Recycling Collection

Collection

Skokie households receive a 65 gallon cart that is serviced by Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) .  Collection of recyclable materials occurs every week in single-family residential areas. The total weight of the filled cart should not exceed 150 pounds. Please flatten large boxes and place them next to the cart.  Do not mixRecycling Video Still (JPG) garbage or landscape waste in the recycling cart. In curbside collection areas, set out recycling containers by 7 a.m. on the day of pickup, but not before 6 p.m. the night before collection.

How To Recycle

Only put containers - bottles, tubs, jugs, and jars in your recycling cart.  Why aren't we recycling by number anymore?  Many films and bags have numbers that are considered recyclable, but they cannot be recycled.  Please note, caps and lids should be rinsed and place back on their original container and recycled. 

Recyclables should be loose, not bagged.  

Curbside Recycling Guidelines

To print and post the guidelines for easy reference, click here.

Plastic bags and plastic films

Unfortunately plastic bags and films cannot be recycled in your toter as they get tangled and damage the recycling processing equipment .  Do not place plastic bags or films in the recycling cart.  Instead, visitbagandfilmrecycling.org and type in your zip code for locations that accept plastic film.  Many Skokie grocery stores and box stores offer free plastic bag recycling.

Cardboard & Boxes
Boxes should be flattened. Soiled cardboard is not recyclable. Cardboard should be broken down.  If there is not room for cardboard inside the recycling toter, place broken down cardboard in a larger cardboard box and place it near your recycling toter for pick-up.  Paper cups are recyclable, but lids are not.

Clean pizza boxes are accepted.  However, any pizza box with more than a few small drops of grease should be thrown out or it could contaminate other recyclables. 

Pizza Box - Bad (1) Pizza Box - Good (1)

Mixed Paper Materials
Flatten cardboard boxes and remove liners. Rinse out beverage cartons; do not crush. Pet food bags, or any bags with a moisture liner, are not recyclable. Soiled fiber material such as used tissue paper, paper towels or paper plates are not recyclable.  Shredded paper is not recyclable through the weekly collection program.  Paper cups are recyclable, but not the lids.

Bottles, Tubs, and Containers  
Thoroughly rinse out containers. Do not crush.  Rinse caps and lids and place back on container.  All colors of glass are accepted.  Steel paint cans must be dried out. All aerosol cans must be empty before being placed in the recycling cart.  No foam trays or egg cartons.

What about my other items?

The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) has a directory and map application to recycle or reuse items you no longer need.

View or download information about the Village’s numerous residential recycling initiatives.

Skokie's Spring Greening is an annual event each April that hosts electronics recycling, paper shredding, and more.

Electronics Recycling is available free at SWANCC.  Please visit their website for acceptable materials and drop-off times.

Hazardous Waste Disposal or Any Materials Not Collected
For more information on recycling batteries, electronics, household chemicals, medication and more, see our Household Hazardous Waste Page or contact the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC).

Residential and Commercial Recycling

Recycling collection is provided by LRS, who has been contracted by the Village. For information on LRS's recycling collection, visit their website, or call at 773/685-8811.

Did you know?  LRS offers one free recycling toter with once a week pick-up to businesses?  Call them today!Recycling Video Still (JPG)

Skokie Textile Recycling Program 

An estimated 85 percent of textiles end up in landfills, despite charitable collection centers and pick up services. To help reduced this the Village of Skokie has partnered with Simple Recycling. 

Simple Recycling now requires a scheduled pickup.  To schedule a pickup click here or call 866/835- 5068.  Leave items in a clean box or bags at your front door.  You can use up existing orange bags, but orange bags will no longer be provided moving forward.  For more information visit Simple Recycling's website.

Any textiles in any condition are accepted. Here is a list of items to recycle: • Men’s, women’s and children’s clothing • Boots, shoes, sandals, socks, undergarments • Belts, ties, handbags, purses • Coats, jackets, gloves, hats, scarves • Sheets, pillow cases, pillows, blankets, comforters • Table linens, towels • Stuffed animals

Simple Recycling is a private company and cannot give a receipt for a tax deduction. Residents who would like a tax donation receipt or otherwise wish to contribute unwanted textiles, apparel items and household goods to a charity are encouraged to go to one of two charity centers in Skokie: 

Goodwill Store and Donation Center
5518 West Touhy Avenue

Salvation Army Family Store and Donation Center
4335 Oakton Street

Simple Recycling sends collected material to a thrift store facility in Chicago, where roughly 30 percent of the material goes to local thrift stores, another 30 percent is appropriate for overseas markets and the remainder is processed into fiber or repurposed as industrial rags.

For more information on the Simple Recycling service, please contact the Public Works Department at 847/933-8427.