Chicago requires garbage and recycling carts to be placed at the curb or alley by 7 AM on collection day and removed by the end of the day. Carts must not be stored on the public way between collections.
Under the sanitation code, residents must place their black (garbage) and blue (recycling) carts at the curb or alley by 7 AM on their scheduled collection day. Carts should be positioned with the handle facing away from the street and the lid closed. After collection, carts must be removed from the public way and stored on private property. Carts should not be overfilled or have items piled on top. Bags placed next to carts may not be collected. For corner lots, carts should be placed on the side consistent with the collection route. Building owners must ensure adequate container placement for all tenants.
Improper cart placement or failure to retrieve carts may result in sanitation citations with fines of $50 to $500.
Chicago, IL
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Cook County.
See how other cities in Cook County handle bin placement rules.
See how Chicago's bin placement rules rules stack up against other locations.
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