City of West Chicago, Illinois

Where History and Progress Meet

Skip NavigationMenu
  • Explore West Chicago
    • About West Chicago
      • Community Profile
      • History of West Chicago
      • Environmental Stewardship
        • Environmental Partners
        • Environmental Initiatives
        • Pollinator Programs
        • Prairie Stewardship
        • Water Quality
        • Local Champions
        • Close
      • Close
    • Places to Visit
      • West Chicago Prairie
      • West Chicago City Museum
      • Gallery 200
      • Close
    • Things to Do
      • Walking & Biking Trails
      • Family Activities & Destinations
      • Public Art
        • Community Art Banner Project
        • Signa Rotae
        • In This Together
        • Mural by Juan Chawuk
        • “loveevenmore”
        • Forever Lily
        • Sesquicentennial Mural
        • Trinita
        • Wood Spirits
        • Remembering 9/11
        • WCTU Fountain
        • Close
      • Close
    • Annual Special Events
      • West Chicago Food Festival
      • Frosty 5K and Frosty Fest
      • Mexican Independence Day Festival
      • Blooming Fest
      • Close
    • Community Partners
      • West Chicago Public Library
      • West Chicago Park District
      • DuPage County Forest Preserve
      • Close
    • Close
  • Residents
    • Water & Sewer Billing
    • Garbage & Recycling
      • Garbage & Recycling Billing
      • Yard Waste Collection
      • Bulk Item Collection Event
      • Leaf Collection Events
      • Brush Collection Program
      • Close
    • Services & Programs
      • Animal Control
      • Rain Barrel Program
      • Snow Removal
      • Close
    • Healthy West Chicago
    • Residential Forms & Applications
    • Summer Lawn Sprinkling Restrictions
    • West Chicago Metra Station
      • Metra Lot Parking
      • Bicycle Locker Rental
      • Close
    • West Chicago Cemetery Information
    • Helpful Links
      • Links to Community Organizations
      • West Chicago Municipal Aggregation Program
      • Close
    • Welcome to West Chicago Brochure (pdf)
    • Close
  • Business
    • Existing Businesses
      • Assistance & Support
      • Business Registration Renewal
      • Zoning
      • Permits
      • Specialty Business Licenses
      • Forms and Applications
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Close
    • New Businesses
      • Steps to Opening a New Business
      • Operating A Business From Your Home
      • Close
    • Incentives & Programs
    • Economic Development Portal
    • Close
  • Government
    • Meeting Minutes & Agendas
    • Elected Officials
      • Mayor Ruben Pineda
      • City Council
      • City Clerk
      • Committees
      • Close
    • Commissions
      • Civil Service Commission
      • Cultural Arts Commission
      • Environmental Commission
      • Historical Preservation Commission
      • Liquor Control/Tobacco Commission
      • Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals
      • Close
    • City Departments
      • Organizational Chart
      • Administration
      • Administrative Services
      • Community Development
      • Police
      • Public Works
      • Close
    • Elections & Voting
      • Find Your Polling Place
      • Elections & Voting
      • Close
    • Municipal Code
      • Code Catalog
      • Property Maintenance Standards
      • FAQs
      • Close
    • Transparency Portal
    • Close
  • QUICK LINKS
    • E-Pay
    • Bid Postings
    • Job Opportunities
    • Obtain a Building Permit
    • FOIA Requests
    • Property Maintenance / Code Enforcement Brochure
    • Buying/Selling a Home
    • Social Services Resource Guide
    • Close

Environmental Stewardship
Recycling

Benefitting the Community and the Environment

Holiday lights recycling

Holiday Lights Recycling Program

This season's dates:
November 26, 2021 - January 21, 2022

The West Chicago Environmental Commission is once again helping to keep the holiday “green” this season by coordinating the free recycling of strands of incandescent and LED holiday lights and extension cords that no longer work.

Residents, businesses, clubs, churches and organizations may drop-off these items at designated bins at following locations from November 26, 2021 - January 21, 2022:

  • City Hall, 475 Main Street
  • First United Methodist Church of West Chicago, 643 East Washington Street
  • Murphy Ace Hardware, 319 South Neltnor Boulevard
  • West Chicago Water Treatment Plant, 1400 West Hawthorne Lane
  • West Chicago Public Library District, 118 West Washington Street
  • The ARC Center, 201 W. National Street

The program is coordinated with Groot.

