Trash in Kishwaukee River inspires DeKalb man’s cleaning efforts

DeKALB – Fitted with a lifejacket, sunglasses and hat, Greg Romaneck was paddling the Kishwaukee River during the height of the pandemic.

Romaneck uses his time paddling along the river for a good cause: While he floats along, he picks up litter he finds in the water.

Three years and thousands of bottles and cans later, the DeKalb resident said he believes his mission to clean up the river isn’t over.

“We began a process over a period of time,” Romaneck said. “I’ve had a couple people help me a few times. But mostly it’s once or twice a week I would go out.”

Every little incremental step in nature has an effect down the road. Someone dumps stuff down there near the DeKalb area, and we find it up here.”

—  Greg Romaneck, DeKalb resident

Romaneck said he believes the work he is doing is making a difference in the community, even if he doesn’t get recognition for it.

One item Romaneck said he and others consistently find is Mountain Dew bottles. He recently picked up trash along the banks of the Kishwaukee River at the Knute Olson Jr. Forest Preserve in Kingston.

“We found that it was just terrible all the way up through that stretch,” Romaneck said.

Romaneck said he knows he can make an impact individually, but at the same time, there’s something to be said about strength in numbers.

“I can carry out probably 150-plus bottles at a time,” Romaneck said. “Every little incremental step in nature has an effect down the road. Someone dumps stuff down there near the DeKalb area, and we find it up here.”

It remains unclear who is responsible for leaving behind all the trash.

“I’d hesitate to guess, but clearly it is a repetitive pattern of behavior,” Romaneck said. “It’s always the same stuff. It’s always the same storage bags.”

Jack Barshinger, a retired school superintendent and Waterman resident, said he’s accompanied Romaneck on quite a few paddling trips along the Kishwaukee River north of DeKalb.

“Sometimes it’s really bad and sometimes you get to really enjoy the kayak trip without having to pick up four bags of garbage,” Barshinger said.

Typically, Romaneck takes what he collects to dumpsters at Northern Illinois University to be recycled.

Romaneck encourages anyone who comes along the river to help clean it up. If anyone comes across a spill, they should contact the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and report it.

“I believe there [are] a lot of good people,” Romaneck said. “It only takes one or two people who are misguided … to really make a mess.”