BLOOMINGTON — A southeast Bloomington business had hoped by the end of March to clear a "mountain" of used child safety seats sprawled across what city leaders called an "illegal junk yard" off Indianapolis Street between East Bell Street and Croxton Avenue.   But it didn't happen because the firm was among nonessential businesses statewide that Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered close to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.   Now, city aldermen are fielding dozens of complaints and the matter is set for review by the city's administrative court.   "By the time it was on the city's radar, all deliveries of car seats had been made; they all arrived within a very short period of time," said attorney Joe Dehn, who represents property owner Bell International.   "I got a lot of complaints initially and that was when the trucks unloaded all of the car seats from Walmart," said Ward 4 Alderwoman Julie Emig, in whose ward the site is located. "I met with one of the business leaders there, Jamey Anderson, and he explained that they were inundated with far more car seats from Walmart than they had anticipated."   Dehn did not know how many car seats were dumped at Bell's property, but said more than 40,000 seats were processed before the work stopped, he said.   The property is one of three nationwide depository sites for seats collected through a nationwide recycling promotion by Walmart and TerraCycle; anyone who turned in an old seat received a $30 gift card. Walmart said it collected nearly 1 million car seats within five days.   Bell planned to have an affiliated firm, Akshar Plastic Inc., 1007 E. Bell St., strip the seats and recycle the metal, fabric and plastic.   "They have the processing equipment in place and were in the process of processing those car seats, making every effort to comply with the agreement we had with the city to have all of the material processed or moved inside prior to the agreed upon date of March 31," Dehn said. "Then businesses were ordered to shut down and they were unable to continue to process material, and no progress has been made since the shutdown.   "They are prepared, as soon as they are allowed to go back to work and it's safe to do so, to resume processing the material at the fastest rate they can and get it out of there as soon as they can," he said.   Meanwhile, people are complaining. I n a Dec. 18 city administrative court order, the company was told "no further expansion of (an) unlawful junk yard" would be permitted and that it must show progress in reducing "unlawful exterior salvage of materials," with complete elimination of the "junk yard" by March 31, 2020.   Ward 1 Alderman Jamie Mathy, whose ward borders part of the property, said he has received more than 30 complaints.   "The volume (of complaints) has really turned up in the last couple of weeks because it is getting nice enough that people are getting out on Constitution Trail, and it's right at the end of the trail as you go south over Oakland Avenue and into south Bloomington," Mathy said. "It's right there. You can't miss it."   "Jamie is right; folks who are out on the trail are coming across it and taking note and reaching out to see if we're aware and what we are doing about it," said Emig, who has received two to three complaints weekly for the last four to six weeks.   Storing the car seats outside is a violation of the city's zoning ordinance, said city communication manager Nora Dukowitz. "I believe there are seven counts and no fines have been imposed yet," she said in an email. "We have been monitoring this and believe no new material has been brought in. "... They had been working to remedy the situation. The original order stated that if the seats weren't removed by March 31, they would be required to move the materials inside and/or truck offsite. Subsequent to this order, the business was required to close due to the governor's (executive order), which has limited their ability to deconstruct/remove the material. In summary, the city is aware of the situation and working to remedy it."   The matter has been set for May 27 in administrative court.   "They did tell the city of Bloomington that they would have everything cleaned up by the end of March," Emig said. "Well, it's already April and we still have, as one of my constituents called it, 'a mountain of car seats.' I refer to it as a Stephen King movie set sometimes, just because it is an eyesore. Nobody wants it to be processed, I think, more quickly than the owners and the people who operate this recycling company."   Emig added the city should give the company a little latitude because "they didn't know they were going lose at least six weeks due to the (COVID-19) shutdown.   "But we still need that pile to be addressed and removed to make sure that never happens again."  

10. CAR SEATS

This one may seem strange, but considering the heavy plastic, textiles, and metal that go into car seats, it only makes sense that (at least some parts) can and should be recycled.   How to recycle car seats:   Various states have recycling programs where you can drop off car seats to be recycled.   Walmart has also partnered with the company TerraCycle to hold car seat recycling events; Target has also hosted its own events. Both companies say they plan to continue.   The carseat manufacturer Clek has its own recycling program.   Where to recycle car seats:   You can drop off your car seat at a local donation point, but the website Recycle Your Car Seat reports that there are still very few of these in the US and Canada.   Is there a cost to recycle car seats?   May vary by location.  

