WM Curbside Refuse Container Sizes and Rates

Residents can select a 35, 65, or 95-gallon refuse container to best suit their household’s needs. Residents who select a 95-gallon container can dispose of two bulk items, one yard of building material, four rolls of carpet, or four extra refuse bags per week for no additional cost. Residents who select a 35- or 65-gallon container can dispose of two bulk items per week at no additional cost; all other items (including extra refuse) require stickers.

Residents can change container sizes once every twelve months free of charge. Additional container swaps will cost $26.01. 

Service rates listed below are effective September 1, 2023; two percent annual rate increases occur every other year beginning September 1. Residents are billed for services quarterly. 

WM Curbside Recycling Program

Residents can use a personal container or select a 65 or 95-gallon recycling container, regardless of the selected refuse cart size. Additional recycling carts are available for rent for $2.14/month.

Waste Management provides helpful guides available online with their latest guidelines on recycling and keeping contaminants out of your recycling!

WM Curbside ORGANIC Waste Collection

Waste Management accepts both yard waste and food scraps in its organic waste collection. See a print out for guidelines on what to compost.

Discounted Compost Collection Program

The Village is excited to launch a discounted compost collection pilot program through the Village's refuse & recycling contractor Waste Management. The program includes a 25% discount to a yearly 35-gal subscription for compost collection for up to 250 new residential subscribers.  Previous and current subscribers are not eligible for the program. 

Interested residents should click the link below to submit their interest form so Village staff can verify eligibility. Please do not contact Waste Management directly about this program. After submitting this form, Village staff will verify eligibility and you can expect to hear from the Village within 2 business days. Service starts September 2023.

Sign up through this interest form  

Subscription Program

This service includes both yard waste and food scraps. Residents can subscribe for year-round compost pickups from Waste Management. During weekly collections, Waste Management organic collection pickups occur on the same day as regular trash / recycling collection schedules. For organics, pickups occur weekly from April 1 – November 30 and every other week from December 1 – March 31. Click here for the bi-weekly collection schedule. During bi-weekly collection, if your regular pickup is either Monday/Tuesday organics pickup will be on Tuesday. If your regular pickup is either Thursday/Friday organics pickup will be on Friday.  

They provide two different container options:

• $127.34/year for 35-gallon container

• $148.57/year for 95-gallon container

Regardless of the container option chosen, subscribers can place overflow organics in a Kraft-type paper bag or a plastic or metal container for no extra charge. Subscribers using their own containers for overflow organics must label each container using the free stickers available at Village Hall. Stickers are not required for WM-provided containers.

Sticker Program

No subscription needed! Dispose of organic waste by placing collection in labelled Kraft-type paper bags or a plastic or metal container on the same day as your regular curbside pickup day. Purchase stickers to label the collection as organics for $2.16 each at Village Hall, Ace Hardware, and some local grocers. Collections by Waste Management using the Sticker Program are available from April 1 – November 30. This service includes both yard waste and food scraps.

Acceptable Compost Items:

• Yard waste (leaves, grass clippings, etc.)
• Fruits & vegetables (cooked or raw) - including unpainted holiday pumpkins
• Dairy & eggs including egg shells - no liquids
• Breads, grains, pasta, and cereal (cooked or raw, non-meat sauce is okay)
• Meat, poultry, and seafood
• Bones and seafood shells
• Coffee grounds & filters, teabags
• Food-soiled paper bags, newspaper, paper towels, pizza boxes, and uncoated paper plates

Unacceptable Compost Items:

• Fats, grease, and oil
• Service ware (even if marked compostable)
• Liquids
• Pet waste and litter
• Packaging
• Plastics, Styrofoam, glass, metal, diapers, and other garbage

additional recycling opportunities

Village Hall Plastic Bag Recycling Drop-off Program

Fleet Garage Electronics Recycling Drop-off Program

Some items are accepted at the Fleet Garage behind Village Hall (1227 Cedar Lane) any Monday-Friday between 7am-3pm. 

For the safety of staff and attendees, the following protocols have been put in place: 1. The event will be contactless, and residents will be responsible for removing items from their vehicles. 2. Residents will be asked to put smaller electronics directly into the dumpster. 3. Residents needing assistance removing electronics from their vehicles are asked to have a member of their household with them to help. 4. Residents are asked to not enter the vehicle service bays or office at the Fleet Maintenance Garage. 

Accepted Electronics (Every Weekday):

• CFL / Incandescent lightbulbs
• LED / Fluorescent lightbulbs
• Household batteries (A, AA, AAA, D, etc.)

The following electronics are accepted at the Fleet Garage behind Village Hall (1227 Cedar Lane) on the first Tuesday and Saturday of each month. Tuesday hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to noon.

