As part of our Christian responsibility to care for God’s creation, Gary United Methodist Church in Wheaton, IL, has operated a Styrofoam recycling ministry for several years, with the goal to keep this useful but non-degradable material out of our landfills. Increased online purchasing has exacerbated the desire by all to reduce disposal of this material. Our volunteers take the collected items to the Dart Container Corporation 24/7 public recycling center, 310 Evergreen Dr., North Aurora.


2023 Styrofoam recycling dates announced
Sundays, Jan. 15, April 16, July 16, Oct. 15, 8:45­–10:30 a.m., South Driveway
Bring your Styrofoam to church, and we will recycle it for you. Please separate clean food containers from other Styrofoam. No packing peanuts. If you miss the dates, we encourage you to continue collecting Styrofoam and to take it to the Dart Container Corporation 24/7 public recycling center, 310 Evergreen Dr., North Aurora.




QUIZ: CAN THESE BE RECYCLED IN YOUR CURBSIDE RECYCLING CAN?

Cardboard egg cartons 
Clean aluminum foil 
Paper towels 
Paperback books 
Bags that contained flour or sugar



It’s important to learn more about what can and cannot be recycled, so you don’t contaminate your entire recycling can with one item. Take the quiz above. Answers can be found on your city’s website or on a helpful list of items that should not be placed in curbside bins, which is available from SCARCE.

Remember that #6 plastic (Styrofoam) is one of the things you cannot place in curbside recycling.

~Elaine McCluskey and the Styrofoam Recycling Team


To find out more about recycling in your community, go to your city’s website and search “recycling” or find links to the city and county webpages below.