Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO)

08/24/2026

08/20/2026

Check out this behind-the-scenes look at the Abt Electronics Recycling Center!

08/14/2026

Today is the day! Join us at the Lake Zurich Farmers Market for our Shoes and Shred event! The event will take place at Paulus Park (200 S Rand Road, Lake Zurich, IL 60047) from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

Shoes will be collected for the Reuse-a-Shoe program. No ice skates or rollerblades. You can also bring your sensitive, confidential documents to be shredded and recycled. Limit of 6 boxes per vehicle until the truck is full.

The Village of Lake Zurich is a year-round partner with SWALCO and has collection drop-offs for shoes via Reuse-a-Shoe (Fire Station #1, Village Hall, and Paulus Park Barn) and the Clothing and Textile Collection Program (Paulus Park near Skate Park & Public Works and Community Center). New and gently used donations are tax-deductible. Please visit swalco.org for a list of acceptables and more information, including other events, programs, and resources.

This event is for households/residents only (no businesses). Household personal, confidential documents only (taxes, financial/bank/credit card statements, insurance, bills, etc.). Remember to recycle mail, envelopes, coupons, magazines, and other paper in your curbside recycling bin/program. More than 99% of the paper from your home is recyclable curbside.

08/12/2026

From the cutting board to the compost bin, improve soil health with food scraps. Whether you choose to compost indoors, outdoors, or with earthworms, a healthy compost pile needs a balance of materials. Brown scraps like nutshells, crushed eggshells, and woodchips add carbon. While green scraps such as grass clippings, vegetables, and chicken/livestock manure introduce nitrogen.

Troubleshooting:
Smelly Pile?
There is too much nitrogen.

Materials not breaking down?
There is too much carbon.

Pest lurking?
Eliminate prohibited items like meat, bones, diseased plants, and w**d seed.

Learn how to get started with composting, how it works, and troubleshoot issues here: https://extension.illinois.edu/composting

08/11/2026

Household chemical waste (HCW) should not be disposed of in the trash or recycling. When disposed of improperly (pouring them down the drain or throwing them in the garbage/recycling), HCW can contaminate the groundwater and harm the environment.

SWALCO is here to help you properly dispose of your HCW! Join us for our mobile collection event on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at the Mundelein Metra Station (205 N Archer Avenue, Mundelein, IL 60060). Appointments are required, and the event will run from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM.

Use this link to schedule your appointment: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/ab9f2c49

08/10/2026

08/07/2026

Check out the bikes that were donated at our Fremont Township and Hainesville Reuse-O-Ramas! These bikes will be distributed to children and adults in need throughout the Chicagoland area.

If you would like to donate a bike that is new, gently used, or in need of minor repair, visit our Riverwoods Reuse-O-Rama on Saturday, September 26, 2026. Stay tuned for more information.

Thank you to all the member communities that have helped host these events throughout Lake County. We appreciate your support and dedication to making these events a success!

08/06/2026

Even recycling carts deserve a night out sometimes!

On Tuesday evening, Loop the Cart joined the City of Highland Park, Illinois - Government at their National Night Out. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to meet Loop and learn more about recycling right.

Continue to keep your eye out for Loop and his crew. We appreciate your support, and don't forget to feed the cart! Visit the SWALCO website to learn more.

08/06/2026

Summer is here, and with it comes lawn care season. Traditional lawn care relies heavily on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to keep grass green and lush, but lawn caretakers are becoming more aware of how these practices can be detrimental to the wider ecosystem. Natural lawn care principles can help lawn caretakers develop a low-maintenance care plan that keeps excess chemicals away from people and pets and out of local waterways-- it may even save you money! On Wednesday, August 12, we will go over the principles of natural lawn care and provide you with information and tools that will help you care for your lawn in a sustainable way.

Register for session 6, "Lawn to Lake," using this link: https://registration.extension.illinois.edu/start/2026-garden-learning-series-lawn-to-lake-natural-lawn-care-practices-for-a-healthy-environment

Presentations are scheduled on the second Wednesday of each month from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. All sessions are free, virtual, and held on Zoom; they are not recorded.

Registration closes on the Tuesday before each session at 11:59 PM. Zoom link, slides, and handouts will be emailed to registrants by 2:00 PM the day of the presentation—check all your email folders, including spam.

08/05/2026

Loop the Cart is reminding residents to review recycling guidelines to help ensure items are placed in the correct bins.

Use these graphics as a quick reference to determine what can and cannot be recycled.

Reminder: DO NOT plastic bags or Product Wrap in your recycling containers.

For more information, visit FeedTheCart.org.