Trash & Recycling in Rock Island County, IL (2026)
5 rules for unincorporated Rock Island County, Illinois.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Anyone hauling refuse within unincorporated Rock Island County must use a closed or covered container or a hauling conveyance specially built and approved by the county Health Authority. The Health Department can grant exceptions for waste that poses no health hazard or littering risk, but unapproved open-bed hauling of household or business trash is not allowed under § 52.04.
Rock Island County Refuse Pickup and Hauling Rules
Some RestrictionsRock Island County Code of Ordinances § 52.04
No person shall transport or cause to be transported within the county any refuse except within a closed or covered container or specially constructed conveyance approved by the Health Authority. Exceptions to this section may be granted by the Health Authority such as for transportation of certain types of refuse which will not present a health or safety hazard or create littering of propertie...
Bin Placement Rules
Every house, apartment, or small business in unincorporated Rock Island County must keep an approved refuse container, at least 20 gallons for a small business or per two residents, under § 52.05. Plastic bags are allowed only for single-family and duplex homes, and only if set outdoors on collection day, as close to pickup time as practical.
Refuse Container and Set-Out Rules, Rock Island County
Some RestrictionsRock Island County Code of Ordinances § 52.05(A)(1), (B)
The occupant, tenant, owner, or his or her agent, of any house, building, apartment, or tenement where persons reside, board, lodge, or work shall provide and maintain in good repair approved containers for refuse storage and collection... one container of at least 20 gallons capacity shall be provided for any small business or for each two persons residing in any premises... Bags filled with r...
Illegal Dumping
Rock Island County bans dumping refuse on any public or private property, or into any river, lake, pond, or stream, in the unincorporated county unless the site is an IEPA-designated disposal facility, a lawful refuse container, a supervised cleanup, or an active emergency. Violators face fines up to $500 per day under § 52.99.
Illegal Dumping Ban in Unincorporated Rock Island County
Significant RestrictionsRock Island County Code of Ordinances § 52.02
No person shall dump, deposit, drop, throw, discard, leave, cause, or permit the dumping, depositing, dropping, throwing, discarding, or leaving of refuse upon any public or private property in the county, or upon or into any river, lake, pond, or other stream or body of water in the county, unless: (1) The property has been designated waste disposal site by the Illinois Environmental Protectio...
Dumpster Rules
In unincorporated Rock Island County, apartment buildings and larger businesses generating eight or more 20-gallon loads must switch to bulk dumpsters of at least one cubic yard, built to strict stability, lid, and leak-proofing standards under County Code Chapter 52.
Rock Island County Commercial Dumpster Rules
Some RestrictionsRock Island County Code of Ordinances § 52.05(C)
(C) Refuse containers for apartments or larger businesses. The owner or agent of any apartment building or larger business where eight or more 20 gallon refuse containers are provided or needed shall provide container(s) of one cubic yard capacity or larger. A sufficient amount of total refuse storage capacity shall be provided to accommodate all refuse generated between regular collection date...
Collection Schedule
In unincorporated Rock Island County, refuse cannot pile up on any building or lot except licensed junk or salvage yards, and § 52.03 sets a floor on how often it must go: at least once every two weeks. Owners, tenants, and their agents share the legal duty to bag or bin it and get it off the property on that schedule.
Mandatory Trash Removal Schedule in Rock Island County
Some RestrictionsRock Island County Code of Ordinances § 52.03
No person shall cause or permit refuse to accumulate in any building or on any property, improved or vacant, public or private, within the county, except such properties or facilities which are zoned as authorized junk yards or salvage yards by the County Zoning Department. The occupant, tenant, owner, or his or her agent, of any building or property shall be responsible for placing all refuse ...
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