Trash & Recycling in McHenry County, IL (2026)
7 rules for unincorporated McHenry County, Illinois.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Unincorporated McHenry County bans unauthorized pickup of trash or recyclables you have set out for your licensed hauler under Code § 8.24.050. Recyclables cannot be dumped straight into a landfill either, and haulers cannot poach customers locked into an exclusive municipal or township service contract.
McHenry County Rule Against Trash Scavenging
Some RestrictionsMcHenry County Code § 8.24.050
A. All materials collected as recyclable materials shall not be directly deposited in a landfill. Recyclable materials which are collected and removed by a licensed hauler shall be delivered to the appropriate resource recovery facility or recycling center. B. It shall be unlawful for any unauthorized collection of mandated recyclable materials that have been set out by any residential dwelling...
Bin Placement Rules
Unincorporated McHenry County makes the occupant, not the hauler, responsible for a garbage or recycling cart's placement, preparation and storage until pickup under Code Section 8.24.040. Licensed haulers serving unincorporated areas may not start collection before 5:00 a.m. under Section 8.24.090(F).
McHenry County Garbage Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsMcHenry County Code § 8.24.040(A), (B)
A. Until the discarded materials are removed by the licensed hauler, the occupant who sets out the discarded materials is fully responsible for their proper preparation, handling and storage. Ownership and responsibility for the proper handling of the discarded materials shall be vested in the licensed hauler upon removal thereon. B. It shall be the responsibility of the occupant whose disc...
Recycling Requirements
Unincorporated McHenry County requires every occupant to separate mandated recyclable materials, aluminum and steel cans, newsprint, corrugated cardboard, PET and HDPE plastics, mixed fiber and glass containers, from the rest of the trash under Code § 8.44.030. A licensed hauler collects them, or the occupant hauls them to a recycling drop-off point instead.
McHenry County Recycling Separation Rule
Some RestrictionsMcHenry County Code § 8.44.030
A. It shall be the duty of every occupant having mandated recyclable materials which accumulate on the premises to separate these items from all other discarded materials and to store the mandated recyclable materials separately in recycling containers. B. Collection of mandated recyclable materials from residential dwelling units shall be by a licensed hauler selected by the occupant(s) of suc...
Illegal Dumping
Dumping litter or waste on public or private property is prohibited. Crystal Lake bars depositing litter on any private property whether or not you own it, the county treats waste accumulation as a public health nuisance, and Illinois' Litter Control Act (415 ILCS 105) applies statewide.
Illegal Dumping Rules
Some RestrictionsCrystal Lake Code § 334-4
No person shall cast, throw, place or deposit litter on any private property within the City whether owned by such person or not, except that the owner or person in control of the private property may maintain authorized private receptacles for collection.
Dumpster Rules
Commercial and industrial properties in unincorporated McHenry County must fully enclose refuse dumpsters on three sides behind a six-foot masonry wall, matching wall, or solid fence with a gated opening, under UDO Section 16.60.030(F)(1). Agricultural and residential uses are exempt from the screening standard.
McHenry County Commercial Dumpster Screening Rule
Some RestrictionsMcHenry County UDO § 16.60.030(F)(1)
1. Refuse Disposal Dumpsters and Refuse Storage Areas. All refuse containers shall be fully enclosed on three (3) sides by an opaque masonry wall (stone, stucco or brick) or wall of the principal structure six (6) feet in height, or a solid fence, and the enclosure shall be gated. The materials used for screening, including the enclosure, shall complement the architecture of the principal str...
Collection Schedule
McHenry County does not mandate a subscription or a fixed pickup day, but it does regulate the haulers who serve unincorporated areas: Code § 8.24.090 bars collection before 5:00 a.m., requires flexible pricing options, and lets haulers offer seasonal leaf pickup for an extra fee.
McHenry County Trash Collection Hours Rule
Some RestrictionsMcHenry County Code § 8.24.090
A. Municipal waste haulers that provide regularly scheduled municipal waste collection service to residential dwelling units in unincorporated areas of McHenry County and/or incorporated municipalities without service contracts, shall offer those customers, in addition to the standard flat fee method of payment, the options of either pay-as-you-throw or volume based pricing for collection servi...
Recycling Rules
Owners of multi-family buildings in unincorporated McHenry County must file a written Recycling Plan with the Department and keep educating tenants on recycling under Code § 8.44.050. Communal recycling containers must be as convenient as the trash bins, and the licensed hauler maintains them.
McHenry County Apartment Recycling Plan Rule
Some RestrictionsMcHenry County Code § 8.44.050
A. RESPONSIBILITIES. 1. A multi-family dwelling owner or the owner's representative is responsible for notifying and continually educating its occupants on recycling issues and practices through a formal and ongoing education campaign. Every owner or their representative shall distribute to every new occupant, within thirty (30) calendar days of occupancy...general recycling information and cur...
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