Unincorporated Lake County

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Unincorporated Lake County Refuse and Recycling

Effective June 1, 2022 Groot will begin servicing the unincorporated areas in the Townships of Grant, Antioch, Newport, Zion, Benton, and Waukegan in Lake County.

Curbside Collection Program
Residents will be required to have their containers at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on their designated collection day.

• Residents will be provided a default service level of one (1) 95 gallon refuse cart. Residents will have the option to downsize to a 65 gallon refuse cart by 6/30/22 at no charge. After, a switch out fee will apply.


• Residents will be provided a default service level of one (1) 65 gallon recycling cart. Residents will have the option to upgrade to a 95 gallon refuse cart by 6/30/22 at no charge. After, a switch out fee will apply.


• Additional refuse and recycling cart rentals are available for an additional fee.


• One bulk item per week will be collected at no charge on your regularly scheduled collection day.


• Appliances are an additional fee per item and requires a call in to Groot for special pickup at 847-693-2700. Televisions will be charged separately.


• A 10% senior discount for residents 65 years & older is available upon request. Please send proof of age and residency to lakecounty@groot.com.

Please click here to view your service day.

Please click here for recycling guidelines.

Yard Waste/Food Waste Collection Program: April 1 - December 15
April 1st – First Full Week in December
Residents will have the option to choose between a pay per bag or subscription program for yard waste/food waste collection.

• Pay Per Bag/Sticker Program:
  An unlimited amount of properly prepared yard waste bags or resident owned 32 gallon rigid containers will be collected curbside each week as long as a prepaid landscape waste sticker is affixed to each container. Yard waste that is being comingled with food waste must be placed in a rigid container (no yard waste bags).
  
  Stickers are available for purchase at:
  Jewel: 966 IL Route 59, Antioch


• Subscription Program with Food Waste:
  Under this option residents will receive collection of up to six (6) metal or plastic containers or biodegradable paper “Kraft” type bags not exceeding 32 gallons each week. If including food waste with your yard waste rigid containers must be used (no yard waste bags). If more than 6 containers or bags are placed at the curb for collection, a pre-paid yard waste sticker must be affixed to each item.
  • Acceptable food scraps for composting include: fruits, vegetables, bread, grains, pasta, cereal, non-liquid dairy, eggshells, coffee grounds (no coffee filters) and tea leaves (no teabags)
  • Unacceptable food scraps includes: teabags and coffee filters, meat, poultry or seafood (no shells or bones), paper products (paper towels, plates, napkins, egg cartons, and pizza boxes), glass, plastics, styrofoam, diapers, pet litter and waste, liquids, grease and oil.
  More information on proper composting can be found at the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County’s (SWALCO) website: https://swalco.recyclebycity.com/compost-only/guide

Christmas trees for all residential customers will be collected each year at no additional charge on your collection day between January 2nd and January 25th.

For more information on open burning regulations for unincorporated areas, visit: lakecountyil.gov/openburning

Construction Demolition Debris
All material must be cut to no more than 4 feet in length and no larger than 2 feet in diameter. For the safety of the collector, all debris must be bagged or bundled and free of nails and sharp objects not exceeding 25 pounds.

Bulk & Oversized Item Disposal
The program includes collection of one bulk item per week (not appliances or oversized/overweight items) at no additional cost.

Bulk items include: boxes, barrels, crates, furniture, and similar items that do not fit into a proper container and can be collected/lifted by one driver without assistance. Exceptions include items which are banned from direct disposal into a landfill. (appliances, tires, car batteries, TV’s, electronic waste).

Oversized and overweight items are any single large or extra heavy item that requires Groot to schedule a special pickup. An example of an oversized item is a piano, hot tub, or any item that requires two or more people to lift. There will be an additional fee per item.

Carpet must be cut up in four foot lengths not exceeding 25 pounds per roll. One cubic yard (3x3x3) will be collected at no charge and any additional will be a per cubic yard fee.

Senior Citizens Discount:
Single-family households where the head of the household is age 65 or older, are eligible for a discounted collection rate. Please send proof of age and residency to lakecounty@groot.com.

White Goods/Appliances
Groot will collect refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, washers, dryers, dishwashers, hot water tanks, dehumidifiers, and other white goods at a per item fee. Residents must call Groot at 847-693-2700 to schedule collection of white goods. Items should not be placed at the curb until the evening before the scheduled collection.

Holidays Observed

• New Year's Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

If the holiday falls on a weekday, on or before your scheduled collection, service will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the holiday week. If the holiday falls on Sunday, it will be observed on Monday and service will be delayed one day the entire week.

Electronic Waste Collection - "e-waste":

Up to six (6) electronic waste items will be collected for a fee. An additional fee per TV will apply (under 50 pounds). TV’s over 50 pounds may require an additional fee. Please refer to SWALCO’s website at SWALCO.org for free drop off locations for electronic waste.

Electronic Waste Materials Are Defined By Illinois Law As Follows:

Household Chemical Waste (HCW):

HCW such as old paint, pesticides, used oil, cleaning agents, old gasoline and other harmful products can be dropped off at one of SWALCO’s HCW events. For more information go to SWALCO.org.