Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Woodstock
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.
City-issued MDC Tote Bin (Trash)
All trash must fit inside the 95-gallon or 35-gallon MDC tote with the lid closed. Place at the curb no earlier than 6:00 PM the night before and no later than 6:00 AM on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste and scraps
- ✓Non-recyclable wrappers and plastics
- ✓Number 6 PS (Polystyrene/Styrofoam)
City-issued 65-gallon MDC Tote Bin (Recycling)
Place items loosely in the 65-gallon tote without bagging them in plastic. Excess recycling can be placed in a personal container clearly marked 'RECYCLING' placed next to the MDC tote.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard (cut to 3x3 ft)
- ✓Paper, mail, and magazines
- ✓Aluminum cans and steel tins
- ✓Clean plastic bottles and jugs (PETE #1, HDPE #2, PVC #3, LDPE #4, PP #5)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕#6 Polystyrene (Styrofoam)
- ✕Packing peanuts
- ✕Window glass and plastic utensils
- ✕Motor oil bottles
Yard Waste Bin
Requires either an annual 95-gallon subscription tote OR a city yard waste sticker on each biodegradable paper bag/32-gallon can. Branches must be bundled and tied. Max weight for bags/personal cans is 50 lbs.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves and weeds
- ✓Brush and garden debris
- ✓Cut-up tree branches
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
One free item per week
Placement
Place the bulk item at the curb next to your MDC tote by 6:00 AM on your scheduled pickup day.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches, tables, and dressers
- ✓ Chairs and small non-freon appliances
- ✓ Mattresses (King, Queen, or Pillow-top must be folded and tied or cut in half)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous materials and liquid paints
- ✕ Construction debris
- ✕ Electronics and televisions
- ✕ White goods (large appliances like refrigerators require a separate scheduled fee)
The first bulk item each week is free. Any additional bulk items set out on the same day require five (5) valid Woodstock garbage stickers attached to each extra item.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, garbage, recycling, and yard waste collections for the remainder of that week will be delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste follows the exact same holiday delay schedule during its active April through November season.
MDC does not alter the collection schedule for holidays that fall on a weekend, nor for holidays like MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Juneteenth, Columbus Day, or Veterans Day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of Recycling
Plastic grocery sacks wrap around the sorting gears at the recycling facility. Return them to the designated bin in the lobby at Woodstock City Hall or local grocery stores instead of putting them in your 65-gallon tote.
Flatten and Size Your Cardboard
To prevent jams in the automated collection trucks, all corrugated cardboard boxes must be completely flattened and cut down to pieces no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet.
Check Your Plastic Numbers
While Woodstock accepts most rigid plastics, Number 6 PS (Polystyrene/Styrofoam) is no longer collected for recycling and must be thrown in your regular garbage tote.
Seasonal Information
Spring to Fall
April - NovemberStandard yard waste collection runs weekly from the first full week of April through the last full week of November. All bags or personal cans must have a yard waste sticker unless you pay for the annual subscription tote.
Late Fall
November - DecemberThe Woodstock Public Works department offers a special collection for bagged leaves only. You do not need a sticker for these specific leaf bags, but you must call Public Works at 815-338-6118 to schedule the pickup before mid-December.
Winter
November - FebruaryThe city partners with Elgin Recycling to offer free drop-off recycling for unwanted holiday string lights and extension cords at City Hall and the Public Works building during regular business hours.
About Woodstock Waste Management
Woodstock's Transition to Automated Tote Refuse Collection
In a major modernization effort, the City of Woodstock has transitioned from a traditional bag-and-sticker model to a fully automated tote system managed by MDC Environmental Services. All residential households are automatically equipped with a standard 95-gallon refuse cart, though residents generating less waste can request a smaller 35-gallon tote for a one-time change-out fee. Under this updated program, universal garbage stickers are no longer valid for weekly household trash but are still utilized for excess bulk items that exceed the capacity of your designated MDC tote.
Streamlined Single-Stream Recycling in McHenry County
Woodstock encourages robust environmental stewardship by providing unlimited single-stream recycling to all residents. Every home receives a 65-gallon recycling tote designed to handle standard paper, flattened cardboard, rigid plastics, and metal cans. Because there is no cap on the amount of recyclables you can set out weekly, residents who fill their new MDC tote are explicitly permitted to use their older, personal recycling bins for overflow materials, ensuring nothing valuable is sent to the landfill.
Flexible Yard Waste: Subscriptions vs. Stickers
Managing landscape debris in Woodstock offers flexible options based on your property's needs. The yard waste collection season runs annually from the first full week of April through the last full week of November. Homeowners who generate heavy brush and clippings can enroll in an annual subscription program to rent a dedicated 95-gallon yard waste cart. Alternatively, residents with lighter needs can utilize the pay-as-you-go method by affixing a standard city yard waste sticker to brown kraft paper bags or clearly marked personal 32-gallon cans.
Handling Bulk Items and Mattress Preparation Rules
Large household cleanouts are accommodated seamlessly under the city's municipal contract. Homes utilizing the standard garbage totes are entitled to the curbside collection of one free bulk item—such as a piece of furniture—every single week. If you need to dispose of additional oversized items beyond the free weekly allowance, you must attach five valid refuse stickers to each extra piece. Notably, Woodstock enforces strict safety rules for mattresses: large sizes like king, queen, or pillow-top mattresses must be folded and tied, or cut in half, to ensure safe loading by MDC crews.
Navigating E-Waste and Household Hazardous Materials
MDC Environmental Services cannot collect electronic waste or hazardous chemicals like oil-based paints, pool chemicals, or motor oil at the curb. Instead, Woodstock residents are directed to utilize the resources outlined in the McHenry County Green Guide. For specialized electronics drop-offs and hazardous material recovery events, residents can visit designated McHenry County facilities or partner locations like the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County to ensure toxic elements stay out of local groundwater.
Drop-off Facilities
Habitat for Humanity Woodstock ReStore
133 S. Eastwood Dr., Woodstock, IL 60098
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I handle my trash if I generate more than the 95-gallon tote can hold?
If your weekly garbage exceeds the capacity of the standard MDC tote, you can place the overflow in heavy-duty garbage bags or personal cans. However, unlike the weekly tote service, these excess bags require you to attach valid city refuse stickers to them for collection.
Can I request a smaller garbage tote if I don't produce much waste?
Yes. Woodstock offers a 35-gallon refuse tote option for the exact same quarterly price as the 95-gallon version. You must contact MDC Environmental Services directly at 815-568-7274 to request the swap, and a $60 change-out fee will apply.
What is the requirement for throwing away a large mattress in Woodstock?
You can dispose of a mattress as your one free weekly bulk item. However, for safety and loading purposes, MDC requires that large mattresses (such as King, Queen, or thick pillow-tops) be folded in half and tied securely, or physically cut in half before being placed at the curb.
What should I do if my 65-gallon recycling tote is completely full?
Because Woodstock offers unlimited recycling, you do not have to throw excess recyclables in the trash. You can place overflow recycling in a personal container clearly labeled 'RECYCLING' or use your old recycling bins, and place them next to your new MDC tote.