure of recycling drop-off centers. Please join PACG representatives in attending the Rock Island County Waste Management Agency (RICWMA) Board meeting on Tuesday, September 21, 1PM, at the Rock Island County Office Building at 1504 3rd Avenue, Room 302, Rock Island, Illinois 61201.
The RICWMA Board has announced that they are closing the recycling drop-off centers on September 30th. Their press release, reported by the QC Times and Argus/Dispatch on July 8, stated that this decision was based on a budgetary shortfall due to decreased revenue in solid-waste tonnage attributed to businesses being closed during the pandemic. They did not explain why other options were not pursued, nor did they obtain public input for this decision.
Many Rock Island County residents have no curbside recycling option, and discontinuing this program will create a massive increase in waste sent to our county landfill. A great deal of the material will include plastics, which do not degrade for hundreds of years. This is not an equitable arrangement for the county’s citizens, and we would like them to explore alternative solutions. If you share these concerns, please join PACG in asking the RICWMA Board to reconsider this plan.
As progressives, PACG empowers people to take action for positive change and social justice by coordinating a network of community forums and events aimed at educating and engaging citizens to work for the common good of all. Our core values are Social Justice, Empowerment, Diversity, Sustainability, and Community.
