Aurora Recycling Center Moves Collection To Ace Hardware Lot

AURORA, IL — In hopes of making recycling easier for people during the week, Kane County's Aurora recycling center is moving to a new location, officials announced. Starting March 5, collection will take place every Saturday in the parking lot of Ace Hardware, 994 N. Lake St.

The location will operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday on the west side of Lake Street. By switching from weekday hours and operating only on Saturdays, the operation will be more cost-effective and efficient due to the costs of staffing and traffic generated on weekends versus weekdays, according to Kane County Recycling Coordinator Clair Ryan.

"We're going to move the collection point up the hill and across the road from its previous location to a more visible spot," she said in a statement.

During the new hours, Ryan said there might even be a food truck in the parking lot around lunchtime.

"We know the people of Aurora and the surrounding towns care about recycling, and we are sure they have electronics, clothes, books and other goods that are beyond their useful lives," Ryan said. "So we're going to experiment a little and see if we can make some changes that work better for the community."

Similar to before, the majority of items — including electronics, books, cardboard, paper, scrap metal and most appliances — will be free to drop off at the Aurora location.

A fee between $25 and $35, depending on item size, applies to televisions and computer monitors. The cost covers safely handling the small amounts of hazardous materials like lead and mercury used in these devices, according to a news release. It also costs $1 per can of aerosol and $3 per camp-sized propane tank.

Kane County's recycling centers are staffed by eWorks Electronics Services Inc., whose employees help customers unload materials, maintain safety, prevent improper dumping, and collect data.

"Having staff helps the recycling centers be assessable for a broader range of citizens," Ryan said. "As long as a person can get help from a friend, relative or neighbor to load heavy or bulky items into their car at home, eWorks staff are there to unload those items upon arrival."