Services > Solid Waste (Refuse) and Recycling

Overview

Residential

Multi-Family and Commerical

Additional Recycling

Battery Recycling                                     Eco-Landscaping                                    Rain Barrels
Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL)                Electronics
Composting                                              Household Hazardous Waste
Document Destruction                               Medical Pharmacueticals

The Village of Wheeling encourages residents to reduce, reuse and recycle. By reducing, reusing and recycling waste, natural resources are conserved, toxic waste is reduced, landfill space and incineration is reduced, less pollution is produced, energy is conserved, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced and the environment for future generations is sustained.

The Village of Wheeling provides links to additional recycling information. For further information, please contact the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County at (847) 724-9205 or www.swancc.org.

Battery Recycling

Batteries can contain toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium that should not be disposed of in landfills or incinerated.

The Village of Wheeling is participating in the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) Battery Recycling Program. Residents can recycle alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) and rechargeable batteries (NiCd, NiMh, lithium ion, lithium polymer) at three Village locations (see below). Residents must tape the contact points with masking tape on each rechargeable battery or place rechargeable batteries in individual self-locking plastic bags to avoid sparks.

Automotive batteries are not accepted.

Wheeling Village Hall
2 Community Boulevard
(847) 279-6900
Monday - Friday
7:00 am to 5:00 pm

Wheeling Public Works
77 W Hintz Rd
(847) 279-6900
Monday - Friday
7:00 am - 3:00 pm

Wheeling Pavilion Senior Center/Department of Human Services
199 N. First Street
847-459-2606
M, W, Th, F: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
T: 8:00 am to 9:00 pm

The Battery Recycling Program begins on February 16, 2011 and concludes on December 31, 2011.

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL)

Using compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) is an easy way to save energy and money at home. These energy-efficient bulbs use much less electricity than an incandescent light bulb. Lighting accounts for close to 20% of the average home’s electric bill. CFL also prevents greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change.

Even though there are environmental and economic benefits in using CFL, each CFL contains a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing, an average of five milligrams (approximately the size of the tip of a ball point pen). It is environmentally beneficial to recycle CFL rather than disposing it in the garbage. Therefore, the Village of Wheeling, as a participant with the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC), provides a drop-off for Wheeling residents at:

Public Works
77 W. Hintz Rd.
(847) 279-6900
Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Not accepting 4' lights.
Restricted to Wheeling Residents ONLY

If a CFL breaks:
Be careful when removing a CFL from its packaging, installing it, or replacing it when it burns out. Always hold the base of the bulb – not the glass – when installing or removing a bulb and do not force the bulb into a socket.

Because there is such a small amount of mercury in CFL’s, the greatest risk if a bulb breaks is getting cut from glass shards. Research indicates that there is no immediate health risk to you or your family should a bulb break and it is cleaned up immediately and properly. Risks can be minimized by following proper cleanup and disposal guidelines:

     • Sweep — do not vacuum — all of the glass fragments and fine particles.

     • Place broken pieces in a sealed plastic bag and wipe the area with a damp paper towel to pick up any stray shards
        of glass or fine particles. Put the used towel in the plastic bag as well.

     • If the weather permits, open windows to allow the room to ventilate.

For other participating SWANCC communities please visit the SWANCC website:   http://www.swancc.org
Composting

Composting

Composting is nature’s process of recycling decomposed organic material into a rich soil known as finished compost or humus. It is a simple and inexpensive way to dispose and recycle food scraps and yard waste that would otherwise enter the waste stream. By composting organic waste, nutrients are returned back into the soil as a natural fertilizer for gardening or farming.

Residents may purchase composting bins from local home improvement centers in a variety of sizes. Aside from monetary consideration, visibility and aesthetics of the bins should be considered. Items that can be composted include kitchen waste (vegetable or fruit scraps), egg shells, corn stalk, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags (remove staples), cardboard, clean paper, untreated wood chips, sawdust, hay, dry straw, weeds, leaves and grass/lawn clippings. Items that cannot be composted include chemically treated wood products, inorganic material (metal or plastic), diseased plants, meat/bones/fatty food waste, pernicious weeds (morning glory/bindweed, ivy, types of grasses – these can actually re-sprout from roots), human or pet waste.

Three key features that enable compost to be made quicker than its normal process and produce better quality are: optimal balance of materials (even mix of brown materials such as leaves, dry straw, or sawdust and green waste such as kitchen waste, coffee grounds or tea bags), turning the compost often to add fresh oxygen, and maintaining moisture levels without having the compost too wet or soggy.

Residents can visit http://www.swancc.org/recycling/composting.html for additional information or other resources on the internet.

Document Destruction

The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) provides one-day document destruction events for SWANCC member communities, of which Wheeling is a member. These events are only for residentially generated paper such as medical forms, bank statements, personal files, retired tax form, records and receipts. Materials from businesses, schools or institutions will not be accepted.

At events, workers will help take paper out of vehicles and place into toter carts. The documents will then be loaded into a shredding truck on site. The paper will be cross-shredded, baled and recycled.

