Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Geneva
Trash Day
Trash is collected once weekly on Thursday or Friday, depending on your neighborhood location.
Recycling
Recycling is collected weekly on the same day as trash (Thursday or Friday).
Yard Waste
Yard waste is collected weekly on your regular collection day from April through November 30 (with free sticker-less collection during the last two full weeks of March).
Set Out Time
Between 7:00 PM the night before and 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residents can choose between a pay-as-you-throw sticker system (stickers sold at local retailers or online) or a monthly cart subscription through LRS.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, AutoPay (Credit/Debit Card, eCheck), Mail, Phone (IVR), Drop Box, In-Person
Varies (Blue/grey LRS carts, or personal 32-gallon cans) Bin (Trash)
Personal cans must not exceed 32 gallons or 50 pounds and require a visible waste sticker looped on the handle. Subscribed LRS carts do not need stickers. Place at curb between 7 p.m. the night before and 6 a.m. on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Food waste (if not composted)
Blue cart (Standard 65-gallon provided by LRS) Bin (Recycling)
All recyclable materials may be mixed loosely in the LRS cart. Do not bag recyclables. Rinse all food and juice containers clean.
Accepted Items
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic containers (PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP, PVC)
- ✓Cardboard
- ✓Mixed paper
- ✓Kraft paper bags
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Expanded foam/polystyrene
- ✕Motor oil containers
- ✕Soiled pizza boxes
- ✕Household batteries
- ✕Unrinsed containers
Yard Waste Bin
Use 50-pound Kraft paper bags with a waste sticker, or a subscribed LRS yard waste cart. Available from April to November. Un-stickered bags allowed during the free collection weeks in late March.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small branches
- ✓Vines
- ✓Garden waste
- ✓Pinecones
- ✓Food scraps
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on regular garbage day (Thursday or Friday)
Placement
Place bulk items alongside your regular trash between 7 p.m. the night before and 6 a.m. Mattresses and box springs must be wrapped in plastic and sealed in separate bags.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Wrapped mattresses
- ✓ Wrapped box springs
- ✓ Carpet rolls (max 4 ft long, 18 in diameter)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Unwrapped mattresses
- ✕ Items over 50 pounds (without special pickup)
- ✕ Hazardous waste
- ✕ Unscheduled heavy construction debris
Standard bulk takes 1 waste sticker. Do-It-Yourself construction debris, white goods, and extremely heavy items require calling LRS (844-633-3577) to schedule a special pickup which may be priced by the yard.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on or before your regular Thursday or Friday pickup, collection will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste is paused during the winter months, so winter holidays do not affect yard waste routes.
The LRS contract maintains these 6 core holidays. Check the Geneva City News flashes for specific delay announcements around summer and winter holidays.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring
March to AprilGeneva typically offers two weeks of free yard waste pickup in the third and fourth full weeks of March, requiring no refuse stickers. Monthly zoned brush collection also begins in April.
Autumn
October to NovemberCurbside yard waste collection and food scrap ride-alongs conclude at the end of November. For late-falling leaves, the city occasionally implements a December leaf bag program.
Winter
December to FebruaryDuring severe winter weather, garbage pickup on Thursdays and Fridays may be delayed. Holiday schedules like Christmas and New Year's usually push Friday collections back by one day.
Local Tips & Community Info
LRS Waste Management and Collection Zones
For residents living within the city limits of Geneva, residential waste disposal is exclusively managed by Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS). Because the Fox River divides the municipality, collection days are strategically split to optimize truck routes. Generally, neighborhoods located on the east side of the river have their refuse collected on Thursdays, while west-side properties are serviced on Fridays. To ensure successful pickup, all garbage, recycling carts, and yard debris must be positioned at the curb no later than 7:00 AM on your designated morning.
The Refuse Sticker Program versus Cart Subscriptions
Geneva offers a flexible approach to household trash, allowing residents to choose between a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) sticker system or a traditional monthly cart rental. If you generate minimal waste, you can place standard 32-gallon trash bags or personal cans at the curb, provided each unit clearly displays a green Geneva refuse sticker. These stickers are conveniently sold at local grocery stores, hardware shops, and the City Hall finance counter. Alternatively, larger households can bypass the sticker requirement entirely by contacting LRS to subscribe to a 65-gallon or 95-gallon refuse cart for a flat monthly fee.
Recycling Guidelines for Geneva Homes
Sustainability is a community priority, and LRS provides every household with a dedicated cart for single-stream recycling. This means you do not need to separate your glass bottles, aluminum cans, cardboard, and clean plastics (numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7). You should simply place them loose inside the bin. Residents are strictly reminded not to bag recyclables in plastic grocery sacks, as these wrap around the sorting gears at the recycling plant. Foam products and electronics are also strictly prohibited from the recycling cart.
Public Works Brush Pickup vs. Yard Waste
It is important for homeowners to distinguish between the city's brush collection and standard LRS yard waste. The Geneva Public Works Department runs a free, scheduled brush pickup program once a month from April through November for large tree limbs and branches. Conversely, standard yard waste like grass clippings, leaves, and garden weeds is handled weekly by LRS. For LRS to collect this organic material, it must be placed in a Kraft paper yard waste bag with a prepaid refuse sticker attached.
Handling Appliances and Heavy Items
When you need to get rid of major appliances—commonly referred to as white goods, such as refrigerators, washers, or water heaters—you cannot simply leave them on the curb. LRS requires residents to schedule a special pickup in advance and apply the appropriate number of refuse stickers to the item. Standard bulk furniture, such as a mattress or a couch, requires fewer stickers and can typically be left out on your regular collection day, provided it can be safely lifted by one worker.
Drop-off Facilities
Naperville Household Hazardous Waste Facility
156 Fort Hill Drive, Naperville, IL
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a sticker for my garbage in Geneva?
Yes, unless you have rented a monthly LRS refuse cart, you must affix a green Geneva refuse sticker to every 32-gallon bag or personal can you place on the curb.
When does yard waste collection start?
LRS weekly yard waste collection generally runs from early April through the end of November. A refuse sticker must be attached to each brown paper bag.
What is the difference between brush pickup and yard waste?
Brush pickup is a free monthly service provided by the City of Geneva for large tree branches. Yard waste (grass, leaves, weeds) is collected weekly by LRS and requires paid stickers.