Recycling in Chicago, IL

Where this information comes from

Checked October 26, 2026

• Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility (opens in new tab) · City of Chicago Department of Environment
  • The HCCRF is at 1150 N. North Branch Street, two blocks east of the Kennedy Expressway at Division Street. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Drop-offs only during scheduled hours: Tuesday 7 am–12 pm, Thursday 2–7 pm, and the first Saturday of every month 8 am–3 pm. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • All Chicagoans may drop off their individual household chemicals and electronics; businesses and large groups must use a private disposal company. Checked October 26, 2026.
• E-Waste | Chicago Recycles (opens in new tab) · City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation
  • The city lists the drop-off location as 1150 N. North Branch St, Chicago, IL 60642. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Chicago Recycles home (opens in new tab) · City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation
  • The Blue Cart program provides bi-weekly recycling to single-family homes and multi-unit buildings with four or fewer units. Checked October 26, 2026.
• What Goes Where | Chicago Recycles (opens in new tab) · City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation
  • Break down cardboard boxes before placing them in the Blue Cart. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Residential Recycling | Chicago Recycles (opens in new tab) · City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation
  • Recyclables go in loose; no plastic bags. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • The city lists drop-off centers at 6441 N. Ravenswood (Far North Side) and 1758 S. Clark Street (Near South). Checked October 26, 2026.
  • The drop-off centers take the same materials as the Blue Cart, including cardboard, and are open 7 days a week during daylight hours. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Sanitation Code Violation (opens in new tab) · City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation
  • Arrange with your Streets and Sanitation ward superintendent for a bulk pick-up before putting out any large item; remove doors or lids from discarded refrigerators and freezers. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Residential garbage service covers single-family homes and apartment buildings of four units or less; others must arrange private collection. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Grid Garbage Collection (opens in new tab) · City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation
  • Residents can call 311 or contact their local district sanitation offices. Checked October 26, 2026.
• PaintCare: drop-off site locator data (sites.json) (opens in new tab) · PaintCare Inc.
  • PaintCare lists JC Licht River North Ace at 440 N Orleans St, Chicago, IL 60654, phone (312) 527-4200. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Paint is accepted during regular business hours; call ahead. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • PaintCare lists Sherwin-Williams at 9100 S Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60617, phone (773) 374-4900. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Paint is accepted during regular business hours; call ahead. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • PaintCare lists Sherwin-Williams at 4201 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60641, phone (773) 282-7400. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Paint is accepted during regular business hours; call ahead. Checked October 26, 2026.
• ReStore Chicago (opens in new tab) · Habitat for Humanity Chicago
  • ReStore Chicago North is at 6040 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60646. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Donation drop-off hours are Wednesday–Sunday, 11 am–5:30 pm. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • ReStore Chicago phone: 312-563-0296. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • ReStore Chicago South is at 6057 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60636. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Donation drop-off hours are Wednesday–Sunday, 11 am–5:30 pm. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • ReStore Chicago phone: 312-563-0296. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Donate Furniture & Schedule a Pickup (opens in new tab) · Chicago Furniture Bank
  • Chicago Furniture Bank takes drop-offs at its warehouse, 4801 S Whipple St, Chicago, IL 60632. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Someone is at the warehouse to unload Monday–Friday, 9 am–3 pm; call ahead at 312-752-0211. Checked October 26, 2026.
• West Town Store and Donation Center (opens in new tab) · Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago
  • Goodwill West Town Store and Donation Center: 2135 W Grand Ave., Chicago, IL 60612, 773-627-5761. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Donation center hours: Monday–Saturday 9 am–8 pm, Sunday 9 am–7 pm. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Chicago Washington Boulevard Store and Donation Center (opens in new tab) · Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago
  • Goodwill Chicago Washington Boulevard Store and Donation Center: 1201 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, IL 60607, (312) 563-1187. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Donation center hours: Monday–Saturday 9 am–8 pm, Sunday 9 am–7 pm. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Sims Metal – Chicago, Illinois (Smith Park) (opens in new tab) · Sims Metal
