InWinthrop Harbor, a new push on recycling

Winthrop Harbor is offering a new kind of recycling to its residents: clothing and textile recycling.

Residents will be able to bring used clothing to dropoff bins at the PublicWorks Department’s parking lot, according toVillageAdministratorGregory Jackson.

The proceeds from the recycling will be used to fund a community garden, he said. In turn, the produce will supply the local food bank.

“We’re trying to make everything come together in this community,” Jackson said.

He said the village is working with Northpoint Church officials to see if they can allocate space for the garden.

Jackson said he expects the arrangement with the church to be finalized in the next 45 days.

The new bins were a recommendation from the village’s Sustainability Committee, Jackson said. The committeewas formed after current Mayor Michael Bruno took office.

“Without that, there had been no formal program for sustainability,” Jackson said.

In addition to more recycling and the garden, he said, the village plans to design “complete streets” for the downtown area. Those are streets with bike and pedestrian lanes, as well as lanes for cars.

The committee also has made recommendations to publicworks for more environmentally friendly roadrepair materials, he said.

It makes sense for the village to increase its recycling, Jackson said, since it hopes to become a destination for eco-tourism. In recent years, the Village Board has taken action towards that goal, including creating incentives for a lakefront hotel. The village also has taken action to become part of a regional nature trail, aswell as a stop on awater trail.

According to Merlleane Rampale of the SolidWaste Agency of Lake County, the increased recycling is part of a pattern she has seen since since the pandemic started.

Curbside recycling has increased, she said, because people are staying home more, not going out for dinner, and cooking meals at home.

Therefore, there are more empty food containers to pick up. In addition, she said, staying at home has prompted people to clean out their garages and basements.

“We’ve been getting to know our houses so well,” she said. “I do think it’s afforded people the opportunity to clean out.”

She said for many clothing items donated, the county works with a resale vendor. Worn, torn or ripped items, she said, can be made into cleaning cloths.

The agency has about 50 clothing and textile bins around Lake County, Rampale said.