Western Illinois Regional Council (WIRC) is a nonprofit that provides programs to help people, communities, and, surprising to some, the environment. WIRC offers a public service that recycles thousands of pounds of paint and electronics each year called Tri-County Regional Collection Facility. Agency officials have announced that one of their current team members, Aaron Allen, has been promoted to lead this initiative as the Recycling Center Director.
Allen was formerly the Recycling Center’s Assistant Manager, and is excited to build up this important department. “My main focus is upgrading our facility to run more efficiently, so we can better serve the communities in our region,” said Allen. “These services are extremely important for ground water protection and many other environmental issues facing us today.”
Allen continued that the facility has recycled over 1 million pounds of paint and e-waste. In 2022 alone, over 329,000 pounds of electronic waste and 128,000 pounds of paint were kept out of landfills. Recycling these items prevents toxic chemicals from leaking into the drinking water supply or contaminating the soil.
Residential drop-off to the facility is free of charge, but there is a small charge for pickup of items at both residential and business properties. Regardless of pickup or drop-off, businesses have a 25 cents per pound charge for all eligible items. All items must be inspected by a Recycling Center team member prior to drop-off or pickup to protect safety and follow state law.
To learn more about WIRC’s recycling center, visit wirpc.org/environment/. To ask if certain items are eligible for recycling or to arrange a pickup time, call Aaron Allen at (309) 331-4782.
WIRC’s recycling center is located at 129 West Jackson Street, Macomb, Illinois. The entrance is on the south side of the building and is accessed through the parking lot off West Washington Street. The facility is open 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. from Tuesday through Friday, and 8:00 a.m. to Noon on the first Saturday of the month (excluding federal holidays). WIRC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.