Photo of cleaned out garage

Annual Citywide Collection Event

Every year, the Citywide Collection Event is scheduled on the same day as customers’ regular garbage pickup day. It’s the annual City event that prompts residents to declutter the basement, home, and/or garage by providing a convenient and cost effective way to dispose of items no longer needed.

A total of eight “Universal” stickers must be affixed on the pile of acceptable items. All eligible residents are encouraged to do some spring cleaning and take advantage of this annual program.

  • Examples of “Acceptable Items” include, but are not limited to; garage and attic clean-out debris; barbeque grills; bicycles; carpeting, if rolled into sections not exceeding four feet in length and not weighing more than 50 pounds per roll; household construction materials (e.g., lumber, drywall, plywood, doors) if bundled or placed within 33-gallon refuse containers and/or not weighing more than 50 pounds; furniture; box springs and mattresses; and household fixtures, excluding electronics as described below.
  • Examples of “Unacceptable Items” include, but not limited to; hazardous waste; tires; automotive parts, fluids and batteries (e.g., oil, transmission fluid, windshield washing fluid, starters, brake shoes, etc.); household batteries; oil-based paint; pesticides; and propane tanks, and large household appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves, dishwashers). Small household appliances (e.g., toasters, televisions, microwaves, computers, monitors, speakers, stereo equipment) are no longer acceptable items as they are now banned from Illinois landfills from all sources under penalty of law.

Those wishing more information about the acceptability of an item for pickup may call (630) 293-2255.

Photo of child pulling Christmas tree and Season's Greetings text in foreground

Free Christmas Tree Collection

The 2022 dates of collection are to be determined. Trees need to be free of lights, garland, tinsel, etc. otherwise drivers will tag the tree and leave it for the following week.

If tree decorations are not removed by the second week’s collection, the customer will have to put a sticker on it and it would be picked up the following week as trash.

Please do not put trees in plastic bags.

Groot dumpster filled with pumpkins in foreground with First United Methodist Church in the background

Pumpkin Composting Event

in 2020, 4.94 tons of pumpkins were collected, nearly filling the collection receptacle stationed at the First United Methodist Church (FUMC) of West Chicago parking lot, to its capacity. The Pumpkin Composting Event is hugely successful in diverting pumpkins from landfills, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions and returning the nutrient rich fruit back to the earth where they were grown.

Organizers hope to surpass that tonnage every year as more and more residents are becoming aware of the environmental benefits of pumpkin composting.

The West Chicago Environmental Commission, the Green Disciples of the FUMC, and SCARCE team up to make it as easy as driving up and pitching their jack o’ lanterns into the large collection dumpster that will be stationed at the FUMC parking lot, located at 643 East Washington Street. Volunteers will be on hand, and everyone should wear a mask.

Pumpkins can be painted, but need to be free of yarn and other items that are not compostable. All candle holders need to be removed prior to composting.

Recent Recycling News

e-Pay logo and link

West Chicago City Hall
475 Main Street
West Chicago, IL 60185

Phone: 630-293-2200
FAX: 630-293-3028

REQUEST

  • Business Forms
  • Resident Forms
  • Elections & Voting Info
  • FOIA
  • LexisNexis eCrash
  • Permits and Applications
  • Utility Services
  • Overnight Parking
  • Citizen Online Reporting
  • Vacation Watch

VIEW

  • GIS Maps
  • Job Opportunities
  • Metra Lot Parking
  • Municipal Code
  • Newsletters
  • Transparency Portal
  • Quest Bid System
  • West Chicago on YouTube

STAY UP-TO-DATE

  • Join Our Emailing List
  • Police News
  • Latest News Releases
  • Blogs
  • Community Calendar (Desktop)
  • Community Calendar (Mobile)
  • Media Center
  • INTERNAL EMAIL

Copyright 2022 © - City of West Chicago, Illinois - All rights reserved - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy - Legal Disclaimer
Site by Technivista