9. TOOTHBRUSHES

  Before it becomes trash, consider which toothbrush you purchase. You can look for one made with materials that are recycled, or renewable (like bamboo). But even if you get a standard plastic toothbrush, these can be recycled, too.   How to recycle toothbrushes:   You can mail toothbrushes to TerraCycle, thanks to a partnership with Colgate. But the company asks for at least 5 pounds' worth (that's about 100 toothbrushes, reports Recycle Nation) per shipment, so you will need to save up your old brushes first.   Your dentist may also have their own toothbrush collection program, so it's worth asking next time you are in.   Where to recycle toothbrushes:   Your dentist's office or a local drop-off point are your best bets — or mail them in to TerraCycle with free shipping.   Is there a cost to recycle toothbrushes?   No.  

8. POTS AND PANS

 

If it is made of metal, then most cookware can be recycled. But your regular curbside pickup may not take these items.         How to recycle pots and pans:   Recycle these along with other scrap metal, which is collected locally. Importantly, you need to first remove nonstick coating, reports the website Pots and Pans.   So you might need to dig around and find a recycler that can do that for you.   Where to recycle pots and pans:   The website Earth911 has a search function for all sorts of different materials. Look up scrap metal to see where you can bring pots and pans locally, or whether your local garbage pickup will take these items. (Mine does, it turns out.)   Is there a cost to recycle pots and pans?   Some drop-off and pickup programs are free, but depending on where you live, there may be charges (or taxes).  

7. SNEAKERS

When your running shoes have completed their last mile, they can find another life as rubber track, turf fields, playground materials, and other athletic equipment.   How to recycle sneakers:   Drop them off at a location run by Soles 4 Souls, or a participating Nike store.   Where to recycle sneakers:   Both organization websites (linked above) have a tool to help you locate the closest drop-off point to you. You can also mail your shoes to Soles 4 Souls with free shipping.   Is there a cost to recycle sneakers?   No.  

6. CLOTHING (AND OTHER TEXTILES)

Donating or selling clothes are great ways to get rid of stuff you no longer wear. But items too well-loved to be worn still have use, too.   How to recycle clothing:   You can deposit old clothes and fabrics at a drop-off box or center near you.   Where to recycle clothing:   The American Textile Recycling Service has drop-off bins nationwide. You can contact them to find the one closest to your home.   Check local recycling programs and farmers' markets, too. Some of them have a regular drop-off station.   You can also mail clothes and fabrics to TerraCycle, for a price.   Is there a cost to recycle clothing?   Drop-off is free, but TerraCycle has a fee based on the size of the box of clothes you send in.  

5. EYEGLASSES

After they go out of style, or your prescription changes, bring your glasses to be recycled.   How to recycle glasses:   Bring used glasses to eyeglass stores or charities that accept them.   Where to recycle glasses:   You can bring old glasses to Goodwill or the Salvation Army, as well as glasses stores, like Lenscrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears, and BJ's, reports Pocket Sense.   Is there a cost to recycle glasses?   No.  

4. SHAVING RAZORS

You cannot put your old razors in the recycling bin, but these disposable items are made with dense materials that can be broken down and reused.   How to recycle razors:   The company TerraCycle partnered with Gillette to start a recycling program.   Where to recycle razors:   You can drop used razors at a point near you (TerraCycle has a map of locations), or ship them to TerraCycle.   Is there a cost to recycle razors?   Yes, you have to pay for shipping if you mail in the razors to TerraCycle.  

3. CDS AND DVDS

In the age of music and movie streaming, your aging CD and DVD collection is doing little more than sitting there, gathering dust and nostalgia.   When you are ready to clear them out, you can recycle them.   How to recycle CDs:   The CD Recycling Center of America takes your old CDs and DVDs, shreds them, and turns them into polycarbonate resin to make new stuff.   Where to recycle CDs:   You can mail old discs to the CD Recycling Center with free shipping (their website has a label you can print).   Is there a cost to recycle CDs?   No cost, but the CD Recycling Center asks people to make a small donation  

2. WINE CORKS

After you pop (and drain) that bottle, you can recycle the glass easily enough. But the cork can go somewhere other than the trash can, too.   First, a suggestion: There are tons of ways to upcycle corks around your home (Last Bottle has some sweet ideas). Of course, the wine will likely keep flowing after you have made all the cheese-knife handles and tiny planters you need.     Here's how to recycle the rest:   How to recycle wine corks:   Synthetic wine corks — and screw caps, if you are classy — can be recycled along with your usual household pickup, according to the website Wine Spectator.   For natural, old-school cork, however, you need to find a drop-off point, or mail them in.   Where to recycle wine corks:   The website ReCork has a tool that lets you search by zip code for a drop-off location near you.   If you prefer not to make the trek, you can also mail corks to Cork Club   Is there a cost to recycle wine corks?   No.

