Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Crystal Lake
Trash Day
Collection runs Monday through Friday depending on your neighborhood route.
Recycling
Collected weekly on the same day as trash.
Yard Waste
Collected weekly on your regular collection day from the first full week of April through the second full week of December.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Curbside waste and recycling services are contracted through LRS and billed quarterly, distinct from your monthly municipal water and sewer bill.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Phone, Mail, Auto-Pay
Pro Tip / Discount
Senior citizen discount is available for residents aged 65 and older who provide proof of age.
Blue or Grey LRS Cart Bin (Trash)
Place your LRS tote at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated collection day. Additional totes are available for $3.00/month.
Accepted Items
- ✓Everyday household garbage
- ✓Food wrappers and non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Standard packaging
- ✓Small broken household goods
Blue LRS Cart with specific colored lid Bin (Recycling)
All items must be clean, dry, and placed loosely inside the recycling tote. Do not bag recyclables in plastic.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and paperboard (flattened)
- ✓Office paper, magazines, and mail
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Plastic bottles and containers
- ✓Glass jars and bottles
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags (film)
- ✕Needles and sharps
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Electronics and batteries
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, cords)
Yard Waste Bin
Use biodegradable paper bags, an optional $3.00/month LRS yard waste tote, or a personal 32-gallon container (max 50 lbs). Personal bins are used at the resident's own risk of damage.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Weeds and garden debris
- ✓Small twigs and light brush
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly (One item per week)
Placement
Place your single bulk item next to your LRS refuse tote at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your normal collection day.
Accepted
- ✓ Sofas and chairs
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Small dining tables
- ✓ Standard household furniture
Not Accepted
- ✕ Large quantities of construction debris
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Unscheduled white goods (appliances)
- ✕ Electronics (TVs, computers)
One item is free weekly. Additional bulk items are $25.00. White goods (refrigerators, washers) require a scheduled $35.00 pickup. Special cleanout collections are $25.00 per cubic yard.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Scheduled collections that fall on or after an observed holiday will be delayed by one day during that week. For example, if a holiday is on a Monday, Monday service moves to Tuesday, and Friday service moves to Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
During the active collection season (April through mid-December), yard waste pickups are delayed exactly alongside standard trash and recycling schedules.
If a holiday falls on a weekend, your weekday collection schedule typically remains unaffected.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring/Fall
April - DecemberLRS curbside yard waste collection is highly seasonal. It begins the first full week of April and strictly ends after the second full week of December each year.
Spring
MayEvery May, the City's Public Works Department conducts an annual Zone-Based Brush Collection Program. The city is divided into four zones, with crews making one pass per zone to collect large branch piles left at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on Monday of your scheduled week.
Summer/Fall
April - NovemberThe City's resident-only Brush Drop-Off Site at 410 S. Main Street is open on the first and third Saturday of each month from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Proof of residency is required.
Local Tips & Community Info
Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) Partnership & Rates
In Crystal Lake, residential waste management is exclusively contracted through Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS). Households are charged a consolidated base monthly rate that conveniently covers weekly refuse, single-stream recycling, yard waste, and even one bulk item. If you are aged 65 or older, you can submit proof of age to the City to qualify for a reduced senior rate. LRS provides one complimentary recycling cart per property, and residents have the option to rent additional refuse or yard waste totes for a small nominal fee billed quarterly.
Cart Preparation and Service Timelines
To ensure smooth operations across the community, LRS fleets begin their routes promptly at 6:00 a.m. on your designated service day. It is imperative that all materials are stationed at the curb before this time. If you happen to utilize an extra cardboard box for overflow recyclables, ensure it is clearly marked as 'RECYCLE' so the drivers do not mistake it for standard garbage. Should your bins remain unemptied by 6:00 p.m. on collection day, residents must promptly report the missed pickup to LRS customer service at 844-633-3577 to arrange a recovery route.
The Weekly Bulk Item Perk and White Goods
A major benefit of the Crystal Lake sanitation agreement is the inclusion of one free bulk item pickup every single week. This allows you to effortlessly discard large items like a mattress, chair, or bookshelf alongside your regular bins. However, if you need to dispose of 'white goods'—such as refrigerators, dehumidifiers, or air conditioners that contain hazardous refrigerants—you cannot simply leave them at the curb. These appliances mandate a special, prepaid $35 collection fee arranged directly with LRS ahead of time.
Food Scraps and Seasonal Yard Waste
From the first full week of April until the second full week of December, LRS provides comprehensive landscape waste removal. Residents can use biodegradable kraft bags, a rented LRS yard waste tote, or their own rigid containers weighing less than 50 pounds. Crystal Lake aggressively promotes environmental sustainability by allowing organic food scraps, including vegetable peelings and coffee grounds, to be mixed directly into your seasonal yard waste.
Schedule Shifts for National Holidays
Six primary holidays dictate the sanitation calendar: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If any of these recognized observances falls on a standard weekday, all subsequent collections for the remainder of that specific week will be postponed by 24 hours. Normal operations seamlessly resume at the start of the following week.
Drop-off Facilities
Crystal Lake Brush Drop-Off Site
410 S. Main Street, Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Materials Accepted
Elgin Recycling
5114 Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put my recyclables in plastic bags before tossing them in the LRS cart?
No. Plastic grocery bags strictly interfere with the recycling plant's sorting machinery. All recyclable materials must be placed completely loose inside your designated LRS cart.
How do I dispose of old electronic devices in Crystal Lake?
Electronics are banned from Illinois landfills. While not accepted curbside, residents can utilize the free electronics drop-off site provided by the city, or bring items to Elgin Recycling on Terra Cotta Avenue.
What if I have more than one bulk item to throw away in a week?
Your base rate only covers one bulk item per week. If you have additional large pieces to discard simultaneously, you will be charged an extra $25 per item by LRS.