Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Loves Park
Trash Day
Every Friday
Recycling
Every Friday
Yard Waste
Every Friday (April 1 – November 30)
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Curbside waste collection is serviced citywide on Fridays by Rock River Disposal, moving one day later to Saturday if a major holiday falls during the week.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Mail, Phone, In Person / Drive-Thru
Pro Tip / Discount
Residents 65 years and older are eligible for a senior discount on both their garbage service rates and city water bills by applying in person at the Loves Park Water Department.
City-issued 96-gallon Cart (or smaller if on One-Bag plan) Bin (Trash)
Trash is collected weekly. Carts must be placed at the curb by 6:00 AM on your collection day, but no earlier than the evening before. Carts must be removed from the curb within 24 hours after pickup.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste and non-recyclable wrappers
- ✓Styrofoam
- ✓Small broken household items
City-issued 65-gallon Cart (or legacy Brown Bin) Bin (Recycling)
Recycling is unlimited. All recyclables must be placed loosely in the provided cart. Do not bag recyclables in plastic garbage bags, as this contaminates the load.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Newspapers, magazines, and mail
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Clean plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags or film
- ✕Electronic waste and batteries
- ✕Food waste or liquids
- ✕Styrofoam and foam packaging
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, wires)
Yard Waste Bin
Collected from April 1 to November 30. Use 30-gallon brown paper kraft bags or personal cans marked with a large 'X'. Maximum weight is 50 lbs per container. Branches must be bundled, max 3 to 5 feet in length.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves and weeds
- ✓Plant and garden debris
- ✓Small tree branches and bush trimmings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on regular collection day
Placement
Place bulk items at the curb next to your 96-gallon Rock River Disposal cart by 6:00 AM on your scheduled service day.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Couches, chairs, and recliners
- ✓ Desks, dressers, and standard wooden furniture
- ✓ Rolled and tied carpeting
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris (drywall, lumber)
- ✕ Hazardous waste or liquid paints
- ✕ Televisions and electronic waste
- ✕ Automotive parts and tires
Standard household furniture is free. However, construction and remodeling debris requires you to call Rock River Disposal in advance and incur a minimum $25.00 fee per hopper.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, garbage and recycling collections for the remainder of that week will be delayed by one day. Friday collections will be pushed to Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
Bagged yard waste collection follows the exact same holiday delay schedule during the active April-November season.
If a holiday falls on a weekend, there is no delay in service for the week. Holidays like MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Juneteenth, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day do not cause service interruptions.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Autumn
October - NovemberThe City of Loves Park provides a specialized fall leaf vacuuming service. Residents can rake leaves to the edge of their front lawn in a long windrow. Vacuuming continues on a continuous loop through the city until the first major snowfall.
Spring to Fall
April - NovemberStandard curbside yard waste collection (using paper bags or cans marked with an 'X') officially runs from April 1st through November 30th. Outside of these dates, yard waste will not be collected by standard trucks.
Summer
May - SeptemberDuring peak growing season, the City Code strictly enforces that lawns must be kept under 10 inches long. Overgrown grass will result in a Code Violation notice, city-initiated mowing, and a subsequent fine.
Local Tips & Community Info
Rock River Disposal Collection Guidelines
For residents in the City of Loves Park, comprehensive residential garbage and recycling services are managed through an exclusive franchise agreement with Rock River Disposal. To guarantee your household refuse is collected without a hitch, all designated carts must be wheeled to the edge of the street by 6:00 a.m. on your specific neighborhood's collection day. The collection crews work rapidly, and placing your bins out late often results in a skipped pickup. Remember to keep the carts at least three feet apart from one another and away from mailboxes to allow the automated truck arms enough clearance.
Proper Use of the Recycling Receptacle
Loves Park actively promotes sustainability through a single-stream recycling program. Your dedicated recycling cart is designed for loose, unbagged materials such as flattened cardboard, glass containers, aluminum cans, and rigid plastic jugs. A frequent issue that halts the recycling process is 'tanglers'—items like plastic grocery sacks, garden hoses, or wire hangers. These items wrap around the gears at the sorting plant and cause severe mechanical breakdowns. Always deposit your approved recyclables directly into the container, free of any plastic liners.
Large Item and Furniture Regulations
If you are replacing old furniture or doing a minor home cleanout, you do not necessarily have to schedule a special pickup. Rock River Disposal permits Loves Park households to place one large bulk item at the curb each week alongside their regular trash. This allowance covers standard household goods like couches, wooden chairs, or a rolled-up piece of carpeting (cut into manageable lengths). However, construction materials, hazardous chemicals, and automotive parts are strictly prohibited from this weekly bulk allowance.
Yard Waste Season and Packaging
Managing lawn clippings and fallen leaves is a seasonal requirement in northern Illinois. In Loves Park, the yard waste collection program typically runs from early April through the end of November. During these months, residents must package organic landscape debris in two-ply Kraft paper bags. Alternatively, you can use a standard 32-gallon trash can, provided it is prominently marked with a large 'X' facing the street. Bundled brush is also accepted, but branches must be tied securely with biodegradable string, measure no longer than four feet, and be easily liftable by a single worker.
Handling Electronic Waste (E-Waste)
State environmental regulations in Illinois mandate that all electronic devices be kept out of standard municipal landfills. Therefore, you cannot throw old televisions, desktop computers, printers, or gaming consoles into your Rock River Disposal cart. Instead, Loves Park residents must utilize designated regional e-waste drop-off centers located in Winnebago County, or wait for community-sponsored electronic recycling drive events to safely and legally discard these items.
Adjustments for Major Holidays
Your standard pickup routine will occasionally be pushed back by national holidays. Rock River Disposal observes six primary holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. When a holiday falls on a weekday, all collection services scheduled for that day and the remainder of the week are delayed by exactly 24 hours, meaning Friday routes will be completed on Saturday.
Drop-off Facilities
Rockford Household Hazardous Waste Facility
3333 Kishwaukee St, Rockford, IL 61109
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Which company is responsible for garbage pickup in Loves Park?
Rock River Disposal holds the municipal contract for all residential solid waste, recycling, and yard debris collection within the City of Loves Park.
Can I put my grass clippings in plastic bags?
No. Yard waste must be placed in biodegradable paper Kraft bags or in a reusable 32-gallon container marked with a large 'X'. Plastic bags are not accepted at the composting facility.
What should I do if my garbage was missed today?
If you had your bins out by 6:00 a.m. and they were not emptied, you should contact Rock River Disposal customer service directly to report the missed pickup and schedule a recovery collection.