BICYCLES

  If you're getting a new set of wheels, don't let the old one go to waste — or worse, rust.   How to recycle bicycles:   Bike shops often have recycling programs that either use your old parts, or refurbish your bike.   If your bike is still rideable, you can bring it to a local charity and give it a second life with someone who needs it.   Where to recycle bicycles:   You may need to look at the local level here, searching your own area for drop-off points. There aren't a ton of national options.   If you live in the Washington, DC area, New York, and Illinois, the organization Bikes for the World has drop-off points.   Is there a cost to recycle bicycles?   The price of being green may vary based on where you live.

Walmart this year gave the month of September the new designation of “Best of Baby Month,” deploying a unifying signage package, heavy digital support and a first-ever car seat trade-in event that garnered overwhelming participation.   Car Seat Trade-In   More than 4,000 Walmart locations participated in the retailer’s inaugural car seat trade-in event, a tie-in to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association’s observance of Baby Safety Month. Consumers trading in their used car seat received a $30 store gift card intended for the purchase of another car seat or other baby items.   Adding an element of sustainability to the effort was a partnership with TerraCycle, the recycling company that took on the task of diverting each component of traditionally non-recyclable car seats from the landfill. The retailer accepted car seats from Sept. 16-21, ending the event nine days earlier than planned after quickly reaching capacity.   “We wanted to use our size and scale to create an event that offered unprecedented access to trade in an outgrown car seat for a gift card,” vice president of Walmart baby Melody Richards said in a media release.   TerraCycle chief executive officer Tom Szaky had expected to divert the plastic equivalent of some 35 million water bottles from landfills; that number had reached more than 200 million by the time the event was closed. During that time, the retailer collected more than 1 million car seats – twice as many as Target has tallied since introducing its periodic car seat trade-in program in 2016. Instead of gift cards, Target offers coupons for 20% off select baby gear in exchange for the car seats.   In Stores   Encouraging shoppers to cash in all the gift cards it doled out, Walmart outfitted pallets in Action Alley merchandising products such as Evenflo and Cosco car seats, Safety 1st walkers, Kimberly-Clark’s Huggies diapers and even an out-of-the-box crib (this one without a pallet) with “Best of Baby Month” headers and balloons.   The retailer’s Parents Choice private brand and the exclusive Hello Bello brand it rolled out earlier this year took center billing, commanding a majority of the secondary merchandising space in the baby department.   In the aisles, the retailer used the occasion to promote the Baby Registry it overhauled earlier this year by identifying “Registry must-have” items such as new wipes from Hello Bello and Edgewell Personal Care’s Playtex Diaper Genie with shelf talkers depicting a QR code linking to the retailer’s top 20 registry items. Endcap side panels also depicting the QR code presented the registry as “better than ever,” touting a complimentary welcome box of essential items from a variety of brands and other registration perks.   Online Deals   Online, Walmart extended hundreds of deals on big-ticket and everyday baby products from brands including Newell Brands’ Graco, Procter & Gamble’s Pampers and Mattel’s Fisher-Price.   The offers were corralled in a themed shop that also invited consumers to locations hosting baby events on Sept. 28 or 29. Participants got health and safety tips, and were able to interact with baby gear and nursery items through activities such as a “diaper challenge” and “stroller testing.”   Bloggers plugged both the deals and trade-in event. A feature in the retailer’s September circular promoted the trade-in incentive while showcasing car seats from manufacturers including Evenflo and other baby items including Hello Bello diapers and VTech’s video baby monitor.

(CNN) - Walmart's new car seat recycling program was so successful, the event is ending early.   The company was offering a $30 gift card to anyone who brought in an old car seat as part of a recycling effort with TerraCycle to keep plastic out of landfills.   The event started Sept. 16 and was supposed to end Sept. 30, but the store ended the program after nearly 1 million car seats were collected, according to a statement it made to USA Today.   It also said that’s the equivalent of diverting 200 million plastic bottles from landfills.

