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Drug Takeback Proposal Aims To Keep Unwanted Medicine Off Illinois Streets, And Out Of The Water

Colleen Smith of the Illinois Environmental Council explained when those medicines are flushed down toilets and sinks, they flow into vital water sources. “Without safe, convenient and funded collection opportunities, these drugs will continue to contaminate our rivers, our streams and our drinking water,” Smith said. Read the Full Article Here.

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Expanded Drug Takeback Program Aims to Keep Pharmaceutical Pollutants Out of Our Water

If passed, the act will require companies to produce promotional materials to educate the public about the takeback program and collection sites, said Gong-Gershowitz. Environmentalists cheered the proposed legislation. “This takeback program is a common sense approach to minimize the presence of pharmaceuticals in drinking water and reduce human and wildlife exposure,” said Colleen Smith,

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The Super Bowl Ad Chicagoans Should Be Talking About, But Probably Didn’t Even Notice

“While the Super Bowl was being played in a stadium that is projected to experience significant flood risks if climate change continues to go unabated and sea levels continue to rise, we weren’t surprised to see large oil and gas companies funding high-dollar Super Bowl ads perpetuating a disinformation campaign to keep states tied to

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Rep. Ford demands removal of lead water pipes on West Side

Iyana Simba, a clean water advocate from the Illinois Environmental Council, believes the threat of lead contamination in our drinking water is significantly higher in Chicago than almost anywhere else in the United States. “The upcoming town hall meeting is about taking that first step in combating this public health crisis,” Simba said. “This will

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Organizations, lawmakers respond to State of the State address

Today, Illinois Environmental Council Executive Director Jen Walling released the following statement in response to Gov. JB Pritzker’s remarks regarding climate change and his decision to prioritize clean energy legislation during his 2020 State of the State address: “At a time when the Trump administration is taking major steps backward on climate, Governor Pritzker’s commitment

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The Proposed Ordinance That Would Outlaw Single-Use Plastic in Chicago

Executive Director at the Illinois Environmental Council, Jennifer Walling, joins John Williams to talk about this week’s NewsClick and the possible ban on single-use plastic and foam in Chicago. If banned, restaurants worry about the cost of single-use alternatives. If passed, the ordinance would give restaurants until January 1st, 2021 to find their alternatives. Read

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Chicago Moves To Ban All Styrofoam, Single-Use Plastics

The ordinance calls for a total elimination of polystyrene, or styrofoam, foodware. The notorious packaging is not biodegradable. The ordinance is supported by Ald. George Cardenas (12th), Ald. Matt Martin (47th), Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), Maria Hadden (49th) and Michele Smith (43rd). This ordinance would be the Midwest’s strongest, said Jen Walling, executive director of

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Lightfoot to launch waste management study, hopes to find way to improve Chicago’s dismal recycling rate

For years, Chicago aldermen and the Illinois Environmental Council have demanded a review of managed competition, which has allowed Waste Management to mark blue recycling carts as contaminated — even though that company has a “financial incentive to divert” the contents of those recycling bins to landfills they own and operate. Read the Full Article

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The Illinois EPA Faces Challenges

“The IEPA today is mostly focused on permitting,” said Jennifer Walling, CEO of the Illinois Environmental Council. “When you have a new facility or your permit expires, putting together a permit to allow you to engage in whatever polluting activity you like. They do have inspectors to inspect, fine violations and maybe do a compliance

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Lightfoot’s Actions on Environmental Campaign Promises Are Off to a Slow Start

“I would not call this first step keeping that promise,” said Jennifer Walling, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council, referring to Lightfoot’s campaign pledge. Walling, whose organization represents about 80 environmental groups, said she understands the budget constraints but wonders how much power Lightfoot will give the new officer. “It’s really important for that

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Report: Illinois has seen most environmental job cuts in US since 2008

“I know the people at Illinois EPA are trying to do their jobs and the obligations we’ve given them with limited resources, but it’s just too little and the work isn’t getting done,” said Jen Walling, Executive Director of the nonprofit Illinois Environmental Council. “This means that people are subject to more pollution, polluters are

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How tough is the Illinois law on ethylene oxide? Not nearly tough enough, some lawmakers and residents say.

“It’s disappointing to hear they think that way because it shows industry stakeholders aren’t taking this crisis seriously,” said Jennifer Walling, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council, a nonprofit group that helped draft legislation opposed by Griffith and other business lobbyists. “They appear to be more interested in protecting the bottom line than negotiating

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Illinois Environmental Council ‘solarbrates’ new solar rooftop at Springfield office

Despite persistent rain, it was a “solarbration” at the Illinois Environmental Council’s Springfield office, 520 E. Capitol Ave., Thursday afternoon as the advocacy group celebrated its new solar rooftop project. The 9.72kW system is going to offset about eight tons of carbon emissions each year, more than 40 percent of the building’s total consumption for

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A year later, fight against ethylene oxide persists: ‘These folks aren’t going away.’

For many of the activists and leaders, victories in recent months haven’t tempered their anger and frustration about toxic pollution from the release of ethylene oxide for decades. “I’m used to seeing these movements wilt after somebody promises new laws or regulations,” Jennifer Walling, who grew up near Sterigenics in Darien and now leads the

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