Illinois recycling directory
Recycling centers in Chicago, Illinois
5 facilities with contact info, hours, pricing, and accepted materials. Compare them and find the closest drop-off.
Available Recycling Centers
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Get My Instant OfferBig Daddy Scrap (Chicago Heights)
551 E. Lincoln Highway
Big Daddy Scrap is a scrap metal recycling yard located in Chicago Heights, Illinois that buys aluminum, copper, brass, and steel. The company offers pickup service for large loads and serves the surrounding south suburbs including the Joliet area.
Services: Scrap metal buying · Pickup service for large loads
Accepts: Aluminum, Copper, Brass, Steel
Central Metal Recycling
5618 W. Fillmore Street
Central Metal Recycling is a scrap metal recycling company located at 5618 W. Fillmore Street in Chicago, Illinois. The company buys scrap aluminum, including cans, sinks, athletic equipment, fencing, and furniture, along with other scrap metals.
Services: Aluminum recycling · Scrap metal buying
Accepts: Aluminum, Scrap metal
Chicago Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility
1150 N. Branch Street
The City of Chicago maintains the Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility (HCCRF) at 1150 N. Branch Street as a central drop-off location for residents to dispose of hazardous household chemicals and computer equipment. The facility is open Tuesday mornings, Thursday afternoons, and the first Saturday of every month.
Services: Household hazardous waste drop-off · Electronics and computer equipment drop-off
Accepts: Herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, bug spray, lawn chemicals, Bleach and harsh cleaning chemicals, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, pool chemicals, Nail polish and remover, Oil-based paints, spray paints, paint thinners, solvents, Unused or expired medications, Antifreeze, gasoline, motor oil, Compact fluorescent bulbs and tubes (CFL), Non-empty aerosol cans
What are the hours of the HCCRF?
Tuesdays 7:00 am to 12:00 pm, Thursdays 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm, and the first Saturday of every month 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Is business or commercial waste accepted?
No, business and commercial waste, explosives, fireworks, and latex paint are not accepted at the facility.
C&M Recycling
1600 Morrow Ave.
C&M Recycling has served the greater Chicagoland area and southern Wisconsin for over 40 years, providing recycling solutions for businesses, individual tradesmen and the general public. The company recycles paper, plastic, metals and electronic scrap, and also sells and services balers, compactors and other related equipment. C&M Recycling is veteran owned and operated and also buys Gaylord boxes.
Services: Paper recycling · Plastic recycling · Metal recycling · Electronic scrap recycling · Baler and compactor sales and service
Accepts: Paper, Plastic, Metals, Electronic scrap, Gaylord boxes
The Auto Crusher Inc.
651 W Washington St
The Auto Crusher Inc. is an auto recycling center, junk dealer, and scrap metal recycling center at 651 W Washington St in West Chicago, IL. The business dates to 1972 and buys junk cars direct with free towing, plus scrap iron, other metals, and metal household items. A vehicle title is required under State of Illinois regulations.
Services: Junk car buying with free towing · Ferrous scrap metal recycling · Non-ferrous scrap metal recycling · Factory production scrap purchasing · Commercial dumpster service and scrap metal hauling
Accepts: Junk cars, Scrap iron, Ferrous scrap metal, Non-ferrous scrap metal, Factory production scrap, Metal household items
Do I need a title to sell a vehicle?
Yes. The Auto Crusher Inc. handles the paperwork but requires a title per State of Illinois regulations.
Do you offer towing for junk cars?
Yes. The yard buys junk cars direct and offers free towing.
Materials Accepted in Chicago
Based on the listings above, materials commonly handled in Chicago include scrap metal, Chicago IL, scrap metal buyer, Chicago Heights IL, aluminum recycling. Browse the guides below for preparation tips, scrap values, and what's recyclable.
Recycling in Chicago, Illinois
Chicago's Blue Cart program splits the city into six zones, two collected by the Department of Streets and Sanitation and four by LRS, so the hauler on your block depends on your zone. Recycling crews cannot enter private property, which makes cart placement the difference between a pickup and a miss. Plastic bags are the program's single biggest contaminant and are barred from both carts and drop-off centers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who collects my Blue Cart in Chicago?
It depends on your zone. Zones 2 and 4 are serviced by the City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation, and Zones 1, 3, 5, and 6 are serviced by LRS. The Blue Cart Residential Recycling Map identifies your residence's pick-up zone, hauler, and schedule.
When should I put my Blue Cart out?
The night before your collection day. Recycling crews are not permitted to enter private property, so the cart has to be in the alley or on the curb, fully accessible, and not blocked in by parked vehicles or behind gated enclosures. Trucks can arrive as early as 7 am. During holiday weeks the exact service day may vary, so keep carts accessible throughout the week.
What is accepted in the Blue Cart and at drop-off centers?
Glass jars and bottles; aluminum cans, foil and pie tins; tin or steel cans; cereal boxes and paper towel rolls; flattened cardboard; plastic bottles and containers numbered 1 through 5 and 7; junk mail, magazines and catalogs; telephone books; paper bags; office paper and file folders; newspaper and inserts; beverage cartons; plastic rings and cardboard carrying cases; wrapping paper without bows or ribbons; and paper greeting cards.
What is not accepted in Chicago recycling?
Clothes and linens, plastic or metal hangers, number 6 plastics including polystyrene and Styrofoam, diapers and feminine products, construction debris such as bricks, wood and cement, paint and spray paint, unnumbered plastics like toothbrushes, toys, hoses and cereal box liners, loose plastic shopping bags, and hard reusable plastic bottles such as Nalgene or baby bottles.
Why are plastic bags such a problem in Chicago?
The city calls them one of the most common and most problematic contaminants in its recycling program. They get tangled in the conveyor belts used to sort materials, clog the machinery, and have to be removed by hand, which creates a safety risk for workers. Take them back to a retailer instead. See our contamination prevention guide.
Chicago Recycling Tips
- •Look up your zone on the Blue Cart map to learn whether the city or LRS serves you.
- •Set the cart out the night before, since trucks can arrive as early as 7 am.
- •Keep the cart out of gated enclosures and clear of parked cars, because crews cannot enter private property.
- •Toss recyclables in loose and together, because no sorting is required.
- •Use the Residential Recycling Drop-off Centers, open 7 days a week during daylight hours, for the same materials.
Recycling Centers Near Chicago
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Recycling Centers in Nearby Cities
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