In Illinois, this common kitchen appliance does not require any special disposal measures and are not included in the short list of items that are banned from disposal in Illinois landfills. Microwave ovens are not accepted at any of SWALCO’s collection programs and most curbside recycling programs do not accept them either. However, residents do have several options for managing microwaves including the following;
1. If the unit works, please check with your local charitable outlets, including local shelters.
2. Take it to your local metal scrap yard – you can find a few in our “Where Do I Recycle This” Directory OR type out “scrap yard” followed by your zip code into your choice of search engine and see what comes up. There may be a location closer to you.
3. If you’re buying a new microwave, check with the store to see if they’ll take the old one.
4. Call your waste hauler to inquire about disposal/recycling options.