Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Elgin
In Illinois, garbage and recycling services run on weekly zone-based routes. Exact pickup days vary by local municipality and private hauler.
State Mandate
Electronics and landscape waste are strictly banned from landfills.
Gray (Available in 35, 64, or 96 gallons) Bin (Trash)
Lids must be fully closed. Extra bags or containers (max 35 gallons/45 lbs) left outside the cart require one Elgin Trash Sticker each. Carts must face the street and sit 5 feet apart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Styrofoam/Polystyrene
- ✓Cold ashes (bagged)
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables; place them loose in the cart. Food containers must be rinsed and emptied. Extra cardboard left outside the cart must be flattened to a maximum of 4' x 4'.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard (max 3' x 3' inside cart)
- ✓Office paper, magazines, and newspaper
- ✓Hard plastic bottles, jugs, and jars
- ✓Aluminum/steel cans and clear/green/brown glass
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags and film
- ✕Electronics and batteries
- ✕Clothing and textiles
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, wires)
- ✕Styrofoam
Yard Waste Bin
Use LRS organics carts, 2-ply brown kraft bags (max 50 lbs), or a marked 35-gallon personal container. Brush must be bundled (max 5 ft long, 2 ft diameter, 45 lbs). Stickers are no longer required as of Jan 1, 2025.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Twigs and brush
- ✓Food waste (produce, grains, baked goods)
- ✓Floral items
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on your standard collection day
Placement
Place bulk items next to your gray trash cart on the parkway by 6:00 a.m. Ensure the Elgin Trash Sticker is clearly visible on each item.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs (must be enclosed in taped plastic)
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Carpet rolls (max 5 ft long, 2 ft diameter)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Electronics (TVs, monitors)
- ✕ Tires and auto parts
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Propane tanks
Carpet disposal requires one sticker per roll (up to 8 rolls collected per week). Oversized items (like pianos or treadmills) or full move-outs require contacting LRS directly at 855-612-7938 for a special pickup quote.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, all garbage, recycling, and organics collections for the remainder of that week will be delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
During the active collection season (April-December), organics and yard waste follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as trash and recycling.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday, standard weekday collections are not affected. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, collection is delayed by one day starting on Monday.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Recyclables Loose and Bag-Free
Never place your recyclables inside a plastic garbage bag, and do not toss soft grocery bags into the blue cart. Film plastics wrap around the sorting gears at recycling facilities, causing severe mechanical failures.
Flatten Your Cardboard Correctly
Cardboard must be properly broken down to save space and allow automated trucks to empty carts efficiently. Cardboard inside the blue cart should be cut to 3'x3' squares, while excess cardboard left next to the cart can be up to 4'x4'.
Keep Tanglers Out
Items like holiday string lights, garden hoses, electrical cords, and chains are considered 'tanglers' and cannot go in the blue recycling bin. Dispose of them in the trash or use the special E-Waste program for electrical cords.
Seasonal Information
Spring, Summer & Fall
April - First week of DecemberWeekly yard waste and organics collection runs actively during this period. Residents can freely dispose of food scraps alongside their grass clippings without needing to purchase any municipal refuse stickers.
Fall
September - DecemberA special Senior/Large Lot unbagged leaf pick-up program operates on Mondays for properties larger than one acre or seniors (65+) enrolled in the Senior Credit Program. Leaves must be raked to the curb without bags.
Winter
JanuaryLRS provides free curbside live Christmas tree collection during the first three full weeks of January on your regular service day. Trees must be entirely bare—remove all ornaments, tinsel, metal stands, and disposal bags.
About Elgin Waste Management
Transition to Sticker-Free Yard Waste and Organics
Starting January 1, 2025, the City of Elgin implemented a major upgrade to its environmental services by eliminating the need for yard waste stickers. Residents can now set out yard clippings, baked goods, food waste, and grains for weekly collection between April 1 and the first full week of December at no additional charge. Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) offers free dedicated organics carts in 35, 64, or 96-gallon sizes, ensuring a sustainable and cost-effective way to handle organic matter without crowding local landfills.
Managing Excess Trash and Bulk Refuse
Elgin provides a standard 64-gallon gray cart for weekly household garbage, though residents can request 35-gallon or 96-gallon alternatives. If your weekly refuse exceeds the cart's capacity, you must attach one prepaid Elgin Refuse Sticker to each extra bag or personal container. Excess bags must not exceed 35 gallons or weigh more than 45 pounds. This volume-based pay system encourages recycling while fairly managing disposal costs for heavier waste generators.
Convenient At-Home E-Waste and HHW Collection
Disposing of harsh chemicals and broken electronics is remarkably simple in Elgin. Rather than forcing residents to drive to county drop-off events, the current LRS contract includes at-home curbside collection for Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and Electronic Waste (E-Waste). Simply contact LRS to schedule a specialized pickup for items like televisions, motor oil, and batteries, keeping dangerous toxins entirely out of the standard curbside truck fleets.
Strict Cart Placement and Local Storage Ordinances
To maintain neighborhood aesthetics and ensure smooth municipal operations, Elgin enforces specific municipal codes regarding waste carts. Bins can only be placed on the parkway (the grassy space between the sidewalk and curb) between 5:00 p.m. the evening before collection and 6:00 a.m. on pickup day. Furthermore, empty carts must be retrieved by midnight following collection and stored in a location where they are not visible from any public street or sidewalk.
Connecting with the Elgin 311 Contact Center
The Elgin 311 service acts as the central communications hub for all municipal waste concerns. Whether you are dealing with a damaged cart, a missed collection, or simply have questions about what can go into the blue recycling bin, dialing 311 directly routes you to a knowledgeable city representative. Residents calling from outside the city limits can access this same support line by dialing 847-931-6001.
Drop-off Facilities
Kane County Recycles Drop-Off Locations
Various locations across Kane County
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Are yard waste stickers still required in Elgin?
No. As of January 1, 2025, yard waste and organics stickers are no longer required in Elgin. Residents can place yard clippings and acceptable food waste in an LRS organics cart, 2-ply brown kraft bags, or a marked personal 35-gallon container for free weekly pickup between April 1 and early December.
How do I throw away a mattress in Elgin?
You can place a mattress and a box spring out with your regular trash, but both must be completely enclosed in taped plastic covers for sanitation reasons. Each piece counts toward your two-bulk-item weekly limit and requires one Elgin Trash Sticker per piece.
What should I do if my garbage cart breaks or is missed?
If a collection driver misses your house, or if your gray or blue cart is damaged, you should contact the Elgin 311 Contact Center by dialing 311. If you are using a phone outside the city limits, you can reach them at 847-931-6001.
Where can I recycle a television or old paint?
Do not put televisions, computers, or household hazardous waste (like paint or motor oil) into your curbside carts. Elgin's contract with LRS includes special at-home curbside collection for these materials. You must call LRS directly to schedule an E-Waste or HHW pickup appointment.