Wheaton hosting annual recycling extravaganza

A recycling extravaganza next month in Wheaton will give DuPage County residents the chance to do some spring cleaning while being environmentally responsible.

The annual event will accept a long list of items for safe disposal or recycling. The city's Environmental Improvement Commission is hosting the extravaganza in the commuter parking lot at Carlton Avenue and Liberty Drive from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 10.

Participants will drive through and drop off their items at various stations. Volunteers will unload items from cars. Masks are required, and organizers ask that people place items as far back in their trunk as possible for volunteers to handle.

These are among the items accepted: scrap metal, syringe and epi-pen disposal, medicine disposal, bikes, eye glasses and hearing aids, holiday lights, latex paint ($2.50 fee per quart, $5 per gallon, or $18 per 5-gallon can/bucket), aerosol paint cans ($1 per can), large batteries and propane tanks.

TVs and monitors also can be unloaded for a $25 to $35 fee, depending on the size of the screen. eWorks Electronic Services Inc. will accept cash or credit card payments at the drop-off, or you can prepay at Recycling.eworksesi.org.

The event is offered with the support of DuPage County and the DuPage County sheriff's office, and it is open to all county residents.