Elmhurst panel leaning against mandatory recycling for multifamily units

A proposal to require multifamily residences in Elmhurst to offer recycling services appears unlikely to garner support from the city council's public works and buildings committee.

The committee did not vote on the proposal Monday, but three of four members indicated they currently oppose such a requirement.

Several residents spoke to the panel, including Edgar Pal, who lives in a building that does not offer recycling.

He addressed previous comments that the city should focus on education instead of regulation, arguing that the two are not mutually exclusive. He also described the difficulties facing apartment residents who want to advocate for a change with their landlords.

But committee Chairman Jim Kennedy said requiring multifamily units to recycle would amount to government overreach.

He suggested residents of multifamily units that do not recycle advocate with their landlords, move into a new building, or bring items for recycling to a friend's house.

Alderman Marti Deuter said that while the city provides recycling for single-family residents, it does not play the same role for multifamily residents, where the responsibility rests with the landlord.

"I've gone back and forth ... What I believe is that the benefits that we expect are being realized from recycling are just not there," Deuter said, citing contamination issues and dwindling markets for recycled items, which likely mean more recycled materials end up in landfills. She said any new recycling contracts would likely be much less favorable than the city's current contract.

Alderman Norman Leader agreed, saying the city should focus on education because the recycling industry is "almost overwhelmed by worldwide historical forces."

Alderman Michael Bram, however, said he wants all residents to have "the equitable ability to recycle."

He agreed that the city needs to continue educating residents about recycling, but argued that recycling industry headwinds shouldn't prevent multifamily residences from having the same recycling services as single-family homes.

According to a phone survey conducted by city staff, 76 percent of units in multifamily buildings offer some form of recycling. Such services range from the same material pickup offered to single-family homes to several buildings that only recycle aluminum and carpet padding.

The survey also found 17.6 percent of multifamily units within the city do not offer recycling, with the remaining 6.4 percent not responding.

The city's single-family recycling services are provided by Republic Services of Melrose Park, which also handles waste hauling. The firm's five-year contract began in 2018.

All of the aldermen voiced support for more education, citing confusion about what can be recycled and reports from Republic Services that contamination is high.

"I would like to sit down with Republic and say, 'Bring us your best practices. You've got four years left on this contract. So hey, you've got a lot riding on helping us with our education piece,'" Deuter said.