Leaf & Brush Collection Programs in Northeastern Illinois
An important part of keeping your lawn and property looking its very best is by regular maintenance and grass cutting. But what to do with all the lawn and yard waste? Some eco-friendly ways to handle waste is by mulching your grass clippings and composting waste. For many of us, however, there are too many leaves, branches, and clippings to handle on our own. Fortunately, many communities in northeastern Illinois provide leaf and brush collection. Below you will find details about these programs for your community.
Yard Waste Programs by Community
Lake County
Antioch | Bannockburn | Barrington | Buffalo Grove | Fox River Grove | Hawthorn Woods | Highland Park | Kildeer | Lake Zurich
McHenry County
Cary | Crystal Lake | Fox River Grove | McHenry | Richmond
Kane & DuPage Counties
Addison | Elgin | St. Charles | Wayne
Cook County
Arlington Heights | Barrington | Buffalo Grove | Elgin | Glenview | Mount Prospect | Palatine | Streamwood
Antioch, IL
Residents in Antioch have access to several opportunities to dispose of their leaves and yard waste. Landscape waste – including grass clippings, weeds, brush, and small branches – is picked up weekly on Thursdays from April 1 to November 30. Waste must be in biodegradable paper bags, which are available at Ace Hardware in town. These bags have a weight limit of 50 lbs. You can also bundle branches by tying them together with twine; just make sure these bundles are less than 4 feet long and 2 feet in diameter. No stickers are necessary for bags or bundles.
Leaves are picked up the first four weeks in November. Be sure to rake your piles to within 5 feet of the road. Christmas trees will be picked up the 1st and 2nd Thursdays in January.
Barrington, IL
For residents in the village of Barrington, compostable yard waste, such as grass clippings, weeds, brush, and small branches is collected March 15 to December 15 each year. The Village provide one 95-gallon toter for your yard waste, which they will collect on your normally scheduled trash collection day. You can also use a biodegradable Kraft yard waste bag, which is available at Ace Hardware of Barrington. If you have small branches (shorter than 5 feet) you need to dispose of, you can bundle them with twine or string and leave next to the toter. For more information about Barrington’s yard waste collection program, visit the Village website or call Public Works at 847-304-3400.
Arlington Heights, IL
For homeowners in Arlington Heights, regular yard waste (grass clippings, weeds, and small brush) is picked up weekly on the following schedule: yard waste collection for residents north of Oakton is on Mondays; south of Oakton is on Tuesdays. Waste must be in biodegradable Kraft paper bags, with a weight limit of 50 lbs.
Groot, the private company that handles waste collection in Arlington Heights, has several plans available to meet your yard waste needs. Landscape Waste Subscription Program is $135 for the season, and allows you to put out 3 bags or bundles of waste per week without stickers between March and October and 10 bags without stickers from October to December. With the pay-per-bag program, you can put out as much yard waste as you want; you just need to place the waste in biodegradable yard waste bags with affixed yard stickers, which can be purchased at Village Hall, Neradt Hardware, and Sherwin Hardware and Zimmermann Hardware.
Branches can be bundled together and tied with twine. Bundles must be less than 5 feet in length and 2 feet in diameter. Individual limbs must be less than 6 inches in diameter. Logs greater than 6 inches in diameter can be thrown away in regular trash, with a one-cubic-yard limit per week. A special Christmas tree collection takes place in January. Garlands and wreaths can be thrown away in regular trash.
Visit the village website for more information about yard waste collection in Arlington Heights.
Crystal Lake, IL
In Crystal Lake, regular yard waste (grass clippings, weeds, twigs, and brush) is picked up weekly on the same day as your regular trash collection. Put your waste into biodegradable paper bags, which can be purchased at Ziegler’s Ace Hardware. You can also use an unlined rigid trash can for your yard waste; just make sure to mark it with a large X on the side. For your convenience, MDC Environmental also has 96-gallon yard waste toters available for lease at a nominal charge.
Crystal Lake’s annual brush pickup takes place each spring in May. To ensure your brush gets picked up, place it in stacks at the curb – cut end facing the street – by May 1. Branches must be under 6 feet long and 6 inches in diameter. No grass clippings or yard waste will be picked up at this time. A fall leaf pickup takes place from October through December each year. Leaves must be placed in biodegradable Kraft paper bags (available at Ziegler’s Ace Hardware) and placed at the curb before your scheduled collection day. Visit the city’s website to find out when your leaves are scheduled to be collected.
You can also drop off brush at the city’s wastewater treatment facility on Coventry Lane and Dartmoor Drive. Branches must be under 6 feet in length and 6 inches in diameter. You’ll need proof that you reside in Crystal Lake, such as a driver’s license or vehicle sticker. At this facility you can also pick up wood chips for free. The city’s website has more information about Crystal Lake’s brush drop off and wood chip program.
Any questions about yard waste collection can be directed to the Crystal Lake Street Division: 815-356-3700 ext. 4019.