There is a limit of six (6) banker boxes or grocery bag per vehicle. Paper clips and staples do not need to be removed. Binders must be removed.

One-Day Drop-Off Events:

Please also refer to www.swancc.org, or contact 847-724-9205, for additional One-Day Drop-Off locations.

                                    Wheeling Public Works Department
                                    77 W. Hintz Road
                                    Saturday, September 29, 2012
                                    9:00 am to 11:00 am ONLY

For businesses, schools and institutional document destruction, please also contact SWANCC at 847-724-9205.

Eco-Landscaping

Eco-landscaping, or natural lawn care, utilizes alternative practices, rather than traditional or conventional practices, to maintain outdoor lawn care. It promotes the life and health of soil organically to eliminate the possible harmful effects to humans or the environment from the use of non-organic materials (i.e. chemical/synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, etc). Such harmful effects include, but are not limited to, groundwater contamination, run-off into waterways that contain aquatic life, polluting air, skin absorption or irritation, and even ingestion by children or pets that come into contact with the materials.

The benefits of eco-landscaping include: less use of chemical applications, enriching biodiversity of ecosystems, improving water quality, reducing run-off, and long term savings. To begin a natural lawn care program, residents should develop a plan that encompasses determining lawn use, turf selection, soil biology, and plant selection. Once this is established,
maintenance of natural lawns will then entail cultivation (i.e. aeration, dethatching, irrigation, mowing, etc), composting, and pest management.
For additional information on Eco-Landscaping, or for a complete guide to Eco-Landscaping, please visit http://www.swancc.org/index.php/resources/eco-landscaping-guide.

Electronics

Electronic waste, or e-waste, contains toxic materials such as lead, cadmium, mercury, etc. that can contaminate groundwater or present other environmental issues if not properly recycled or disposed.

Effective January 1, 2012, the State of Illinois prohibits the disposal of electronics in landfills.
E-waste placed at residential curbsides, or designated refuse locations (i.e. through property management, businesses) will not be collected by Waste Management and must be recycled by a registered collector, recycler and/or manufacturer.

E-waste items that are prohibited from the landfill include, but are not limited to, televisions, computer monitors, computers (PCs and laptops), computer peripherals (mice, keyboards, drives), fax machines, printers, scanners, VHS or DVD players/recorders, mp3 players, PDAs, small scale servers, video games consoles, DVRs, digital converter box, mobile phones, cable/satellite receivers. These items must be recycled by a registered collector, recycler and/or manufacturer.

SWANCC, SSI, and the Village of Wheeling is providing a one-day computer & recycling collection event at no cost to residents. Only residentially-generated items will be accepted. Businesses, schools, and governmental institution items will not be accepted at this event.

ACCEPTABLE ITEMS: Televisions, computer monitors, computers (PCs and laptops), computer peripherals (mice, keyboards, drives), fax machines, printers, scanners, VHS or DVD players/recorders, mp3 players, PDAs, small scale servers, video games consoles, DVRs, digital converter box, mobile phones, cable/satellite receivers.

For information on additional one-day & permanent electronic drop-off locations, as well as the SWANCC At Home Pick Up Program, contact Public Works at 847-279-6903 or SWANCC at 847-724-9205.

The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) has contracted with Supply-Chain Services (SSI) for a permanent drop off location for its member residents. Wheeling residents may bring acceptable electronics (see below), at no charge, to:

                        Glenview Transfer Station
                        1151 N. River Road (Across from Maryville Academy)
                        Saturdays, 9:00 am – 11:30 am
                        847-724-9205
                        (Closed on June 2, June 7, September 8, November 24 and December 29 of 2012)

                        Winnetka Public Works
                        1390 Willow Road
                        Tuesdays: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
                        Thursdays: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
                        (Closed on November 22 of 2012)

                        Hoffman Estates Village Hall
                        1900 Hassell Road
                        April through November only.
                        Mondays: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

                        Mount Prospect Public Works
                        1700 W. Central Road
                        April through October only.
                        Wednesdays: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

                        Collection locations will be closed on national holidays.

One-Day Drop-Off Locations:
Please also refer to www.swancc.org for additional One-Day Drop-Off locations.

                        Wheeling Public Works Department
                        77 W. Hintz Road
                        Saturday, May 19, 2012
                        9:00 am to 12:00 pm ONLY

At Home Pick-Up Program:
Residents may also participate in SWANCC’s At Home Pick-Up program for a more convenient option to recycle electronics and computers.

The cost of the program is $30.00 for recycling six (6) items. Additional items are $5.00 each with a maximum of fifteen (15) items. Cell phones and calculators are accepted at no cost and do not count toward the item total. SWANCC, however, does need to know the complete total of items that are being recycled.

Residents must contact SWANCC at 847-724-9605 or visit http://www.swancc.org. Residents must schedule a pick-up and place items by the front door on assigned pick-up day.

Acceptable Electronic Items for Permanent Locations, One-Day Drop-Offs, and At Home Pick-Up: televisions, computer monitors, computers (PCs and laptops), computer peripherals (mice, keyboards, drives), fax machines, printers, scanners, VHS or DVD players/recorders, mp3 players, PDAs, small scale servers, video games consoles, DVRs, digital converter box, mobile phones, cable/satellite receivers.

