Special Recycling Programs

In addition to the LRS curbside recycling service, the Village has partnered with third-party organizations to provide space and staffing for special recycling drop-off and curbside collection programs that cannot be recycled or disposed of in the curbside Lakeshore Recycling Garbage and Recycling Collection Services. These specialty programs include:

These drop-off programs are located at the Public Works Service Building and the Village Hall. The details of each program are listed below. More options to recycle a larger range of items in the Chicago area can be found in the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) Recycling Directory. 

Additionally, the Glencoe Sustainability Task Force is hosting its annual Donate and Recycle Drop-off Event on Saturday, June 3. More information can be found on the Donate and Recycle Drop-off Event page.
Curbside Recycling Service Guidelines
  • Curbside recycling in Glencoe is collected by Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS).
  • Pick-up is once a week on your regular garbage collection day.
  • Place the LRS recycling carts at the curb, with the handle facing your house, no later than 7 a.m. on the day of collection.
  • Mix all recyclable materials together in the cart, no separation is necessary with single-stream recycling.
  • Leave items loose in the cart; do not bag recycling materials.
  • Plastic bags and film cannot be recycled as part of the curbside recycling program.
  • Follow this link for a list of acceptable items.
Electronics Recycling Drop-Off
State law prohibits the disposal of specific electronic products in landfills. The Village provides a drop-off program, free of charge, at the Public Works Service Building located at 325 Temple Court for the items listed below. Residents may drop off electronics by appointment only. Appointments are available on Wednesdays from 1- 3 p.m. Schedule an appointment online here or call (847) 461-1153 during weekdays. 

 
SCHEDULE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING DROP-OFF APPOINTMENT

Electronics accepted through the drop-off program are listed below:

Accepted electronics:

  • Cable Receivers
  • Copy Machines
  • Mice
  • Printers
  • Televisions
  • Video Recorders/players
  • Computer Cables
  • Computers (desktops, notebooks, tablets)
  • Fax Machines
  • Mp3 Players
  • Satellite Receivers
  • Converter Boxes
  • Keyboards
  • PDAs
  • Scanners
  • Video Game Consoles
  • Zip Drives


Unacceptable electronics: (Check with local electronics retailers, such as AbtElectronics, for recycling availability. These items can be thrown out with regular garbage but may require special pick-up if too large for garbage cart/can)

  • Answering Machine
  • Cameras
  • Postage Machines
  • Small Home Appliances (toasters, blenders...)   
  • Typewriters
  • Calculators
  • Head Sets
  • Power Tools or Cords
  • Stereo Equipment, Including Speakers
  • Vacuum Cleaners 
  • Camcorders
  • Microwaves
  • Shredders
  • Telephones

 

Recycling Vestibule Drop-off Center
The Village provides a drop-off location for other smaller recyclable items 7 days a week, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the vestibule at the Public Works Service Building located at 320 Hazel Avenue. Recycling is available for certain types of batteries, light bulbs, holiday lights, and other specialized items:

Accepted Materials at Recycling Vestibule Drop-Off Center:
  • Single-use Alkaline Batteries (AA, AAA, C, D & 9V), NiCd and NiMh Batteries
  • *Loose Single-Use Lithium Batteries and Lithium-Ion Batteries*
    • Loose single-use lithium batteries must have the terminals covered with plastic wrap, electrical tape or duct tape and wrapped in a plastic bag to avoid sparks!
  • Four and eight-foot fluorescent light bulbs
  • Compact Fluorescent  Light (CFL) bulbs
  • Holiday String Lights
    • Available November 1 through April 1
  • Cell Phones 
  • Empty InkJet Cartridges
  • Eyeglasses
  • Hearing Aids
  • Mercury Thermometers
  • Bread Tags
Before bringing materials to the Vestibule Recycling Center, please familiarize yourself with the vestibule guidelines below:

Batteries
           The following types of batteries can be recycled at the vestibule:
  • Single-use Alkaline Batteries (AA, AAA, C, D & 9V), NiCd and NiMh Batteries
  • *Loose Single-Use Lithium Batteries and Lithium-Ion Batteries*
Residents are encouraged to recycle single-use alkaline, Nicd, NiMh and lithium batteries when possible at the Public Works Recycling Vestibule or at other retailers. Whenever disposing of single-use and loose lithium batteries in the garbage cart or for recycling, always place individual lithium batteries in a plastic zip bag, wrap in plastic film or tape the terminal end with duct or electrical tape to eliminate the risk of sparking a fire. Regionally, over the past few years, the number of fires has been rising at document destruction events, the Glenview Transfer Station, at Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), and during garbage and recycling transport – all due to residents incorrectly disposing of lithium batteries.  Furthermore, while alkaline batteries can be disposed of in the garbage as well, recycling these batteries leads to the recovery of precious metals, including zinc, manganese, brass and steel. 

