Cook County’s Solid Waste Coordinator Recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as a Notable Leader in Sustainability

Crains Chicago Business recognized Cook County’s Solid Waste Coordinator Anthony Tindall as a notable leader in sustainability. Tindall has served within the County’s Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES) for nearly two years and oversees programs to increase recycling and waste diversion in the County’s suburban municipalities and to inspect and regulate waste facilities such as transfer stations and recyclers.

“I am grateful to Anthony for his dedication to helping all of our communities, especially those with lower incomes and fewer resources, become more sustainable,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “Anthony’s hard work is making a real difference in bringing expanded services to places like parts of the South Suburbs, that historically have experienced disinvestment and a lower level of government services. Projects he has created are making life safer and healthier for residents while contributing to cleaner air, land and water.”

Most notably, Tindall created Illinois’ first Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM Center), awarded the Illinois Recycling Association’s 2023 Outstanding Public Sector Award. This partnership with South Suburban College (SSC) provides free recycling drop-off services for residents of the South Side and suburbs for electronics, textiles, polystyrene (Styrofoam), clothing, regular recyclables and more. It has collected and recycled over 120,000 pounds of materials since last April. To date, the CHaRM Center has welcomed over 2,000 residents, living in at least 122 different municipalities. The partnership between Cook County and SSC also provides student internships and outreach to neighboring municipalities, many of which do not offer curbside recycling.

“I am proud to contribute to the County’s work to make our communities thrive environmentally, economically and socially,” said Tindall. “I am honored to be recognized by Crains Chicago Business for doing the work that I am so passionate about.”

Before joining the County, Tindall served as the policy and sustainability manager at the Cook County Forest Preserves for nine years, where he created the district’s sustainability program and authored the Sustainability and Climate Resiliency Master Plan and Clean Energy Framework. His work won the 2019 Best Green Practices Award from the Illinois Association of Park Districts. He secured “Urban Night Sky Place” designation from the International Dark Sky Association for Palos Preserves, winning a 2022 National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials award. He also assisted in the production of the PBS documentary film “Chicago’s True Nature: The Forest Preserves of Cook County,” which won a Midwest Emmy Award.

Tindall graduated from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C., with a bachelor’s degree in political science, and a Master of Public Administration degree from DePaul University’s School of Public Service. 

Tindall is very active in civic life. He serves as secretary of the Board of Directors for the Illinois Recycling Foundation and is a member of the National Advisory Board for the Union of Concerned Scientists. He was recently appointed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to the Statewide Recycling Needs Assessment Advisory Council. He previously served as vice chair of the Advisory Board of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, member of the Mecklenburg County Air Quality Commission and was a Chicago Urban League IMPACT Fellow, class of 2020, as well as a Chicago United for Equity Fellow, class of 2018.

For more information visit Crain's Chicago Business.

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