Other Information:
Residents may also drop off electronics at electronic retail stores. Some electronic retail stores may charge a small fee for larger electronic items. Another recycling, or reuse option includes donating good, working condition electronics to charitable organizations. Please contact individual retail stores for possible recycling options and information.

Household Hazardous Chemicals

Household products, such as cleaners, lawn or garden care, hobbies, antifreeze, pesticides, etc., can contain hazardous ingredients that can be harmful to human health and the environment and require proper and safe disposal. It is highly recommended, whenever possible, to purchase limited quantities of household hazardous products so that the amount of hazardous waste produced is limited.

Annually, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) offers residents one-day Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collections throughout Illinois during the spring and fall months. These events are at no charge to Illinois residents. For more information on the IEPA one-day collections, please visit http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/hazardous-waste/household-haz-waste/hhwc-schedule.html or contact 217-785-8604.

Long term (permanent) drop-off facilities are also available to Illinois residents for household hazardous chemical disposal. Below are long-term facilities. It is recommended to contact the facilities prior to visitation as hours may change during the year. Latex paint is not accepted at any drop-off facility (please see below information on latex paint disposal).

Naperville Fire Station #4
1971 Brookdale Road
Saturday & Sunday, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
630-420-4190

Rockford Rock River Reclamation District
3333 Kishwaukee
Sat., 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Sun., 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
815-387-7400

City of Chicago/IEPA
1150 N. Branch Street
Tues., 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Thurs., 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
1st Sat of each month: 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
312-744-7606

Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO)
1311 N. Estes, Gurnee
By Appointment Only.
847-336-9340

Acceptable items include: aerosol paints and pesticides; lawn chemicals; antifreeze; mercury; cleaning products; old gasoline; drain cleaners; oil-based paints; fluorescent lamp bulbs; paint thinners; herbicides; pesticides; hobby chemicals; pool chemicals; household batteries; solvents; insecticides; used motor oil.

Unacceptable items include: agricultural waste; fireworks; business/commercial waste; institutional waste; explosives; farm machinery oil; smoke detectors; latex paint. Lead acid batteries, propane tanks, and fire extinguishers may be accepted depending on contractors. Please contact IEPA to verify if these items will be accepted at facilities.

LATEX PAINT
Because latex, or water-based, paint is not hazardous due to water replacing most of the oil based components in paint, they are not accepted at any Illinois drop-off facility. The following are disposal alternatives for latex paint.

*Donate extra paint to an organization or another individual that may use it. These may include charitable/non-profit groups, religious organizations, theatre groups, family or neighbors.

*Host a Paint Swap where leftover paints can be swapped for other leftover or unused paints from family, friends, or neighbors.

*Keep painting. Place another coat of paint on or use as a primer.

*Paint other items or areas such as lumber pieces, inside of garages, or even furniture pieces.

*Store the paint for future use. Covering the top with a plastic wrap and securing the lid will help ensure that the paint will not leak and be maintained better.

*Proper disposal. If other alternatives can not be used and disposal is necessary, residents must open paint cans in well-ventilated areas (i.e. outdoors) and add an absorbent such as kitty litter, sand, oil-dry, or shredded paper into the paint cans. When the liquid paint is absorbed, and the paint is hardened, place lids back on the paint cans and dispose closed paint cans in regular refuse containers (not recycling!). If paint cans are full, residents must divide the paint into empty cans to solidify or repeat the absorbent process.

For additional information on other possible drop-off locations for various household hazardous waste, please visit http://www.swancc.org/hcw/hcwcollection.html and http://www.swancc.org/greenPages/greenpages.html.

Medical Pharmacueticals

The Prescription Drug and Sharps Disposal Program is held every third (3rd) Saturday of each month from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm. The drop off location is now located at the Police Department entrance located at 1 Community Boulevard, Wheeling, Il. For more information contact Beverly at 847-499-9045.

Wheeling residents can drop off unwanted medications and used sharps (needles and syringes). Prescription and over- the- counter medications in original containers are accepted. Controlled substances such as Oxycontin and Percocet are not accepted.

Sharps must be in rigid containers with a sealed lid. Sharps not in rigid containers WILL NOT be accepted. New sharps containers are available through the Community Development Department Health Division located at 2 Community Boulevard. Residents can also receive a new container when they drop off their full sharps container.

Rain Barrels

Rain barrels are containers that collect and store rainwater from rooftops via downspout that would otherwise be lost to runoff and diverted to storm drains, creeks and rivers. Because it does not contain minerals, chlorine, fluoride or other chemicals, the stored rainwater in barrels provides a supply of water that is ideal for gardens, potted plants/flowers, lawns, and even bicycle and car washing. Rain barrels reduce storm water pollution and conserve water.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) offers rain barrels to residents through their Rain Barrel Program. For more information on MWRD’s program and cost, please visit www.mwrd.org or contact 1-312-751-6633.

Residents are requested to please keep rain barrels hidden or camouflaged (behind bushes, etc) if possible and to keep them along the side or rear of lots.