Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Downers Grove
Trash Day
Curbside trash is collected once per week on Thursday or Friday, depending on your neighborhood route.
Recycling
Weekly on the same day as trash collection.
Yard Waste
Weekly on the same day as trash collection (collected April through November, with optional winter organics service).
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential waste and recycling services are contracted through Republic Services and billed directly through the Village on alternating months from water bills.
Billing Cycle
Bi-monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay (ACH), Mail, In-Person, Drop Box
Pro Tip / Discount
Senior citizen discount pricing is available for qualifying residents.
Typically Blue or Green (Republic Services Issued) Bin (Trash)
Place your 35-, 65-, or 95-gallon cart at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day (but no earlier than 12:00 noon the day prior). Extra bags must have a $3.50 sticker.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food wrappers and non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Broken household items (non-hazardous)
Typically Blue or Light Blue (Republic Services Issued) Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag your recyclables. Place all items loosely inside the cart to ensure they can be sorted mechanically.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Office paper and mail
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam cups/packing peanuts)
- ✕Shredded paper
- ✕Mirrors and Pyrex glass
- ✕Food-soiled cardboard (greasy pizza boxes)
- ✕Plastic bags (film)
Yard Waste Bin
No stickers required. Use brown paper bags, a personal can labeled 'YARD WASTE', or an optional organics cart. Max weight 50 lbs per bag/can. No liquids or pet waste.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves, grass clippings, and brush
- ✓Fruits, vegetables, and eggshells
- ✓Bread, cereal, rice, and pasta
- ✓Meat, bones, and seafood
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly (Up to two items)
Placement
Place your two free bulk items next to your refuse carts by 6:00 a.m. on your regular collection day. Empty carts must be removed by midnight.
Accepted
- ✓ Sofas, chairs, and mattresses
- ✓ Refrigerators and washing machines (White Goods)
- ✓ Carpet rolls (tied, max 5 feet long, 3 feet diameter, 50 lbs)
- ✓ Small amounts of tied construction debris (max 50 lbs)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Motor oil and liquid paints
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Electronic waste (TVs, computers)
The first two bulk items/white goods are free weekly. Any additional bulk item requires a $3.50 refuse sticker. Each additional white good beyond the two-item limit requires 9 stickers.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When an observed holiday falls on a weekday (Monday-Friday), or on a Sunday and is legally observed on a Monday, collection is delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.
Yard Waste Exception
During the active organics season, yard waste follows the exact same holiday delay schedule as your regular refuse pickup.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday, the weekday collection schedule is not affected.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring/Fall
April - DecemberStandard weekly yard waste and organics collection runs from April 1st through the second full week of December.
Winter
December - MarchStarting in late December 2026, residents with a Republic Services organics cart can opt into a winter organics collection service. During these winter months, food scraps and yard waste will be collected every other week.
Winter
JanuaryRepublic Services provides free curbside collection of live Christmas trees during the first two full weeks of January. Trees must be completely free of tinsel, hooks, and ornaments.
Local Tips & Community Info
New Cart-Based Trash & Recycling Program for 2026
Starting April 1, 2026, the Village of Downers Grove is transitioning to a brand-new waste collection system in partnership with Republic Services. Leaving behind the older sticker-only method for standard household refuse, all eligible households will now use a mandatory cart-based system. Residents can select between 35, 65, or 95-gallon refuse and recycling carts based on their family's typical waste output. Recycling bins of equal size are provided at no extra cost alongside your chosen trash cart. This modernized approach reduces neighborhood litter, promotes sustainability, and provides more predictable quarterly billing for Village residents.
Downers Grove Trash & Recycling Collection Schedule
Residential waste and recycling collection in Downers Grove occurs weekly, managed by Republic Services. To determine your exact pickup day, residents can consult the interactive collection map on the Village's official website. It is highly recommended to place all your bins at the curb no later than 6:00 a.m. on your designated service day, though they should not be placed out before noon the day prior. Once Republic Services has emptied your carts, Village ordinances require that all empty bins be removed from the public right-of-way by midnight on the same day.
Organics & Yard Waste Pickup
One of the most exciting upgrades to the Downers Grove sanitation program is the simplified organics and yard waste disposal system. Residents no longer need to purchase individual stickers for brown yard waste bags or dedicated cans. In fact, you can request an organics cart at zero additional cost to combine your food scraps—like fruit peels, coffee grounds, and meat bones—with grass clippings and leaves. Standard yard waste collection runs from April through mid-December, and an optional winter organics collection service is slated to begin in December 2026.
Bulk Items, Appliances, and White Goods
Getting rid of large furniture pieces, mattresses, or old household appliances is much easier under the new solid waste contract. If you are enrolled in the standard cart service, you are permitted to set out up to two bulk items or white goods per week at no extra charge—no stickers required. If you happen to be doing a massive garage cleanout and need to dispose of more than two large items in a single week, you will need to purchase excess waste stickers for the additional pieces. Stickers are conveniently sold at the Civic Center and local grocery or hardware stores.
Proper Bin Placement and Missed Pickups
For a smooth and efficient collection process, ensure your Republic Services carts are placed on a flat surface near the curb, with the arrows on the lid pointing directly toward the street. Keep at least three feet of clearance between the carts and any obstacles such as mailboxes, parked vehicles, or fire hydrants. If your trash or recycling was not collected by the end of your scheduled day, leave the bins at the curb and contact Republic Services directly at 630-964-3232 to report the missed pickup and schedule a recovery route.
Holiday Schedule Delays
During major national holidays, your regular waste and recycling pickup may be affected. Republic Services observes New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. If one of these holidays falls on a weekday on or before your standard collection day, all services for the remainder of that week will be pushed back by one day. For instance, if a holiday lands on a Monday, Monday customers will be serviced on Tuesday, and Friday customers will be serviced on Saturday. Normal scheduling resumes the following week.
Drop-off Facilities
Naperville Environmental Collection Campus (Household Hazardous & E-Waste)
156 Fort Hill Dr., Naperville, IL
Materials Accepted
Downers Grove Used Motor Oil Drop-Off
Fenced lot at the intersection of Curtiss St. and Mackie
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still need to buy stickers for my regular weekly trash in Downers Grove?
No. Starting April 1, 2026, the Village is shifting to a mandatory cart-based program. Your weekly trash, recycling, and up to two bulk items are covered by a flat quarterly rate, eliminating the need for stickers for standard disposal.
How do seniors qualify for a refuse discount?
Residents aged 65 and older who are the primary account holder at their address can apply for discounted monthly rates. You can register by emailing your documentation to the Village or by visiting the Finance Window at the Civic Center with a valid ID.
How is Christmas tree disposal handled in the Village?
Live Christmas trees are typically collected during the first two full weeks of January. Make sure all lights, ornaments, tinsel, and plastic tree bags are completely removed before placing the tree at the curb.