Waste Reduction & Recycling
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
According to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEAP), residents of Illinois produce an average of 5.5 pounds of garbage everyday. Up to 75% of what is sent to the landfill could be reused, recycled or composted instead. Many materials including paper, glass, plastic and metal, can be recycled into new products, reducing the need to extract new resources. Recycling materials can be up to 40% less expensive per ton than disposing of it in a landfill.
Just over 40% of the residential waste produced in Evanston is diverted each year from the landfill through the City's curbside recycling and yard waste collection programs.
Three Areas of Focus
Reduce - This is the first step you should take towards addressing waste issues. By becoming more efficient with the amount of materials you consume, you are greatly reducing the burden on our landfills and recycling centers.
Reuse - Utilizing reusable products is a wonderful way to eliminate the need to constantly purchase single-use items. This helps lighten your impact on the environment with the added benefit of saving some money.
Recycle - After making the effort to reduce and reuse products, there will inevitably be some waste left over that needs to be disposed. Recycling whatever waste you can is an important final step in addressing waste issues.
City Policies and Initiatives
- The City has begun distributing 95-gallon composting bins that have been repurposed from old waste bins. For more information on this program, please click here.
- Junk mail has a significant financial and environmental impact . The City encourages residents and businesses to reduce unwanted mail by removing your name and information from the lists and services that are used to send this mail. Read more on the junk mail reduction tips page.
- Currently, the City of Evanston is looking into various programs and policy options to address shopping bags in Evanston. Click here to view all of the issues the City is currently taking into consideration.
- 2010 residential refuse and yard waste rates provide greater incentive to recycle and compost.
- In January 2010, the City completed a community-wide residential recycling container conversion project that replaced all 14 gallon collection containers with 65 and 95 gallon collection containers, dramatically increasing the City's collection capacity.
- The City's Commercial Waste Franchise, adopted in 2008, provides recycling services at a slightly lower cost than refuse collection along with free weekly pick-up for one 95 gallon recycling container.
Resources
- Evanston's Recycling Drop-Off Options - Check here for collection sites for your items that are not covered in curbside pickup.
- Small Electronics Recycling - The City of Evanston provides recycling locations and information for those looking to responsibly dispose of their old electronics.
- Fluorescent Lights Recycling - Fluorescent lights are a great solution to reducing your energy bill, but even compact fluorescent bulbs contain mercury making it very important to dispose of these lights properly at the end of their life.
- Evanston's Recycling Guide - Check here for a comprehensive guide of what is and isn't recyclable.
- SWANCC - The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County provides information on waste collection and recycling options.
- Earth911 - Earth911 offers easily obtainable information on recycling information.
- Groot - Groot is Evanston's commercial waste hauler and the organization you should call if you are a multifamily home or business that wishes to start recycling service at your location.