NEW ILLINOIS LAW BANS ELECTRONICS FROM ILLINOIS LANDFILLS - 1/1/2012:

Beginning January 1, 2012, the Illinois Electronic Products Recycling and Reuse Act landfill ban for certain electronic devices will take effect.  Electronic items such as televisions, monitors, computers and printers are some of the most common items that will no longer be allowed in the regular trash (see below for a full list of prohibited electronics.  Residents of the County should direct prohibited electronic items to a residential recycling collection event hosted by SWALCO.

Other recycling or reuse options that may be available include; donation of good working equipment to a charitable organization, utilizing an at home collection service or bringing them to a retail store that accepts electronics for recycling. 

Below is the most up to date listing of SWALCO sponsored residential electronics collection drop off locations within Lake County. This listing is regularly updated to reflect any additional events and details.  There is no cost for residents to drop off electronics at these locations.  The locations and hours of operation are set by the host of the collection site and any questions regarding their procedures should be made to them.  These collections are open only on the specified dates and residents will be politely turned away if visiting at an unscheduled time.   

Household Chemical Waste will not be accepted at these collection sites.  No commercial, institutional or governmental materials will be accepted.  All items must be free of any packaging material and operating manuals.  Instead, recycle packaging materials and manuals along with your regular household recycling.    

All electronic devices that are collected through SWALCO are recycled by Materials Processing Corporation (MPC).  MPC is one of an elite group of electronics recycling companies that has been certified by E-Stewards and R2 as well possessing both ISO 14001 and ISO 9001certifications. MPC also strictly adhere to the rules and regulations established by the Illinois Electronic Products Recycling and Reuse Act along with those required by SWALCO. All computer hard drives and memory will be mechanically shredded and recycled for metal recovery.  No electronics are collected at the Gurnee SWALCO facility.

• View our Where Should My Stuff Go?: Recycle and Redirect Guide to find out what to do with much of your unwanted "stuff", including batteries, latex paint, documents, cell phones, and more.  
  
• Sign up for our elists -- scroll down to sign up now.
  
• Donate or shop at Habitat for Humanity Restore Lake County.  Every item is another kept out of a landfill. New and used building materials/home furnishings, include: cabinets, windows, flooring, doors, fixtures, furniture, paint and more. Help fund affordable,durable housing for families in need.
  
• The Recycling Task Force continues to meet and look at ways we can increase our recycling rate.
  
• What can I recycle in my curbside bin?  Do I have to take the lids off?  Which plastics can I recycle? SWALCO developed a set of Curbside Recycling Guidelines for Lake County residents to help answer these questions and more.  Did you know that well over 95% of the paper from your home can be recycled?  Check back from time to time as the guide is updated as new items are added.

SWALCO Programs Overview:

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   Household Chemical Waste
   Residents can dispose of their household chemical waste through SWALCO's Mobile 
   Collections and year-round Drop-off Collections.  These collections are FREE to Illinois residents.

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Household Electronics
Recycle your unwanted household electronics like TVs, computers, small appliances and more, at one  of our collections around the county.  Check back periodically to browse a list of events and accepted items,  look for one near you. These collections are only open to Lake County residents and they are FREE..

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Reuse-A-Shoe Gym Shoe Recycling Program
SWALCO coordinates the Reuse-A-Shoe athletic shoe recycling & donation program.  Find information on where individuals or families can take shoes, or to find out how you/your group can participate.  
       

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                                Compost Bins, Composting and Rain Barrel Sales
     Learn more about how to compost and where you can purchase compost bins and 
     rain barrels for your home.   
  
   

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   School Education
   SWALCO offers assistance to Lake County schools on projects related to recycling, 4Rs, waste 
   management and other environmental topics, as well as educational programs and vents.  Educators,
   school administrators and interested parents can visit our School Education Corner.  

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