Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for St. Charles
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 or Personal Container Bin (Trash)
Place at the curb by 7:00 AM on your collection day (Monday for East side, Tuesday for West side). Personal containers and loose bags must be under 33 gallons and weigh less than 50 lbs. If not using a rental cart, one prepaid sticker must be looped around the handle of each bag or can.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Small non-hazardous household items
LRS Issued Cart (65-gallon standard) Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be placed loosely in the provided LRS cart. Do not bag recyclables. Collection is free of charge and occurs on the same day as your refuse.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Paper, mail, and magazines
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic containers and jugs
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam and packing peanuts
- ✕Electronic waste
- ✕Medical waste/sharps
- ✕Yard waste
Yard Waste Bin
Runs April through November. Use Kraft paper bags (requires sticker), a 35-gallon personal can (requires sticker), or an LRS yard waste cart. Mixed bundles of brush must not exceed 3 feet in length or 50 lbs and require one sticker.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small twigs and branches
- ✓Approved food scraps (fruits, vegetables, bread, dairy)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on normal collection day (requires scheduling and stickers)
Placement
You must call LRS (844-633-3577) prior to your regular refuse day to schedule the pickup. Mattresses must be wrapped in plastic bags or shrink wrap.
Accepted
- ✓ Small furniture items
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs (must be plastic wrapped)
- ✓ White goods and appliances (under 50 lbs)
- ✓ Couches and chairs
Not Accepted
- ✕ Items weighing over 50 lbs without prior approval
- ✕ Large home appliances
- ✕ Hazardous waste (paint, pesticides)
- ✕ Unwrapped mattresses
Bulk items generally require at least one $4.05 prepaid refuse sticker. Heavy or oversized items may require more stickers; confirm the exact amount needed when you call LRS to schedule.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed 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
Yard waste and compost collections follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as regular garbage and recycling routes.
Since St. Charles is divided into Monday and Tuesday collection zones, a holiday falling on a Wednesday through Friday will not impact the city's pickup schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Meat Out of the Compost
While St. Charles encourages you to compost organic kitchen waste alongside your yard debris, you must strictly avoid tossing meat, poultry, seafood, bones, or liquid fats into the yard waste bags, as these attract neighborhood pests and ruin the composting process.
Duct Tape Your Medical Sharps
Medical needles and syringes can be placed in your regular garbage, but they must be secured. Place them point-first into a thick plastic container (like a detergent bottle), tape the lid shut with heavy duct tape, label it boldly as 'Do Not Recycle,' and place it in the trash.
Loop Stickers, Don't Lay Them Flat
If you are using the Pay-As-You-Throw sticker program on a personal garbage can, you must loop the sticker around the handle so the LRS driver can easily rip it off. Sticking it flat onto the side of the can or lid will likely result in a missed pickup.
Seasonal Information
Winter
DecemberThroughout the entire month of December, LRS provides completely free collection of bagged fall leaves on your regular collection day. You do not need to affix refuse stickers to these leaf bags [3.2.2].
Winter
JanuaryHoliday tree collection requires one prepaid refuse sticker to be attached to the tree. Ensure the tree is completely stripped of lights, ornaments, and tinsel before placing it at the curb.
Spring to Fall
April - NovemberThe City conducts its monthly Brush Pick Up program. Ensure brush is placed on the parkway by 7:00 AM on Monday of your designated week (3rd week for East Side, 4th week for West Side).
About St. Charles Waste Management
Flexible Refuse Program: Stickers vs. Subscriptions
The City of St. Charles offers its residents a choice between two distinct garbage collection methods through Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS). Residents who produce minimal waste can opt for the Pay-As-You-Throw Sticker Program, where one prepaid sticker is attached to each 33-gallon personal container or securely tied garbage bag weighing under 50 pounds. Alternatively, busier households can choose the Refuse Subscription Program, which provides a 35, 65, or 95-gallon LRS wheeled cart for a flat monthly rental fee.
Curbside Food Scrap Composting
In a major push for sustainability, St. Charles allows residents to commingle food scraps with their standard yard waste from April through November. You can place organic items like fruits, vegetables, bread, dairy, and coffee grounds directly into paper yard waste bags (with a sticker), personal 35-gallon containers (with a sticker), or a rented LRS yard waste cart. This progressive program helps divert heavy, wet organic matter from local landfills, though meat and liquids remain strictly prohibited.
Monthly Sector-Based Brush Pick Up
To help manage larger landscape debris, the St. Charles Public Works Department coordinates a monthly Brush Pick Up program spanning from April through November. The collection schedule is geographically zoned: the East side of the Fox River receives service during the third week of the month, while the West side is serviced during the fourth week. Brush must be placed on the parkway by 7:00 AM on the Monday of your scheduled week and piled no higher than four feet.
Sticker-Based Electronic Waste Collection
Because electronic waste is banned from Illinois landfills, you cannot simply toss a television in the garbage. St. Charles requires residents to use their standard refuse stickers to pay for e-waste disposal. A single small e-waste item requires one sticker, a small box of e-waste (under 50 lbs) requires five stickers, and large items like TVs and monitors require 15 stickers per item. Residents must call LRS to schedule these specialized collections in advance.
Free December Leaf Collection and Spring Clean Up
While standard yard waste usually requires a prepaid sticker, the City offers free bagged leaf collection throughout the entire month of December on your regular refuse day. Furthermore, St. Charles typically hosts an annual Community Clean Up event in June, allowing residents on both sides of the river to place an unlimited amount of acceptable bulk junk at the curb free of charge.
Drop-off Facilities
Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off
156 Fort Hill Drive, Naperville, IL 60540
Materials Accepted
DART Container Corporation (Styrofoam Recycling)
310 Evergreen Drive, North Aurora, IL 60542
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the St. Charles refuse sticker program work?
If you don't rent a monthly cart, you must use prepaid refuse stickers (sold at local retailers for around $4.05 each) [3.2.2]. Loop one sticker around the handle of each 33-gallon personal container or attach one to each tied garbage bag. Bins and bags must not weigh more than 50 pounds.
Am I allowed to put food scraps in my yard waste bags?
Yes! From April through November, St. Charles allows residents to mix organic food scraps like fruits, vegetables, breads, dairy, and coffee grounds directly into their yard waste bags or LRS carts. However, meat, poultry, seafood, and grease are not permitted.
What is the rule for throwing away a mattress in St. Charles?
To throw away a mattress or box spring, you must completely wrap it in plastic or shrink wrap to protect sanitation workers. You must also call LRS in advance to schedule the pickup and confirm how many prepaid refuse stickers you need to attach to the item.
Where can I recycle Styrofoam?
Styrofoam is not accepted in your curbside LRS recycling cart. However, clean Styrofoam cups, meat trays, and egg cartons can be dropped off at the DART Container Corporation located at 310 Evergreen Drive in North Aurora. Packing peanuts should be taken to a local UPS or shipping store.