As National Baby Safety Month kicks off (it’s in September and, no, Hallmark does not make a card), Target and Walmart are giving parents two very good reasons to recycle their car seats: money and saving the planet.   Since children have this obnoxious habit of growing all the time, they occasionally need new, bigger car seats to keep them safe in the old minivan. Car seats can be expensive, though, and parents may push off buying a new one for as long as possible. To give parents a bit of an assist, the two retailers are inviting parents to come trade in their old seats for either coupons or a gift card and a bigger seat. The old car seats will be recycled by TerraCycle, which specializes in recycling things you may not realize can be recycled.   Target’s trade-in event began last week and runs through Friday, September 13. Customers can get a 20% coupon on select baby gear, including bigger car seats, in exchange for an old car seat. Since Target introduced its first car seat trade-in program in April 2016, half a million car seats and more than 11.9 million pounds of materials have been recycled, USA Today reports.   Walmart’s event begins on September 16 and runs for two weeks at some 4,000 participating stores. For trading in a used car seat, parents get a $30 gift card that can be used on any item in stores or on Walmart.com.  All car seats collected in this program will be recycled through TerraCycle, and each component will be diverted from the landfill.   “Through the Walmart Car Seat Recycling Program, traditionally non-recyclable car seats are now nationally recyclable,” Tom Szaky, TerraCycle’s  CEO and founder, said in a statement. “Through this event, we expect to divert the plastic equivalent of approximately 35 million water bottles from landfills.”      

Walmart and TerraCycle are joining forces to launch the nation’s largest car seat recycling event in nearly 4,000 Walmart stores across the country. The first-ever Walmart Car Seat Recycling Event will take place Sept. 16-30, in celebration of National Baby Safety Month. Customers can trade in used car seats at the Service desk in any participating Walmart store and receive a $30 Walmart gift card* that can be used in store or online to buy items for their baby. All car seats collected in this program will be recycled through TerraCycle, and each component will be diverted from the landfill.   “Through the Walmart Car Seat Recycling Program, traditionally non-recyclable car seats are now nationally recyclable,” said Tom Szaky, CEO and Founder, TerraCycle. “We are proud to work with this forward-thinking company to offer families from coast-to-coast a way to give their car seat, the item that has kept their little ones safe, a second-life. Through this event, we expect to divert the plastic equivalent of approximately 35 million water bottles from landfills.”

Walmart, Bentonville, Arkansas, and TerraCycle, Trenton, New Jersey, have partnered to launch a large car seat recycling event at about 4,000 Walmart stores across the U.S.   According to a news release from Walmart, the first-ever Walmart Car Seat Recycling Event will take place Sept. 16-30 in celebration of National Baby Safety Month. Customers will be able to trade in used car seats at the participating stores’ service desks and receive a $30 Walmart gift card that can be used in store or online to buy items for their baby.   All car seats collected in the program will be recycled through TerraCycle in order to divert them from landfills, Walmart reports in a news release.   “Safety—especially car seat safety—is a top priority for Walmart’s Baby department, so we wanted to use our size and scale to create an event that offered unprecedented access to trade in an outgrown car seat for a gift card,” says Melody Richards, vice president of Walmart Baby. “Sustainability is of equal importance to Walmart, so we’re happy to work with TerraCycle who will recycle every component of the car seats.”   “Through the Walmart Car Seat Recycling program, traditionally nonrecyclable car seats are now nationally recyclable,” adds Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle. “We are proud to work with this forward-thinking company to offer families from coast-to-coast a way to give their car seat, the item that has kept their little ones safe, a second-life. Through this event, we expect to divert the plastic equivalent of approximately 35 million water bottles from landfills.”   More information about this event and others at Walmart can be found online.

• Walmart is hosting its first-ever car seat recycling program from September 16–30, 2019.
• Parents who drop off a car seat will receive a $30 gift card
• The program is done in partnership with TerraCycle, a company that works with typically hard-to-recycle items.

