Category: Trash

Spring Clean Up

Kim Stone

Highland Park’s spring trash collection days are scheduled for April 27, May 4, 11 and 18. Please put recyclables out during your regular trash pick up and donate anything usable to a local charity. Learn more about how to recycle unusual items here and here.

If you have a bulky item under 50 pounds, you can place it next to your trash cart for pick up on your regular trash collection day rather than waiting for spring clean up. You can leave one large, or several small electronics at the curb on your first trash pick up day of the month. Electronic waste, styrofoam, and paired shoes can also be dropped off at the City’s Recycling Center. 1180 Half Day Road, from 7 am – 1 pm any Tuesday or the first Saturday of the month. Details are here. Textiles can be dropped off anytime in the collection box at the City’s Recycling Center. Used bicycles can be donated to Working Bikes.

If you have unwanted medications, please drop them off anytime in the disposal box at the HP Police Station, 1677 Old Deerfield Road. Details are here.  SWALCO is hosting Household Chemical Waste drop off events on April 13 and 22 in Gurnee. Click here for more information and to make an appointment.

Trash Updates

Kim Stone

The compost pick up program begins again this week. You can request a third cart from Lakeshore for no cost for both yard waste and food scraps. This is available to all Highland Park residents regardless of which trash program you have chosen. There are two different options – you can purchase stickers at local hardware and grocery stores and pay as you go, or sign up for a seasonal subscription. Details are here.

Highland Park’s spring trash collection days are scheduled for April 29, May 6, 13 and 20. Electronic waste, yard waste, and over one cubic yard of construction waste will not be picked up. If you have a bulky item under 50 pounds, you can place it next to your trash cart for pick up on your regular trash collection day, rather than waiting for spring clean up. Details are here. You can also put one large, or three small electronics at the curb on your first trash pick up day of the month. Electronic waste, styrofoam, and paired shoes can also be dropped off at the City’s recycling center. 1180 Half Day Road, from 7 am – 1 pm any Tuesday or the first Saturday of the month. Details are here.

Safe Drug Disposal

Kim Stone

We have a model drug disposal program in Lake County. If you have old medications that you want to dispose of – prescription or over the counter – bring them to the Highland Park Police Station, and put them into the mailbox in the lobby for safe disposal.

An Illinois County Provides Model to Get a Pill-Disposal Program Up and Running

Lake County knew that preventing prescription drugs from getting into a water supply or the wrong hands is important.

Curbside Compost Collection

Kim Stone

As the leaves have begun to fall, I want to be sure that you know that Highland Park’s curbside compost collection continues through December 15, and begins again in the spring. You can request a third cart from Lakeshore Recycling Systems here. Landscape waste and food scraps can both be put into this cart. This option is available to all Highland Park residents. You can purchase stickers to pay as you go, or subscribe for the season. Details are here. You can learn more about composting by watching this video from SWALCO.

New Shoe Recycling Drop Off

Kim Stone

Do you have old shoes that you’d like to dispose of, but not send to the landfill? The City of Highland Park has recently begun to collect shoes at the Recycle Center, 1180 Half Day Road. Please pair the shoes with a rubber band or by tying together the laces. Moldy or wet shoes, ice skates, roller blades and snow boots are not accepted. Shoes can be dropped off when the Recycle Center is open — 7 am – 1 pm every Tuesday and the first Saturday of each month.

Spring Clean Up Season

Kim Stone

The City of Highland Park is hosting a donation drive this weekend — May 7th and 8th from 9 am to 1 pm at Hidden Creek Aqua Park.  Bring over books, small household items, toys, shoes and other items (for the specifics please call 847-926-1000) to donate for reuse. Got clothing too?? Our clothing and textile bin is only a few minutes away at 1180 Half Day Road! There are many year-round Reuse-A-Shoe drop offs nearby.

Trash Stickers soon to be obsolete

Kim Stone

Don’t stock up on trash stickers! Our garbage carts have an RFID chip which can be used by the trash hauler for our pay as you go system of trash pick up. They will begin using the chip instead of stickers on August 1, and stickers are not returnable. Stickers will still be needed for compost/organics if you are not on the seasonal subscription, and if you put out an extra can of trash for a special occasion.

Electronics Recycling to remain open

Kim Stone

Highland Park’s electronic recycling center will remain open through the end of the year. Drop off electronics, fluorescent bulbs and styrofoam (pieces and containers, not packing peanuts) from 7 am – 1 pm on Tuesdays and the first Saturday of the month at 1180 Half Day Road. You can put textiles in the donation box that is available 24/7. If you live in Highland Park, you can also put one large electronic item, or 3 smaller items, out next to your trash cart on your first pick up of the month.

 

Spring Clean Up

Kim Stone

Our new trash contract includes the ability to put out one large item for pick up with your trash each week, and one electronic item with your first trash pick up of the month without a sticker. We will still have the spring trash collection in Highland Park beginning on April 30, but you don’t need to wait another year to dispose of larger items.

Please remember that everything left out for spring clean up will go to the landfill, and electronic waste will not be picked up. If you have a box of paper or other recyclable materials, please put it out on your regular trash pick up day, so that it can be recycled.