The Village of Lake Bluff is committed to providing timely, sustainable, and cost-effective waste removal by offering services like weekly landfill waste pick-up, recycling, composting, garden and e-waste removal for Village residences.
Quick Reference
Service Schedule. Each household's service schedule is based on their location in the Village:
| Area | Standard (1 x week) | A la carte (2 x week) |
|---|---|---|
| West of Sheridan Road | Monday | Thursday |
| East of Sheridan Road | Tuesday | Friday |
Containers must be placed at the curb no sooner than 4:00 p.m. the day before collection and no later than 7:00 a.m. the day of collection. Containers must be removed from the curb promptly after collection.
Holidays. Groot observes six holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Holidays occurring Sunday will be celebrated Monday. All collections after the holiday will be delayed by one day.
SWALCO Resources. The Village of Lake Bluff partners with the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County to promote sustainability in our community and help make Lake County a greener, cleaner place. SWALCO’s free informational webpage is complete with all information on member hauler, trash services, recycling services & guidelines, composting services & guidelines, and all other waste services specific to each local community. The website provides more information on Lake Bluff’s waste services and guidelines.
Village of Lake Bluff Recycling Center. The Village's Recycling Center (640 Rockland Road) accepts many recycling items as well as clothing, yard, and construction waste. View the Village's Recycling Center rules and information on permissible items.
Hefty ReNew Orange Bag Program
Designed to complement current recycling efforts, the Village is launching the Hefty ReNew orange bag program, which allows the collection of otherwise hard-to-recycle plastics and diverts these materials away from landfills and converts them back into valuable resources.
How to Get Started
Simply start collecting accepted hard-to-recycle plastics in the official Hefty ReNew orange bag. These hard-to-recycle plastics include common items like plastic utensils, candy wrappers, pet food bags, and foam takeout containers. View more information on what you can recycle as a part of the Hefty ReNew program.
Where to Bring the Hefty ReNew Orange Bags
The Village is participating in this new program by offering a drop-off location for filled orange bags at the Lake Bluff Recycling Center at Public Works (640 Rockland Road).
Where to buy Hefty ReNew Orange Bags
Orange Bag starter kits are available at Village Hall on a first come, first serve basis. Hefty ReNew orange bags are currently available for purchase online at Target and Amazon.
Important Reminders
- Orange bags must be dropped off at the Lake Bluff Recycling Center at Public Works (640 Rockland Road). These bags cannot be placed in curbside recycling bins.
- A valid Lake Bluff vehicle sticker is required to access to the Recycling Center.
- There is no fee to participate (except for purchasing the orange bags).
FAQs
Q: What are hard to recycle plastics?
A: Hard to recycle plastics are items that cannot go in your regular recycling bin and would otherwise to end up in a landfill. This new program offers Village residents the opportunity to divert more materials from landfills.
Q: How is this different from current recycling programs?
A: This program acts as an addition to the Village's current curbside and recycling efforts, in order to divert additional materials from landfills.
Q: Why do I have to use the Hefty Renew orange bags?
A: The orange bags are specifically used to recycle materials as part of this program and to keep the hard-to-recycle plastics separate from regular recyclable materials. The bags are made of 20% recycled materials and are recycled along with their contents.
Q: How much do Hefty Renew orange bags cost?
A: The orange bags currently cost approximately $7.99 per box (approximately $0.40 per bag).
Q: What happens to the orange bags once I drop them off at public works?
A: The Village's waste haul distributer will pick up the orange bags recycled and bring them to a participating hard to recycle plastics facility, where these materials are transformed into useful products like building materials and lumber. The bags and their contents are fully recycled. Watch a video turning hard to recycle plastics into lumber.
Questions?
Please contact Shelton Clark at
Collection Cart Sizes
- Choose Your Own Cart. Do you need a smaller landfill cart or more room for recycling? Simply email Groot at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to swap out your landfill or recycling cart for the cart size you need (35 gallon, 65 gallon, or 95 gallon). A $25 fee applies per change. - Extra Cart Rental. Need an extra cart? Email Groot at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to rent an additional cart for your excess landfill waste, recycling, or yard waste and food scraps. Additional carts can be rented for $30 per year. - Additional Containers. You can also use your own additional container for trash collection. This is a great choice for curbside composting (food scraps). Additional containers for collection must:
- Be made of durable metal or plastic.
- Waterproof.
- Have a tight-fitting cover.
- Have handles.
Landfill Waste Service
- Unlimited Service. Groot will collect all landfill waste presented at the curb in trash cart(s) and additional containers.
- Limited Service (Opt-In). Groot will collect only one cart of landfill waste weekly. Residents must purchase one prepaid sticker ($2) for any additional landfill waste containers. This option is appropriate for many sustainability-minded households. Limited service helps the environment and reduces the total cost of service for all residents.
In addition, residents can add the following a la carte services for a fee billed by Groot directly to the resident. A la carte services can be added by calling Groot at (847) 693-2700.
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Backdoor pickup | $13.39/mo. |
| Two weekly pickups | $13.39/mo. |
| Both services | $30.69/mo. |
| Prices adjusted annually. | |
Recycling Service
| Please Recycle Curbside: | Do Not Recycle Curbside: |
|---|---|
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Landscape Waste and Curbside Composting (Food Scrap) Service
| Please Compost: | Do Not Compost: |
|---|---|
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Waste can be presented in containers or Kraft-type paper bags no larger than 32 gallons. You can also rent an additional 35-gallon cart from Groot for $30/year. Make sure any containers are clearly identified as composting.
Landscape waste may also be bundled with twine and tied securely for pickup. Bundles must be shorter than two feet in diameter and four feet in length, with no branch larger than six inches in diameter.
Bulky Waste, Electronic Waste, and Other Items
Semi-Annual Large Collection. Twice a year, residents have a special opportunity to dispose of multiple bulky items, including those not picked up as normal collections.
| Regular Collection Day | Semi-Annual Collection Dates |
|---|---|
| Monday (West of Sheridan Road) |
1st Wednesday of May & October |
| Tuesday (East of Sheridan Road) |
2nd Wednesday of May & October |
Electronic Waste (E-Waste). It is illegal under Illinois law to dispose of this waste in your regular household trash containers. Call Groot at least 24 hours ahead of your next scheduled service day, and Groot will collect most electronic waste for no additional charge. Resident electronic waste drop-offs are also accepted at the Village's Recycling Center (640 Rockland Road).
...and more! Call Groot at (847) 693-2700 for other one-time needs like appliance disposal and “move in” or “move out” services. Additional fees apply.
