Check your Collection Day:

Enter your address in the About My Place tool or view the refuse collection map (.pdf).

Get Weekly Reminders:

Sign up for convenient text/email refuse collection notifications.

Holiday Schedule:

Collection services will not take place on these recognized holidays. If the holiday falls on or before your collection day for the noted weeks, it is expected that services will be postponed by one day.  Download the Holiday Schedule.

Holiday	Day of Week	Date
New Year's Day (Observed)	Monday	January 1st, 2024
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day	Monday	January 15th, 2024
Memorial Day	Monday	May 27th, 2024
Juneteenth (Observed)	Wednesday	June 19th, 2024
Independence Day (Observed)	Thursday	July 4th, 2024
Labor Day	Monday	September 2nd, 2024
Thanksgiving Day	Thursday	November 28th, 2024
Christmas Day (Observed)	Wednesday	December 25th, 2024
New Year's Day (Observed)	Wednesday	January 1st, 2025

 

Submit a 311 service request online or call/text 847-448-4311 to report a missed collection.

Report a lost or damaged cart, or change your service level

Submit a 311 service request online or call/text 847-448-4311 to report a lost or damaged trash, recycling or food and yard waste cart. You can also change the size of your trash cart or have a City-issued cart removed.

Order a new cart

Purchase a food and yard waste cart, purchase an additional trash cart, or request a free additional recycling cart online. You can also call/text 847-448-4311.

Make sure you’re recycling properly! Learn what items should and should not be placed in your recycling cart. Learn the recycling basics and download our Recycling Guide (.pdf).

 View a PDF version. 

The City offers two complimentary drop-off spots for residents unable to afford composting services. These locations have several containers that are accessible around the clock. Users are kindly asked to maintain cleanliness at these spots to minimize odors and hygiene concerns. Each location receives service once per week.

 

 Drop-Off Locations

• Robert Crown Community Center
• Gibb-Morrison Cultural Center

Trash Collection

Residents have two choices for weekly pickup:

Option #1: 65-gallon container
$11.10 per month
No additional bags of garbage allowed beyond your container

Option #2: 95-gallon container
$25.07 per month
One additional 30-gallon bag of garbage allowed beyond your filled container

Any additional bags of trash beyond the allowed amount will be tagged for a special pickup for an additional fee. Additional trash containers are available for $75.00 each with a $11.10 monthly fee.

Keep these guidelines in mind when setting out your garbage:

• Trash must be placed on the curb or alley line by 7 a.m. It will not be collected from private property. 

• Crews will only pick up trash from designated City containers

• All trash must be bagged, contained or bundled

• Crews will not accept the following items in trash containers: car parts, tires, electronics, construction materials, yard waste,  gas, oil, asbestos, medical waste, and other hazardous materials

Recycling collection

Weekly recycling collection is free for small residential buildings and homes in Evanston and occurs on the same day as trash collection. 

Recyclable items, including glass, paper, metal and certain plastics (#1-5 and 7), should be placed unbagged in designated blue recycling containers provided by the City.

Billing

The City bills residents for trash and recycling services every two months on water, sewer and sanitation bills.

The City’s weekly yard waste collection begins on Monday, April 1, 2024 and continues through Thursday, December 5, 2024. Collection occurs on residents’ regular trash and recycling collection day. Residents have several options to dispose of yard waste:

Option #1: Buy a 95-gallon food and yard waste cart
Costs $88.69 plus a $37.63 annual fee
Purchase a food and yard waste cart here
Food scraps can ride along with yard waste for composting

Option #2: Purchase paper yard waste bags and City of Evanston Yard waste stickers
Stickers are available for $2.25 each online and in person at the Morton Civic Center, Levy Senior Center, Jewel-Osco stores, Valli Produce and Lemoi Hardware.
Yard waste only; food scraps not allowed

Tree branches should be bundled separately and affixed with a City of Evanston yard waste sticker. Branches should not exceed four inches in diameter or four feet in length. Bundles should not exceed three feet in diameter. 

Leaf Blowers

Only electric-powered leaf blowers are allowed for use in Evanston and are limited to the following hours:

• Monday through Friday, 7a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5p.m.
• Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.

Electric-powered leaf blowers can be used year-round, with the exception of City holidays.

The use of gasoline- and propane-powered leaf blowers are prohibited year-round.

In November 2021, the Evanston City Council approved updates to the City’s leaf blower ordinance to address community concerns about air pollution, noise pollution, and other environmental impacts. The City’s Climate Action & Resilience Plan, adopted in 2018, calls for phasing out gas- and propane-powered leaf blowers.

 Off-Season Collection Pilot

There will be no offseason pilot program for Winter Season 2024-2025 

Winter season of 2023-2024, the City offered a collection pilot program to see the usage and challenges that collecting yard waste all year might cause. 262 households signed up for the pilot and provided helpful insights for how to review these types of services in the future. Read the full report on the pilot here!

Collective Resource Compost

All Evanston properties, including residential, businesses and commercial properties, are eligible to sign up for food waste composting services through Collective Resource Compost, the City’s exclusive hauler. Collective Resource Compost offers a variety of service levels, including both year-round and “winter gap” seasonal programs.

Backyard composting

Do it yourself with backyard composting. Visit the City’s backyard composting page for information and guidelines for proper backyard composting.

Special pickups and bulk trash collection

Need to dispose of large items or have more trash than fits in your container? Find your free “bulk trash” pickup day and learn about special pickups. 

Evanston Recycles collection event

Once a year, the City hosts the Evanston Recycles collection event to provide residents with the opportunity to responsibly dispose of electronic waste and a variety of other items.

Hazardous materials, plastic bags, electronics and other items

Plastic Bag drop-offs have been suspended indefinitely. This is due the normal outlet which the City partnered with has not responded and the City is working to identify if there are alternative options available.

Some items, such as plastic bags, medications, electronics, and hazardous waste, should not be placed in your trash, recycling, or food and yard waste cart. Learn how to dispose of special collection items.

Simple Recycling provides residents with a free, convenient way to dispose of unwanted clothing and other household goods. Residents can set out items such as clothing, shoes, accessories, and other household discards such as kitchenware, tools, toys, books, or other small household goods in working condition. 

 Schedule pickups online in advance at SimpleRecycling.com or by calling 866-835-5068

If in need of scheduling roll-off dumpster services, please coordinate with the City's Commercial Franchise Hauler LRS (service@lrsrecycles.com; 844-633-3577)

Can learn more about pricing for these services on the Roll-Off services page

Trash Collection

The City contracts with Lakeshore Recycling to provide trash collection for condo buildings enrolled in the City’s program. Lakeshore Recycling provides twice-a-week trash pickup, and provides buildings with dumpsters and/or 95-gallon containers.

Contact: Please contact the City's 311 Center at 847-448-4311 for any service issues.

Recycling Collection

Recycling collection for condo buildings enrolled in the City’s program takes place weekly on Fridays. All recyclable items should be placed unbagged in the provided container(s).

Billing

The City charges a monthly fee of $10.75 per condo unit, which includes both trash and recycling services. This fee may appear on the condo unit owner’s bi-monthly City of Evanston water, sewer and sanitation bill or may be billed to the condo association.