Recycled materials used by Windsor family in art, home reno

Even though it's Waste Reduction Week in Windsor-Essex, a local family does its part all year round.

Claudette Belanger-Iler has always used recycled materials in her artwork. But in the last decade, her son, Dwaine Iler, has found another eco-friendly way to contribute to his mother's creative process.

He heads to the city's public drop-off depot at 43560 North Service Rd. where residents can drop off their chemical waste.

Often, the shelves in the building are stocked with little-used or even unused products, including spray paint.

"It's free, and I'm recycling it," said Belanger-Iler, who uses the spray paint on her metal artwork. "You can't help but notice the shelves full of products."

Her son is a landlord in Windsor and said the depot has saved him thousands of dollars in renovation costs.

"There's adhesive for tiling, grout for tiling," he said. "You never know what you'll find."

Iler admitted he is frugal, but said there's a more important reason he regularly heads to the chemical waste building.

"I am a big proponent of recycling," he said. "I try to be as environmentally conscious as possible. It's just how I grew up."