Kankakee County, IL Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)

Section 46-119 of the Kankakee County Waste Hauler Licensing/Reporting and Recycling Ordinance sets the ground rules for who may handle recyclable material once it is set out. Under subsection (b), responsibility for refuse and recyclables set out for collection stays with the occupant until a licensed hauler removes it; once the hauler picks it up, ownership and responsibility shift to the hauler, who may refuse contaminated recyclables and must tag the container explaining the rejection. Subsection (c) makes it unlawful for anyone not licensed by the county solid waste and environmental division under Section 46-120 to take, collect, or scavenge recyclable material that has been set out for a licensed collection program, protecting the value stream that funds licensed haulers' recycling operations.

Subsection (d) separately regulates donation-style recycling collection bins, the metal or wood receptacles used to collect clothing, shoes, and household items: no one may erect, place, maintain, or operate one anywhere in the county without first getting a county permit. A bin permit is valid for one year and renewable annually, and if one entity places a bin for the benefit of another, both parties' contact information must appear on the application. Recyclables lawfully collected by a licensed hauler cannot be dumped in a landfill or incinerator; they must go to an appropriate resource recovery facility or recycling center.