Home Services Public Works Garbage, Recycling, Yard Waste & Organic Waste

The City has a waste collection and hauling contract with Republic Services of Melrose Park. Garbage, recyclables, and yard waste are picked up on the same day of the week. Pick-up days in the City of Elmhurst are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. If you are unsure what day pick up is provided on your block, please view our garbage pick-up map(PDF), or call the Public Works Department at (630)530-3020.

Please be sure your waste and recyclables are placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your pick-up day.

The contract offers the additional options listed below in the services:

• Spring clean up days
• Free leaf pick up for two cycles in the Fall
• 35-gallon toter option for waste only 
• Organic (food scrap) recycling  
• Recycling options for electronic and medical sharps for a fee. Click on link below for details.  

www.republicservices.com/residents/recycling/e-waste  

www.republicsharps.com

The rates are as follows:

95-Gallon Toter	$26.31 / month
65-Gallon Toter	$20.41 / month
35-Gallon Toter	$19.60 / month
Garbage Stickers	$4.00/sticker
Yard Waste / Organic Waste Stickers	$4.00/sticker
Organic Composting Toter Rental	$19.00/month (Billed directly by Republic Services)
65-Gallon Recycling Toter Included with Garbage Toter

• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• New Year's Day
• Memorial Day
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day

• Cans or bags of yard waste must have a yard waste sticker attached or they will not be collected. 
• Cans need to be clearly marked "Yard Waste Only". 
• Please use only bio-degradable paper bags for yard waste. 
• Plastic bags will not be accepted. 
• Yard waste will be collected at curbside only. 
• Maximum weight of yard waste bags is 50 lbs. 
• No single branch should have a diameter in excess of four inches and be no longer than four feet in length. 
• Brush must be bundled.

To obtain solid waste and yard waste stickers, visit the following vendors:

Vendor	Location
Elmhurst Food & Liquor	418 N. York St., Elmhurst
Elmhurst Ace Hardware	145 E. First St., Elmhurst
Elmhurst City Hall	209 N. York St., Elmhurst
Jewel Food Stores	153 E. Schiller St., Elmhurst
Jewel Food Stores	944 S. York St., Elmhurst
Jewel Food Stores	33 E. St. Charles Rd., Villa Park
Jewel Food Stores	1127 S. York Rd., Bensenville
LeDonne's True Value	1750 Taft Ave., Berkeley
Mariano's Fresh Market	678 N. York St., Elmhurst.    *Yard waste stickers only
Villa Park Ace Hardware	46 S. Villa Ave, Villa Park
Walgreens	160 N. Robert Palmer Dr., Elmhurst

Refuse waste stickers are $4.00. The cost of the sticker covers the cost of collection and processing of refuse waste. Affix refuse stickers to the item where they can be clearly seen from the street. Be sure to include the proper number of stickers to ensure pick up.

Large Item Pick-up
Household Items
The cost for one item on any week is one refuse sticker. More than one item set out on any particular week will cost two refuse stickers for each additional item. Household items consist of:

• Furniture
• Mattresses
• Carpets (cut into 5' sections, rolled up and tied)

If your household item doesn't fit one of the above categories, please call Republic Services at (708) 345-7050 to get a quote for a special pick-up.
 
Please note: Large items may not be picked up when your regular refuse is picked up. A larger or different truck and an additional driver may be needed to remove these heavier items.

White Goods
The cost for each item is two refuse stickers. Any additional items set out in the same week will also be two refuse stickers each. The City suggests that when you have new white goods delivered to your home, ask the retailer to take the old ones. White goods consist of:

• Washers
• Dryers
• Water Heaters
• Refrigerators
• Freezers
• Room Air Conditioners

If your appliance doesn't fit one of the above categories, please call Republic Services at (708)345-7050 to get a quote for a special pick up.

Special Pick-Ups
If your refuse item does not fall into a category under Republic's Large Item Collection or if you have construction materials such as shingles, drywall, and other construction debris, please contact Republic Services the day prior to your regular pick-up day to arrange for a quote. You can reach Republic Services at (708)345-7050.
Recycling Collection GuidelinesRecyclable Items
To find out which items are acceptable, view a list of recyclable items.

General Guidelines
Please follow these container guidelines:

• In addition to your recycling cart, you may set out a limitless amount of recycling containers for collection.
• Stickers are not required on recycling containers.
• Recycling and refuse carts are the property of Republic Services and must be left for the new homeowner in the event that you should move.

Preparation of Materials
Please follow these guidelines when preparing recyclable materials:

• Non-paper materials may be commingled inside your blue recycling container.
• Do not place recyclable materials in plastic grocery bags.
• All recyclable materials should be rinsed free of food with caps and lids attached.
• Paper items do not need to be separated from non-paper items.
• Flatten all corrugated cardboard boxes, paperboard, and wet strength carrier stock, and remove any non-paper packing material.
• Cut or fold corrugated cardboard into 3' x 3' pieces, to fit into truck compartments. Bundle or bag corrugated cardboard, paperboard, and wet strength carrier stock.
• For more information about recycling plastics, visit the Curbside Recycling Guide.

City of Elmhurst Recycling PSA 2018 from City of Elmhurst on Vimeo.
Organics Waste (April - November)Organic wastes, such as food waste and yard waste, make up 25 to 50% of what people throw away. While you may not be able to compost all of the organic waste you generate, composting can significantly cut down on your overall trash.

Benefits of Composting:

• Enriches soil, helping retain moisture and suppress plant diseases and pests.
• Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.
• Encourages the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi that break down organic matter to create humus, a rich nutrient-filled material.
• Reduces methane emissions from landfills and lowers your carbon footprint.

Source:  EPA.gov

Residents have the option to rent a 65-gallon organic waste toter from Republic Services at a cost of $19.00 per month. The toter can be used for leaves, grass and other organic waste (including fruits, vegetables, meat, etc.) as listed below. The organics material will be taken to a composting facility and will not be landfilled. There is no need to purchase yard waste stickers for the toter each week.  

To utilize this service, contact Republic Services directly at (708)345-7050. The resident will be billed directly by Republic Services for this program.
If you choose to use your own container, a yard waste sticker is required.

Organic Waste - Acceptable items:  

• Grass clippings
• Brush
• Flowers
• Leaves
• Fruits and vegetables
• Pastas
• Meat (no bones)
• Breads
• Crackers
• Cereals
• Egg shells
• Dairy - cheese, yogurt (no liquids)
• Paper Bags

All items must be clean and free of any debris.

Organic Waste - Unacceptable Materials:

• No packaging of any kind
• No paper towels, napkins or other paper items allowed (except for paper bags)
• No cups, flatware, or paper products (except for paper bags)
• No labels
• No rubber bands
• No plastics
• No glass
• No liquids
• No milk or juices
• No beverages

Additional Links & Information

• DuPage County's Recycling Guide
• SCARCE (School & Community Assistance for Recycling & Composting Education in DuPage County)
• Earth 911
• Mattress Recycling

 
Contact UsRepublic Services
Phone: (708) 345-7050