Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Northbrook
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.
LRS Issued Cart Bin (Trash)
Place carts at the curb no earlier than 12 hours before collection and no later than 6:30 AM on your pickup day. Emptied carts must be returned to the rear or side of the home within 12 hours of collection.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Food wrappers
- ✓Small non-hazardous household items
LRS Issued Cart Bin (Recycling)
Place all recyclables loosely in your designated LRS recycling cart. Do not bag recyclables. Rinse all food and beverage containers before disposal.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Newspaper and office paper
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Electronics
- ✕Food-soiled paper
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, wires)
Yard Waste Bin
Use your LRS organics cart for yard waste and food scraps. Excess yard waste must be placed in biodegradable Kraft paper bags with an official LRS Northbrook sticker attached.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small branches (bundled)
- ✓Organic food scraps
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
One item per week
Placement
Place your single bulk item at the curb alongside your LRS carts no later than 6:30 AM on your designated collection day.
Accepted
- ✓ Sofas and chairs
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Tables
- ✓ Large wooden furniture
Not Accepted
- ✕ White goods (refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers)
- ✕ Electronics (TVs, computers)
- ✕ Construction materials
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
White goods and large household appliances are not considered free bulk items. You must contact LRS in advance to schedule a white goods pickup, which incurs a fee of approximately $31 per item.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a designated holiday falls on a weekday on or before your normal collection day, your pickup will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and compost collections follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as regular garbage and recycling routes.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday, there is no change to the weekly collection schedule. If it falls on a Sunday, it is observed on Monday, pushing all services back one day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Recycling Cart
Never place your recyclables inside a plastic garbage bag or toss loose grocery bags into your LRS recycling cart. Plastic films jam the sorting gears at the recycling facility. Take clean grocery bags to the Village Hall drop-off bins instead.
No Amazon Mailers in the Village Drop-Off
While the Village Hall accepts standard plastic grocery bags and Ziploc bags, you cannot deposit bubble wrap, plastic Amazon mailers, dry cleaning bags, or newspaper sleeves. These items contaminate the specialized Aargus Plastics recycling stream.
Styrofoam Requires Special Drop-Off
Styrofoam is strictly prohibited in your curbside recycling bin. However, clean, white molded Styrofoam blocks (no food containers or packing peanuts) can be taken to Abt Electronics at 1200 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Glenview for proper recycling.
Seasonal Information
Winter
JanuaryLRS provides free curbside collection of real holiday trees every Wednesday throughout the month of January. Trees must be entirely free of lights, ornaments, wire, and plastic bags.
Winter
December - MarchThe curbside organics and compost collection shifts from a weekly service to an every-other-week schedule beginning December 10th and running through March 31st.
Winter
November - JanuaryOld or broken holiday string lights can be safely recycled at the Fleet Maintenance Garage (behind Village Hall) on weekdays from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM through January 31st.
About Northbrook Waste Management
Comprehensive Tiered Waste Options with LRS
The Village of Northbrook contracts with Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) to provide a highly customizable refuse, recycling, and composting program. Residents can select their preferred service level by choosing a 35, 65, or 96-gallon refuse cart, with options for either standard curbside or premium backdoor collection. Households that produce minimal waste can downsize their carts to save money, and residents aged 65 and older are eligible for a 10% senior discount upon request.
Free Curbside Textile and Clothing Recycling
Keeping clothing and home goods out of the landfill is incredibly easy in Northbrook thanks to a unique partnership with Simple Recycling. Residents can schedule free, year-round curbside pickups for unwanted textiles, including clothing, shoes, blankets, pots, pans, and tools in any condition. Rather than waiting for your standard garbage day, you must simply request a pickup online or call Simple Recycling in advance.
Village Hall Plastic Film Recycling Program
Because plastic grocery bags and films cannot be placed in your curbside LRS recycling cart, the Village of Northbrook has partnered with local business Aargus Plastics, Inc. to offer a dedicated drop-off program. Residents can bring clean, dry plastic grocery bags and Ziploc bags to the collection bins located at the back entrance of Village Hall. These plastics are entirely repurposed to manufacture 100% recycled plastic bags right in the community.
Year-Round Organics and Composting
Northbrook strongly encourages environmental sustainability through its comprehensive curbside composting program. Residents can sustainably dispose of both seasonal landscape yard waste and everyday kitchen food scraps using their LRS organics cart. From April through November, compost is collected weekly on your normal refuse day. During the slower winter months (December 10 through March 31), compost collection transitions to an alternating every-other-week schedule.
Local E-Waste, Battery, and Bulb Disposal
Electronic waste is strictly banned from Illinois landfills and will not be collected at the curb. To accommodate residents, the Village operates a convenient drop-off site at the Fleet Maintenance Garage (1227 Cedar Lane). Household batteries and light bulbs are accepted Monday through Friday, from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Electronic waste, such as old televisions and computers, is accepted exclusively on the first Tuesday (7 AM - 3 PM) and first Saturday (9 AM - 12 PM) of each month.
Drop-off Facilities
Northbrook Fleet Maintenance Garage
1227 Cedar Lane, Northbrook, IL 60062
Materials Accepted
Abt Electronics Recycling Center
1200 N. Milwaukee Ave, Glenview, IL 60025
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do I need to put my garbage out in Northbrook?
You must place your LRS refuse, recycling, and organics containers at the curb before 6:30 AM on your scheduled collection day. Carts may be placed outside up to 12 hours before pickup, and you are required to return them to the side or rear of your home within 12 hours after collection.
Does Northbrook offer assistance for elderly or disabled residents?
Yes. Residents who are physically unable to bring their containers to the curb, and live alone, can apply for the Hardship Program. Qualifying residents will receive weekly backdoor service at the standard curbside rate. To apply, contact the Village Manager's Office at 847-664-4010. Additionally, residents 65 and older can request a 10% senior discount from LRS.
How do I throw away a refrigerator or stove in Northbrook?
Large household appliances, known as 'White Goods,' are not included in your free weekly bulk item allowance. You must contact LRS customer service at 844-633-3577 to schedule a special collection for these items. A fee of approximately $31 per appliance will apply.
Where can I recycle my old TV or computer?
Electronics cannot be thrown in the trash. Northbrook residents must bring their old TVs, computers, and monitors to the Fleet Maintenance Garage (1227 Cedar Lane) on designated drop-off days: the first Tuesday of the month (7 AM - 3 PM) or the first Saturday of the month (9 AM - 12 PM).