Lake County, IL Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Lake County recycling operates under the Illinois Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Act (415 ILCS 15), the Illinois Electronic Products Recycling and Reuse Act (415 ILCS 150), and the Lake County Solid Waste Management Plan administered by SWALCO. All major municipalities (Waukegan, Zion, Libertyville, Gurnee, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Vernon Hills, Mundelein) provide single-stream curbside recycling for paper, cardboard, glass bottles, aluminum and steel cans, and plastics marked #1 PET, #2 HDPE, and typically #3-#5. Plastics #6 (polystyrene) and #7 are generally not accepted. Plastic film and bags must be returned to grocery stores (banned from curbside to prevent MRF equipment jams). Food waste, yard waste, diapers and styrofoam are contaminants. Contaminated bins may be tagged and skipped by haulers. Multi-family buildings over a threshold unit count (varies by city, often 5+ units) must provide recycling service under the county plan. Commercial recycling is required for offices over certain square footage. Ravinia and Six Flags operate venue-specific recycling programs. Yard waste collection requires separate paper bags or stickered bins April-November; grass clippings, leaves and brush are banned from landfill under 415 ILCS 15.