Before recycling batteries, please remember the following:
  • Be aware that there are a variety of batteries types and only certain types may be dropped off for recycling at the Village (single-use alkaline, Nicd, NiMh and lithium batteries). Batteries often can be identified by reading their labels.
  • Loose lithium batteries are often found in cordless electronic devices, such as laptops. Never remove an embedded lithium battery in a device, as a puncture in the battery could create a fire. 
  • When dropping off batteries for recycling, ensure the safety of fellow residents and staff by placing the batteries in the correctly labeled bins. Cover the terminals of all lithium batteries with duct or electrical tape, place them in individual plastic bags or wrap them with plastic wrap.
  • Beware of single-use lithium and lithium-ion batteries that show signs of swelling, smoking, leaking or overheating. Immediately put them in an absorbent, non-flammable material, such as sand or cat litter, in a cool, dry area. Take to a Household Hazardous Waste facility. NEVER put a damaged Lithium battery in the garbage or recycle! 
  • Automotive and Other Batteries: Lead-acid batteries automotive, marine and sump pumps are prohibited by IL State law from being disposed of in the trash. See outlets for getting rid of these batteries by searching for batteries on SWANCC’s Reuse and Recycling Directory.
  • Learn more about recycling batteries by clicking here!
Light Bulbs
The following types of light bulbs can be recycled at the vestibule:
  • Four and eight-foot fluorescent bulbs
  • Compact Fluorescent (CFL) bulbs
Fluorescent light bulbs, including tubes and CFLs, contain small amounts of mercury and are hazardous. Fluorescent light bulbs should be dropped off at the Public Works Vestibule to be diverted from the waste stream and properly recycled.

Before recycling light bulbs please note the following:
  • Most light bulbs are safe to put in the trash can including incandescent, halogen and LED bulbs (although these light bulbs can be recycled at area hardware stores such as Home Depot and Batteries Plus). Incandescent, halogen and LEDs cannot be recycled at the Public Work Vestibule.
  • Don't know if your bulb is fluorescent? Most CFL bulbs can be identified by their distinctive tube, usually in a spiral formation, as shown in the image below. Hint: The glass tube may be encased by an outer covering; hold the old light bulb to the light to check for the spiral.
Bread Tags
School District 35 has partnered with the Glencoe Sustainability Task Force to collect bread tags for Danielle Cares for Chairs. This charity takes bread tags and recycles them, then takes the proceeds to buy wheelchairs for needy kids. You can participate by saving your bread tags and bringing them to the Public Works Vestibule. The School District will be collecting them through Earth Week in April 2023. Please only hard plastic bread tags, not twist ties. You can also drop them off at the following locations: Glencoe Public Library, Valor Glencoe, the Takiff Center, The Sweet Buddha, Grand Food Center, Glencoe Train Station, and North Shore Community Bank. 

bread Tag Flier 2 reduced

Holiday Lights Recycling Program

All holiday string lighting can be dropped off from November 1 to April 1. Before dropping off, please remove all garland, ribbon, bags and strings. The Holiday Lights Recycling Program is held in partnership with Elgin Recycling www.elginrecycling.com 

Food Scrap Composting Station
The Village provides a composting drop-off station for residents, year-round and at no additional cost. The station is located at 320 Temple Court, behind the Public Works Garage. The station is serviced by Lakeshore Recycling Systems and the list of acceptable materials can be found here. The station is not intended for yard waste and only Kraft paper bags are allowed in the bins. Please do not place any plastic bags in the bins, including "biodegradable" bags. 

Simple Recycling Textile Recycling
Did you know that only 15 percent of post-consumer textiles are donated or recycled? Through a Sustainability Task Force initiative, the Village of Glencoe has partnered with Simple Recycling, a recycling company partnering with WasteZero, to bring a curbside textile recycling program to Glencoe residents. This service provides a convenient and free option for diverting textiles from the landfill.

UPDATE: As of March 1, 2022, Simple Recycling has altered its pickup program. Residents must now schedule a pickup through Simple Recycling. You can schedule this pickup through their website at https://simplerecycling.com/. Please do not leave donations at the curb on your normal garbage and recycle day. 

Once on Simple Recycling's website, find the box labeled "Schedule a Free Pickup," then choose Illinois from the drop-down menu. The website will walk you through the rest of the scheduling process. Donations can be left by the front door instead of at the curb. Also, donations to Simple Recycling can still be placed in the plastic bags they have provided, or you can use your own bags or boxes. This program continues to be offered at no cost to residents. 

Please note that Simple Recycling is a for-profit recycling company. If you would prefer to donate your textiles to a non-profit organization, you still have the option to give them to your favorite charity. The Village and its residents are not paying for Simple Recycling's services.

Want to know more about how the program started? Visit the Sustainability Task Force textile recycling webpage. 


Prescription Drugs Takeback Program
Unused prescription drugs and medications (pill form only, no liquids or syringes) can be dropped off at the Public Safety Department (325 Hazel Avenue), Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Find more information about safe drug disposal here. 

Note that Village staff do not handle medications or sharps, this is a self-service drop-off. For additional information please call (847) 835-4111.

Wednesday Sharps Disposal
Sharps disposals can be dropped off at Village Hall (675 Village Court) on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sharps (syringes, needles, lancets) must be in proper containers. A rigid, transparent container from home is acceptable, or pick up a free container from Village Hall. Find more information about sharps disposal here and what to do if you cannot find a sharps container here.

Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC)
For more information on specialized recycling services, please review programs offered through SWANCC. Services include household hazardous waste disposal, computer and electronic recycling, document destruction events, chemical pick up, compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) recycling, medication and “sharps” disposal and much more. Subscribe to SWANCC's community newsletter, Recycling, Etc., for tips and upcoming event details by emailing elist@swancc.org. 

Document Destruction Event
SWANCC sponsors a number of document shredding events in the Northshore area during the summer months. The Village of Glencoe hosts a joint event for document destruction and electronic recycling in odd-numbered years (i.e. 2021).  SWANCC sponsors other events annually in the surrounding area. Find out more about events in the area here.