(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A man who has led efforts to recycle in Chicago for more than 40 years through the Resource Center is calling it quits.
The Resource Center is a nonprofit that collects recyclable materials from across the city. It separates out paper, glass, cans and other recyclables to reduce the risk of cross contamination that can lead to more material winding up in landfills.
Ken Dunn is the founder and president of the Resource Center, and he told Block Club Chicago he’s shutting down the center’s recycling collection sites — including locations in the North Park neighborhood and on the city’s South Side — partly because he lacks the money to keep the operation running or repair the truck used to haul recyclables.
He told the news outlet that, in 2023, city crews removed or damaged thousands of dollars worth of the Resource Center’s recycling equipment, and recovering from that drained his financial reserves.
Dunn, who’s 81, said his age also played a part in his decision.