ROCHELLE — A local plastic bottle cap recycling program has reached milestones of 5,434 pounds of caps collected and 27 items installed with the recycled caps, Dennis Swinton of Rochelle and Kiwanis Golden K said. 

Swinton has been heading up the program for the past five years with youth clubs and donors in the community. The endeavor started with Rochelle Township High School Key Club students collecting bottle caps to honor a teacher. 

“Everybody thinks it's all about saving the world and keeping plastic out of the landfill,” Swinton said. “To us, it's not all about that. To us, it's getting the community involved and giving kids something to do. People come by my house and drop bottle caps off. We're not saving the planet, but we're keeping people involved and busy. It's amazing how many little old ladies think that's the greatest thing in the world to come by and donate some bottle caps. That's what it's all about.”

The program requires 200 pounds of donated bottle caps and a cost of $328 to build a six-foot bench, 250 pounds of caps and $391.50 to build a trash receptacle, 100 pounds of caps and $208.40 to build a four-foot bench, 150 pounds of caps and $208.50 to build a four-foot bench with arms, 175 pounds of caps and $35.50 to build an eight-foot team bench, and 500 pounds of caps and $639 for a six-foot adult picnic table. 

So far the program has installed 12 six-foot benches, six four-foot benches, two four-foot benches with arms, two eight-foot team benches, three six-foot picnic tables and two trash receptacles.

Locations of installations include the bike path near RTHS, Kings Elementary School, Creston Elementary School, Rochelle Middle School, Railfan Park, the dog park at VFW Park, Central Elementary School, Sweeney Park, Tilton Elementary School, Focus House, Liberty Village, the city’s park on the 7th Street curve, the Hub City Senior Center, the VFW Post and Lincoln Manor. Kiwanis sponsors the Builders Clubs at Rochelle Middle School and at elementary schools in Kings and Creston. Swinton decided to ask them if they wanted to participate in collecting bottle caps in exchange for a bench at their school. They did, and benches followed.

Swinton has said the project had grown into more than what he originally expected. At his home on School Avenue, he leaves a place outside for residents to donate bottle caps. He’s built relationships with bottle cap donors all over the community and has received monetary donations towards the cash cost of the benches as well.  

“We get help with the monetary portion of it,” Swinton said. “I had a woman pull into my driveway and ask about it and she gave me a check for $300. She donated it anonymously. I've had several situations like that since. It's just unbelievable.”

Students at the grade schools collect the caps and bring them in bags. And then members of the RTHS Key Club and Focus House students sort them and fill a bag and weigh them and tag it and get it ready. The caps are taken to Green Tree Plastics in Evansville, Indiana. A brass plate has been donated for each installation by Marvin Quinn of Quinn’s Jewelry Store. 

The Kiwanis Golden K club then brings the new unassembled benches back to Rochelle before they’re assembled, delivered and installed. 

Acceptable caps for the program include those from disposable drink bottles, many plastic food and hygiene item caps and lids, spray paint caps, and pill bottle caps. Caps or lids with recycle numbers 2, 4 and 5 are accepted. 

Items that can’t be accepted by the program include any metal or cardboard, drink bottles, grocery bags, dirty or cut lids, K-cups, plastic toys, or any plastic with recycle numbers 1, 3, 6 or 7 on them. 

Swinton said he thought the endeavor would end with the first bench until The Key Club wanted to continue it and the Builders Clubs wanted to get involved. The program grew from there and will continue to grow. 

“I just got a call from a group in Rockford that wants me to come up and do a program so they can get started,” Swinton said. “They've been bringing bottle caps from Rockford down here. We've gotten bottle caps and a check from Morris and people from the suburbs. We'll see some more benches around here. We'll be working with the Rochelle Rotary Club on some raised flower beds.”