Accepted Electronics (Select Dates Only):

• Ink and toner cartridges
• Printers
• Printer accessories
• Lead acid batteries
• Fire extinguishers
• Thermometers
• Thermostats
• Computers (desktops, laptops, tablets OK)
• Computer accessories (mice, keyboards, speakers, HDMI cables, cords, chargers OK)
• Phones (mobile and landline phones OK)
• Televisions (LED, LCD, and older varieties OK)
  

Unacceptable Electronics:

• Refrigerators
• Air conditioners
• Humidifiers
• Microwaves

Curbside Textile Recycling

The Village contracts with Simple Recycling to provide free year-round textile recycling to residents. Pickups are no longer determined by a resident's curbside recycling day, but instead must be scheduled in advance. Here are two options available for residents:

1. Go to Simple Recycling's website and enter your zip code. The system will then provide an option of available upcoming days to schedule a pickup. Once scheduled, you will receive a confirmation of the pickup and a reminder email the day prior.

2. You may call Simple Recycling Customer Service to schedule a pickup at 866-835-5068 EXT 4.

Accepted Materials through Simple Recycling:

• Textiles: clothing, bags, hats, toys, blankets, curtains, pillows in any condition
• Other: jewelry, shoes, tools, silverware, dishes, pots/pans in any condition

Northbrook Public Library Recycling Drop-off Program

The Library's recycling receptacles are located in the lobby across from the elevators at 1201 Cedar Lane. 

Accepted Household Items:

• Batteries
• Eyeglasses
• Phones
• Empty snack & candy wrappers
• Empty chip bags
• Unusable pens, pencils, markers, & glue sticks
• Used toothbrushes, empty toothpaste tubes, & dental floss containers

Northfield Township Road District Recycling Drop-off Program

The Northfield Township Road District offers additional recycling opportunities, paper shredding events, and a household hazardous waste program. The Township’s garage is located at 237 Melvin Drive. Learn more at the Northfield Township Road District’s website.

Accepted Household Items (Select Dates Only):

• Art supplies
• Batteries (all types)
• CDs and DVDs
• Clothing (usable condition)
• Hydraulic oil
• Metal
• Styrofoam blocks
• Tires
• Transmission fluid
• Flags
• Small electronics
• Therapeutic equipment (canes, crutches, standers, walkers, wheelchairs)
• Household paint (oil & latex, limited to 10 one gallon cans or 2 five gallon buckets)

Accepted Hazardous Waste Items (Select Dates Only):

• Antifreeze
• Cleaning products
• Charcoal lighter fluid
• Driveway sealant (limit 2 five gallon buckets)
• Paint thinner
• Gasoline in approved/original containers
• Pesticides

WM SERVICE DETAILS

Curbside Bulk Item Collection

Effective immediately, residents can now place out two bulk items for free collection each week, which will be picked up on your regular collection day. Any additional item beyond the two free bulk items will require a sticker that can be purchased at Village Hall. If you put a mattress out for collection, it must be covered in plastic or with a mattress disposal kit. 

Accepted Free Bulk Pickup Items:

• Mattresses (covered)
• Bed frames
• Box strings
• Cabinets
• Sofas
• Furniture

Unacceptable Free Bulk Pickup Items:

• Electronics (TVs, printers, etc.)
• Construction debris
• Landscape waste
• Concrete
• Stone
• Dirt
• Large automobile parts
• Liquid waste
• Tree stumps

Such items can be picked up by Waste Management for recycling for $36.41 per item. You must schedule this special pickup by contacting Waste Management at 800-964-8988 or WM.com. 

Curbside Sharps Disposal

Sharps and used needles can be placed inside the garbage container on your regularly scheduled garbage pick up day in a securely taped or closed milk jug, laundry detergent jug, or sharps container. In addition, the container must be clearly marked "Sharps" with a dark permanent marker. For questions on sharps disposal, contact the Village Manager's Office at 847-664-4010. 

Collection Information

Use the Know Your Neighborhood Tool to check your assigned collection day(s). Collection days are listed under "Local Services."

Pick-ups take place between 6:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Containers must be out before 6:30 a.m. For backdoor service, make sure containers are outside and accessible (i.e. any gates are unlocked, etc.). Residents may place containers outside up to 12 hours before collection and must return containers to the rear or side of the home within 12 hours of pickup.

Holiday Collection

During the weeks of New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day, service will be delayed by one day for residents with normal collections following the holiday. For example, if New Year’s Day falls on a Tuesday, collections be delayed one day that week for all customers who receive their service Tuesday through Friday.

Senior Discount

Waste Management offers a 10% discount to customers over the age of 65. The senior citizen discount is available to qualifying customers who request the discount. Contact Waste Management at 800-964-8988 or WM.com.

Hardship Program

Residents who are physically unable to bring containers to the curb and do not live with someone who can bring containers to the curb may apply for the hardship program. Hardship customers receive weekly backdoor service at the weekly curbside rate. The program applies to both refuse and recycling. To apply, residents can contact the Village Manager’s office at 847-664-4010. The Village will review each request on a case-by-case basis.