Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Oak Lawn
Trash Day
Trash is collected once per week, Monday through Friday, depending on your neighborhood zone.
Recycling
Recycling is collected weekly on the same day as your trash collection.
Yard Waste
Yard waste is collected weekly on your regular collection day from the first full week of April through the second week of December.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential trash and recycling charges are bundled directly onto your quarterly Village of Oak Lawn utility bill alongside water and sewer services.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, In Person
Pro Tip / Discount
Senior citizens aged 65 and older and residents with qualifying disabilities are eligible for discounted quarterly refuse rates and may also request smaller cart sizes.
Blue Bin (Trash)
Use the Village-issued 96-gallon blue tote. Overflow trash can be placed in galvanized metal/non-corrodible cans or bags not exceeding 33 gallons or 50 lbs. Place curbside by 6:00 a.m.
Accepted Items
- ✓Everyday household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
Green Bin (Recycling)
Items must be loose in the green tote. No alley pickup is permitted; carts must be placed at the curb.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard
- ✓Paper
- ✓Clean plastics
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Food-soiled materials
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Electronics
Yard Waste Bin
Use the designated brown tote or biodegradable paper bags with a visible yard waste sticker. Soil and rocks must be removed from roots and shrubs.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Twigs
- ✓Bundled brush (max 4 feet long, 2 inches diameter)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly (One item under 50 lbs)
Placement
Place your approved bulk item next to your blue refuse tote at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated collection day.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Box springs
- ✓ Small tables
- ✓ Chairs
- ✓ Sofas
- ✓ Carpet rolls (tied, max 4 ft long, 5 rolls = 1 item)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Hazardous waste
- ✕ Liquid paint
- ✕ Unscheduled heavy construction debris
Heavy items over 50 lbs may incur charges. White goods cost $20, E-waste costs $30, and household construction material costs $7.50 per cubic yard.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday or a Sunday, collection services for the remainder of that week will be delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
During the active season (April-December), yard waste pickups are delayed exactly alongside standard trash and recycling schedules.
Saturday holidays do not typically affect the Monday through Friday collection schedules.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring/Fall
April - DecemberYard waste collection is seasonal in Oak Lawn. The program officially runs from the first full week of April through the second week of December each year.
Summer
June - AugustSevere summer thunderstorms frequently cause parkway tree damage. The Village's Forestry Division will collect debris from village-owned parkway trees. For private tree damage, residents must bundle branches (under 4 feet and 50 lbs) for normal Flood Brothers collection, unless extreme conditions prompt emergency Village chipper deployment.
Winter
December - MarchDuring Cook County snowstorms, ensure your blue and green totes are placed at the edge of the driveway rather than in the street to avoid interfering with Village snow plows.
Local Tips & Community Info
Oak Lawn's Partnership with Flood Brothers Disposal
As of October 2025, the Village of Oak Lawn has officially partnered with Flood Brothers Disposal to manage all residential waste and recycling collection. Residents must ensure their materials are placed at the curb no later than 6:00 a.m. on the designated collection day. However, bins should not be set out any earlier than 5:00 p.m. the evening prior to pickup. Adhering to these specific timeframes helps keep the neighborhoods clean and prevents nocturnal wildlife from rummaging through overnight garbage. If you are new to the area, be sure to verify your specific weekly zone schedule to avoid missing the trucks.
Understanding the Color-Coded Toter System
Oak Lawn utilizes a highly efficient, color-coded cart system to streamline its automated collection process. The blue toter is strictly designated for household garbage, the green toter is for mixed recyclables, and the brown toter is used exclusively for yard waste. All standard household refuse must fit securely inside the blue container. If you have excess trash and choose to use your own personal bags or secondary cans, please note they cannot exceed 33 gallons in volume or weigh more than 50 pounds. Items that exceed these strict weight and size limits will be left at the curb by the sanitation crews.
Residential Recycling Guidelines and Extra Capacity
To keep the community environmentally friendly, all approved recyclable materials should be placed loosely inside your green toter. This generally includes clean corrugated cardboard, paper products, aluminum cans, and rigid plastics. It is very important to avoid placing excess recyclables in random bags beside the cart, as Flood Brothers will treat these as standard refuse. For households that consistently generate a large volume of cardboard boxes and plastic bottles, you can easily request an additional green recycling tote for a nominal $35 annual rental fee directly through the waste hauler.
Seasonal Yard Waste and Brush Collection Rules
Maintaining your landscape is straightforward with Oak Lawn's seasonal yard waste program, which runs from the first full week of April through the second week of December. Residents have the option to purchase a specialized 96-gallon brown yard waste toter for a one-time fee of $27.50. Alternatively, you can use traditional 33-gallon biodegradable Kraft paper bags or personal cans marked with a clearly visible "Yard Waste" decal. If you are trimming trees, ensure that all branches are securely tied with natural-fiber twine, bundled under 50 pounds, and cut to lengths of four feet or less.
Safe Disposal of Household Hazardous Waste
Many common garage items and harsh cleaning supplies, such as oil-based paints, automotive fluids, pesticides, and chemical solvents, absolutely cannot be tossed into the standard blue toter. Fortunately, Flood Brothers offers a convenient at-home collection service for these dangerous materials. For a small extra fee of $7 per item, residents can schedule a special household hazardous waste pickup. You must contact the company at least 24 hours in advance to arrange this specialized collection, ensuring these potentially toxic chemicals are processed safely and kept completely out of local Illinois landfills.
Senior Citizen Accommodations for Refuse Carts
The Village of Oak Lawn recognizes that the standard, large-capacity toters can be heavy and difficult to maneuver for some residents. To better assist the community, senior citizens who are 65 years of age or older have the option to downgrade to a much smaller, more manageable 64-gallon or 35-gallon refuse cart. Qualifying residents can request this equipment modification by contacting the Oak Lawn Public Works Department at (708) 499-7756. This thoughtful municipal accommodation ensures that taking out the trash remains safe, easy, and convenient for older adults living independently.
Drop-off Facilities
Flood Brothers Disposal (Headquarters & Office)
17 W 609 14th Street, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I call to replace a broken garbage or recycling toter?
If your blue refuse cart or green recycling toter is heavily damaged, cracked, or missing a wheel, you should contact Flood Brothers directly at (630) 261-0400 to request a prompt replacement.
How do I dispose of heavy construction debris and auto parts in Oak Lawn?
Standard weekly pickup does not include large construction waste, drums, sheds, or auto parts. You must call Flood Brothers to discuss potential customized disposal solutions and pricing for removing these prohibited items from your property.
What are the specific rules for tying up tree branches for pickup?
Tree limbs must be bundled with natural-fiber twine that is acceptable at compost sites. Each bundle cannot exceed 50 pounds, must be no longer than 4 feet, cannot be wider than 2 feet in diameter, and individual branches cannot exceed 3 inches in thickness.