  • Sims Metal – Chicago (Smith Park) is at 350 N. Artesian, Chicago, Illinois 60612. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Hours: Monday–Friday 6:30 am–4:30 pm, Saturday 6:30 am–1:30 pm, Sunday closed. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • The yard takes scrap metal drop-offs from the general public with no appointment, including old appliances, metal shelves and aluminum cans. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Illinois EPA: Electronics Recycling FAQs (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
  • Damaged, non-working or outdated electronics are accepted for recycling as long as they are covered devices. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Public program collection sites and one-day events may charge fees only for TVs and monitors. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Private or retail collection sites and events may charge a recycling fee at their discretion. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Illinois EPA: Electronics Recycling (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
  • Under the Consumer Electronics Recycling Act, a statewide network of registered collectors, recyclers and refurbishers takes unwanted covered electronics. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Covered devices include computers and small servers, monitors, keyboards, mice and peripherals, printers, fax machines, scanners, televisions, DVD players and recorders, VCRs, converter boxes, cable and satellite receivers, portable music players and video game consoles. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • The program serves unwanted covered electronics from Illinois residents. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Illinois EPA: Electronics Recycling Collection Locations (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
  • The law sets a minimum number of collection locations in each participating Illinois county. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Retail or private network collection locations may charge fees, and program collection locations may charge a fee for each desktop computer monitor or television. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Illinois EPA advises calling the collector first, because retailers do not have to accept all device types. Checked October 26, 2026.
• PaintCare: Illinois paint recycling and drop-off locations (opens in new tab) · PaintCare Inc.
  • PaintCare runs drop-off sites throughout Illinois where the public can take unwanted paint for recycling. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • PaintCare Illinois drop-off sites are open to households, businesses, government agencies and others with leftover paint. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • There is no charge for dropping off paint at a PaintCare drop-off site. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • PaintCare sites accept house paint, primers, stains, sealers and clear coatings such as shellac and varnish. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Illinois EPA: Paint (household hazardous waste) (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
  • PaintCare drop-off sites do not accept aerosols (spray paint). Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Illinois EPA asks people to contact PaintCare drop-off sites to confirm hours and the type and amount of paint they will take. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Illinois EPA: Batteries (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
  • Damaged or defective batteries (swollen, leaking, cracked and so on) should only go to authorized drop-off sites in Illinois. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Illinois EPA asks people to contact Battery Network drop-off sites to confirm hours and the type and amount of batteries they take. Checked October 26, 2026.
• The Battery Network: Illinois (opens in new tab) · The Battery Network
  • The Battery Network is the state-approved stewardship program that lets consumers recycle household batteries (single-use and rechargeable) through a network of drop-off locations. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • The approved stewardship plan provides free collection and recycling of single-use and rechargeable batteries for consumers. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Medium-format batteries (larger rechargeables up to 25 pounds and 2,000 watt-hours, such as from cordless mowers, snowblowers, e-bikes and e-scooters) are also covered. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Car batteries are not household batteries under this program. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Illinois EPA: Household Hazardous Wastes (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
  • HHW collections funded by Illinois EPA are free to the public. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Explosives, propane tanks, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, agricultural chemicals and business wastes are not accepted. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Illinois EPA: HHW Collection Events and Long-Term Collection Locations (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
  • Each fall 2026 one-day collection event is open to all Illinois residents. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Pre-registration is required for all fall 2026 collection events, which gives residents set time slots. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Illinois EPA: Household Waste Disposal (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
  • Oil-based paints are accepted at state-sponsored HHW collection events; latex paints are not. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Illinois EPA: Fall 2026 HHW collection events and long-term locations (data table) (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
  • Illinois EPA lists a one-day HHW collection on 2026-10-31 at Shiloh Baptist Church, 18101 West Oak Avenue, Lockport, IL 60441. Checked October 26, 2026.

“Checked” means we read the official page on that date. Things can change, so call before you go.