A Zero Waste Task Force plan has been created to reduce waste intake to the DeKalb County Landfill, 18370 Somonauk Road in Cortland.

The goal of the task force is to reduce the amount of waste going into county landfill and implement a plan that improves recycling. The task force is going to be a “guiding principle within the DeKalb County Solid Waste Management Plan,” according to the minutes of the County Board meeting.

Marc Johnson, DeKalb County board representative of District 8, came up with the idea of creating the Zero Waste Task Force. Johnson said every person puts about 4 pounds of waste per day into the landfill and the task force’s purpose is to reduce that amount.

He is in the process of creating a plan that will have guidelines to reduce waste going in the landfill and improve recycling. This plan will be submitted to the County Board for approval on Aug. 15.

Johnson said one way in which the plan would help is by composting food waste to gasification to burn the waste and turn it into energy. The plan would outline educating the public about waste management, using anaerobic digestion and recycling more.

“I really hope that some significant steps are taken because we do have a big problem in DeKalb County with waste,” Johnson said.

Jeff Metzger, chairman of the DeKalb County Board, said he met with Johnson to get it approved through the committee and then to Cook County Board of approval after Johnson came to him with the idea. Metzger said he would like to get NIU more involved as well as locals landlords who are in charge of recycling.

“Personally I was really excited when Marc came forward with this. I thought we can do a better job with managing waste,” Metzger said.

Jeff J. Whelan, DeKalb County board representative of District 10, said he thinks the Zero Waste Task Force is a good idea because of the size of the county landfill and the need to contain as much waste as possible.

“As long as it doesn’t put a burden on a tax payer — but I don’t see that happening — any type of recycling plan is a good idea,” Whelan said. “As we deplete our resources in the world we live in, we need to find new ways of replenishment.”