MACOMB, IL-McDonough County is celebrating the first anniversary of its glass recycling program while encouraging residents to help shape its future by participating in a brief community survey. Residents can participate by visiting go.illinois.edu/Glass.
One year and 41 tons of recycled glass later, McDonough County residents can be proud of its use of the purple bin at the southeast corner of the Macomb Farm King parking lot. On June 26, 2025, the glass-only recycling bin was welcomed to the community with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Since then, the bin has been emptied five times – resulting in over 40 tons of recycled glass.
Collected glass is transported by Waste Management to a storage bunker on City of Macomb property. Once full, the material is hauled by Ripple Glass to Chicago, where it is repurposed into new glass products, fiberglass insulation, and more.
“Reaching the one-year mark is an ideal moment to hear from residents about what’s working well and where we can make improvements,” said JoAnn Hariston-Jones, Recycling Program Committee Member. “The results of a survey are what sparked the creation of this program, and community input continues to guide our efforts.”
To build on this success, program leaders are asking residents to complete a quick, two-minute survey. Feedback will help expand recycling access, improve program convenience, and support grant applications aimed at sustaining and growing local recycling efforts.
Participate by visiting go.illinois.edu/Glass.
Glass-only recycling is better than “comingled” recyclables because broken glass contaminates other recyclables, leading to more material in landfills. In a comingled system, only 40 percent of the glass is likely to be recycled. With glass-only recycling, the recovery rate is 98 percent, and it keeps this waste out of the landfill.
Accepted materials include glass food and beverage containers of all colors (no sorting required), wine and pint glasses, mason jars, candle jars (wax allowed), and even larger items such as windows, shower doors, and glass tabletops (frames removed).
Community involvement has been a key driver of success. Thirteen local bars, restaurants, and businesses currently participate by collecting and delivering glass to the purple bin. The initiative began with the Macomb Woman’s Club, in partnership with the City of Macomb, McDonough County Board, Farm King, several local townships, Western Illinois Regional Council, and the University of Illinois Extension.
Organizers extend their thanks to residents and partners for their support of the program and encourage everyone to continue recycling and sharing their feedback. Complete the survey by visiting: go.illinois.edu/Glass
Your input is vital to strengthening local sustainability efforts.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.