Trash & Recycling in Lake County, IL (2026)
7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Lake County, Illinois.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Lake County requires every licensed hauler to collect recyclables from single-family homes at least every two weeks, as part of basic residential waste service.
Lake County Recycling Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 50.02(A)
Each hauler operating within the county shall be required to offer, either as part of basic service or alternately as an additional service, the collection of recyclable materials from any multifamily home, commercial business or institutional facility within the county and shall be required to provide the collection of recyclable materials, as part of basic service, from any single-family home...
Recycling Requirements
Every hauler operating in unincorporated Lake County must provide curbside recycling collection to single-family homes at least once every two weeks as part of basic service, and must offer it to multifamily, commercial and institutional customers, under Lake County Code § 50.02(A). Haulers face fines up to $500 a day for skipping the requirement.
Lake County Curbside Recycling Requirement
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 50.02(A)
(A) Recyclable material collection offered or required. Each hauler operating within the county shall be required to offer, either as part of basic service or alternately as an additional service, the collection of recyclable materials from any multifamily home, commercial business or institutional facility within the county and shall be required to provide the collection of recyclable materi...
Illegal Dumping
Dumping garbage, refuse, or rubbish in a public place in unincorporated Lake County, or entering another's property to dump waste, is a public nuisance punishable under the county code.
Lake County Bans Illegal Dumping
Significant RestrictionsLake County Code § 94.13(C)
It is a public nuisance for any person to dump or deposit, or cause to be dumped or deposited, within a public place in unincorporated areas of Lake County or unlawfully enter the property of another person to dump or deposit, any garbage, ashes, refuse, trash, rubbish, miscellaneous waste, manure or any substance that may contain disease, germs or be scattered by the wind or decompose, or beco...
Yard Waste Collection
Unincorporated Lake County runs no municipal yard-waste trucks: landscape waste, brush, leaves and grass clippings are picked up only by private haulers holding a county license. Section 50.03(A) bars any hauler from collecting landscape waste, recyclables or municipal waste without a license, and licensed haulers must report tonnage to SWALCO twice a year.
Lake County Yard Waste Hauler License Rule
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 50.03(A)
License required. No hauler shall engage in the collection of municipal waste, recyclable materials or landscape waste from any individual resident, single-family home, multifamily home, commercial business, or institutional facility within the county without first having applied for and obtained a license to do so from the county.
Dumpster Rules
Multi-family developments in unincorporated Lake County must set aside adequate space for recycling dumpsters and bins, sited near solid waste collection areas per the county's site development performance standards.
Lake County Recycling Dumpster Siting Rules
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 151.146(Q)
(Q) Recycling dumpsters and bins. (1) Recycling dumpsters and bins shall be provided appropriate area for multi-family dwellings as defined by the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County. (2) Areas used for collecting solid waste shall include adequate areas for collecting and loading recyclable materials. Wherever feasible, areas for collecting and loading recyclable materials shall be adjacent to s...
Collection Schedule
Licensed haulers in Lake County must collect recyclables from single-family homes at least once every two weeks as part of basic service.
Lake County Recycling Pickup Rule
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 50.02(A)
Each hauler operating within the county shall be required to offer... the collection of recyclable materials from any multifamily home, commercial business or institutional facility within the county and shall be required to provide the collection of recyclable materials, as part of basic service, from any single-family home, at least once every two weeks.
Recycling Rules
Every hauler operating in Lake County must offer recyclable-material collection at least every two weeks to single-family homes and offer it to multifamily, commercial and institutional customers under County Code § 50.02.
Lake County Recycling Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 50.02
Each hauler operating within the county shall be required to offer, either as part of basic service or alternately as an additional service, the collection of recyclable materials from any multifamily home, commercial business or institutional facility within the county and shall be required to provide the collection of recyclable materials, as part of basic service, from any single-family home...
Trash & Recycling by City in Lake County
1 cities in Lake County have their own trash & recycling rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Lake County ordinances
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