  The annoying thing about babies is that they just keep growing, which means that all of that gear you've bought for them eventually becomes unusable. This is especially true of car seats, which are hard to pass on to other families, since they fall under the category of baby gear that safety-minded organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend getting new instead of used. (You never know if a used car seat is damaged or recalled, the AAP warns.) But a car seat is no good to anybody sitting in a garage — or a landfill.   Thankfully, Walmart is stepping in with its first-ever car seat recycling program. The event is taking place at 4,000 participating Walmart stores from September 16–30.Parents who drop off a car seat at the service desk during that time can feel good knowing that it'll be taken apart, and each little bit of it will be diverted from landfills. But even better news: Parents who drop off a car seat will receive a $30 gift card, which can be used either in-store or online for more baby items. (Perhaps a bigger car seat?) The caveats: They're not taking booster seats, and there's a limit of two gift cards per household. It's also worth checking to make sure your local Walmart is one of the participating stores before you go.   For this event, Walmart is teaming up with TerraCyle, a company that specializes in working with materials that are typically hard to recycle. “Through the Walmart Car Seat Recycling Program, traditionally non-recyclable car seats are now nationally recyclable,” Tom Szaky, TerraCycle's founder CEO, said in a statement. “Through this event, we expect to divert the plastic equivalent of approximately 35 million water bottles from landfills.”   If TerraCycle sounds vaguely familiar, it's because the company has been popping up all over the place in partnerships like these, from working with Hasbro on recycling toys to helping L.O.L. fans keep all its packaging out of landfills. Keep up the good, green work, TerraCycle!    

Has your toddler outgrown their current car seat? Is the seat you're currently using covered in juice stains and cracker crumbs? Are you finished using car seats with your kids and looking to purchase something else they need?   Walmart is gearing up to help with their car seat trade-in event, running from September 16 through 30 at more than 4,000 participating Walmart stores.   Parents who trade in a used car seat at their local Walmart will receive a $30 Walmart gift card to use on the purchase of a new car seat or other baby items. The traded seats will be recycled by TerraCycle, a waste management company that works with major retailers to find ways to recycle items that are challenging to dispose of and may otherwise be thrown into landfills.   This is the first car seat trade-in event held by Walmart, and is scheduled in conjunction with National Baby Safety Month.   "Safety — especially car seat safety — is a top priority for Walmart's baby department, so we wanted to use our size and scale to create an event that offered unprecedented access to trade in an outgrown car seat for a gift card — perfect for using on your baby’s next car seat," said Melody Richards, vice president of Walmart Baby. "Sustainability is of equal importance to Walmart, so we're happy to work with TerraCycle who will recycle every component of the car seats."   To take advantage of the deal, Walmart customers can bring their old car seats to the customer service desk of any participating Walmart and receive their gift card. Booster seats are not eligible for the trade-in, and there is a limit of two gift cards per household.

Walmart and TerraCycle are joining forces to launch the nation’s largest car seat recycling event in nearly 4,000 Walmart stores across the country.   The first-ever Walmart Car Seat Recycling Event will take place Sept. 16-30, in celebration of National Baby Safety Month. Customers can trade in used car seats at the Service desk in any participating Walmart store and receive a $30 Walmart gift card* that can be used in store or online to buy items for their baby. All car seats collected in this program will be recycled through TerraCycle, and each component will be diverted from the landfill.   “Safety – especially car seat safety – is a top priority for Walmart’s Baby department, so we wanted to use our size and scale to create an event that offered unprecedented access to trade in an outgrown car seat for a gift card – perfect for using on your baby’s next car seat,” said Melody Richards, vice president, Walmart Baby. “Sustainability is of equal importance to Walmart, so we’re happy to work with TerraCycle who will recycle every component of the car seats.”   “Through the Walmart Car Seat Recycling Program, traditionally non-recyclable car seats are now nationally recyclable,” said Tom Szaky, CEO and founder, TerraCycle. “We are proud to work with this forward-thinking company to offer families from coast-to-coast a way to give their car seat, the item that has kept their little ones safe, a second-life. Through this event, we expect to divert the plastic equivalent of approximately 35 million water bottles from landfills.”   To learn more about this event and others happening in Walmart’s Baby department throughout September, please visit www.walmart.com/AboutBestOfBabyMonth.   *Walmart $30 gift card offer with car seat trade in valid September 16, 2019 through September 30, 2019 at participating Walmart retail store locations. Not available at all Walmart Neighborhood Market locations. Limit of 2 gift cards per household. Booster seats not eligible for trade-in. Please see Customer Service desk for assistance with all car seat trade-ins. Gift cards subject to terms and conditions found at: https://help.walmart.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/57/~/gift-card-terms-and-conditions.