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Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, IL
 
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Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, IL (SWALCO)

 
Quick Links
Bullet  Composting /Compost Bins
Bullet  Electronics Collection
Bullet Email Lists
Bullet  Green Days: Green Ways for Living
Bullet  Household Chemical Waste (HCW) Collections
Bullet Latex Paint Disposal
Bullet Reuse-A-Shoe
BulletSchool Education Corner
Welcome to the SWALCO website.  Find out more about the collections and programs we're offering using our Quick Links menu on the right.  Check out our new monthly feature Green Days: Green Ways for Living, a website guide with monthly articles featuring simple tips that each one of us can do at home or work to live a more "planet friendly" lifestyle, information on related environmental events and other timely topics.

Celebrate America Recycles Day!
Save the Date - save the Earth!

SWALCO is sponsoring a special event, Recycle-O-Rama, in cooperation with Warren-Newport Library, on Saturday, November 15 from 10:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m. at the library. Bring your old crayons, household batteries, cell phones, eyeglasses, gym shoes, printer cartridges, CD's and DVDs to be recycled. Bring your books and puzzles to swap. Learn more about recycling and where these items go. Free reusable bookbags, recycled “crazy crayons” and more (while supplies last). Ten Thousand Villages of Grayslake will have a display and sale of their fair-trade artisan crafts from around the world, made from recycled materials. Take advantage of a unique shopping experience just before the holidays. Other guests include Trader Joe’s, featuring their organic foods, Warren High School Mother Earth Concerned Students, Village of Gurnee, local Lions Clubs and others.  A free event, fun for all ages.

SWALCO has recently expanded its HCW (Household Chemical Waste) Program. Residents now have two ways to dispose of their household chemical waste at SWALCO's HCW  Collections: SWALCO's mobile events held at locations throughout Lake County, and our drop-off collections (by appointment only) at our permanent facility in Gurnee. Be one of the first to take advantage of this convenient program. Use our Quick Links menu on the right to find out more.

Household Electronics Collection locations are available on the Quick Links menu. There are several events at locations around the county. Please check back periodically for a location near you. These events are only open to Lake County residents. No business,  institutional, not-for-profit, or governmental education electronics will be accepted.

Purchase a Compost Bin for your home.  Compost bins are available at several locations around Lake County as supplies last.   Please visit our Compost Quick Link for more information and for purchasing details.

Earth Flag ProgramAttention All Educators and Parents:
Have your School Earn a Beautiful Earth Flag!
If you are an educator, school administrator or interested parent, please visit our School Education Corner online and find out how your school can make a difference in the community, by participating in a most rewarding program called Earth Flag. The Program is designed to educate students, teachers, administrators and parents about the importance of waste reduction, reuse and recycling and the impact they can have on our environment. Find out how your school can earn its very own, beautiful Earth Flag.

If you would like to receive email announcements about SWALCO programs and collections, please sign up for the SWALCO Announcements list in the Community Outreach section of the website.

You can find out more information about the agency, including its programs, events, members and meetings here. If you are looking for information about how to get rid of something specific, check out the Disposal Guide. Here you can find out about trash, recycling, yardwaste, electronics, chemical wastes and many other types of materials that can be difficult to throw away.  We also have a list of facilities that provide solid waste disposal services, such as landfills, scrap yards, and recycling centers.

About Us                                                                                                         In 1989, Lake County became the first county in Illinois to adopt a solid waste management plan in compliance with the Illinois Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Act. The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) was formed in 1991 to implement the Lake County Solid Waste Management Plan, and currently is comprised of members from 42 municipalities, including Lake County and Great Lakes NTC, representing at least 85% of the county's population.

"Solid Waste Management" is the planned and organized management of solid waste in an environmentally and economically sound manner. Solid waste management encompasses management of the generation, storage, collection, transfer, transportation, processing, reuse, recycling, incineration, energy recover and landfilling of solid waste. It includes all administrative, financial, educational, environmental, legal, planning, marketing and operational aspects of the management of solid wastes.

Specifically, SWALCO deals with "municipal waste," which refers to garbage, general household and commercial waste, industrial lunchroom or office waste, landscape waste, and construction or demolition debris.
  

Mission Statement / Goals

In fall 1996, the SWALCO Board of Directors adopted a mission statement to succinctly codify the mission of the Agency as it carries out programs, policies and activities. This statement reads: 

The purpose of the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, Illinois is to implement a regional approach to solid waste management which addresses the economic, political and environmental issues in Lake County as follows: 
  • Implement the Lake County Solid Waste Management Plan.

  • Facilitate an efficient, reliable and environmentally sound waste disposal system.

  • Advise and assist SWALCO members regarding solid waste management issues.

  • Educate the public regarding implications of solid waste management options.

  • Identify, evaluate and disseminate information regarding techniques to reduce, reuse and recycle the amount of solid waste generated.