Garbage, Recycling and Yard Waste FAQs

A Clean-Up/Amnesty Day has been scheduled for the week of October 7- October 11, 2024. This takes place on your regular pickup day.

If you miss your day, it cannot be rescheduled. Make sure you have all items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your pickup day.

Yes. There is a sticker requirement that must be met.

• CUSTOMERS THAT REGULARLY USE STICKERS: The first FIVE (5) bags or cans of refuse (not including yard waste) must each be tagged with a Downers Grove refuse sticker.  
• CUSTOMERS THAT RENT A 35-GALLON CART: FOUR (4) items must be stickered.  
• CUSTOMERS THAT RENT A 65-GALLON CART: THREE (3) items must be stickered. 
• CUSTOMERS THAT RENT A 95-GALLON CART: TWO (2) items must be stickered.  

After meeting the sticker requirement, remaining items will be removed free of charge.

Items that will NOT be accepted include:

• Tires
• Motor oil
• Any liquids, paints or household hazardous waste*
• Items known as "white goods" which include large appliances such as washers, dryers, and refrigerators
• Household electronic items such as computers, printers, monitors and televisions
• Yard Waste

*For information about hazardous waste disposal, call the DuPage County Solid Waste Department (630) 407-6700.

Please consider recycling or donating items before placing them to the curb for Amnesty Day. Check out these options for keeping the good stuff out of landfills:

• DuPage County Online Recycling Guide 
• Sharing Connections Donate furniture and other select household items. 
• Habitat for Humanity ReStore-- donate furniture and other building items. 
• Freecycle
• Earth 911

Containers purchased for garbage or yard waste may not be any larger than 33-gallons in capacity.

Items that do not fit in a container, such as small amounts of construction debris and rolls of carpeting, must be securely tied in manageable bundles weighing no more than 50 pounds.

Bundles of objects are limited in size to 5 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter.

A sticker must be affixed to each bundle.

TIRES ARE NOT ACCEPTED.

The collection of appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers or water heaters must be scheduled in advance by calling Republic Services.

One sticker must be affixed for every 50 pounds of weight. 

Back Door Service is available for residents who are unable to bring their items to the curb for collection. A fee applies. Contact Republic Services.

Special Pick-Ups can be scheduled for the removal of a large amounts of garbage or yard waste. Arrangements must be made at least 24-hours in advance. Republic will quote a price based on the estimated cubic yards of material to be collected.

No. Recycling to provided to all residents free of charge.

Option 1: Residents using stickers can purchase their own containers not exceeding 20 gallons in size/capacity. There is no limit to the number of recycling containers that can be put out each week.

Option 2: Residents that rent their garbage cart from Republic are additionally issued a blue recycling cart.

No. All approved recyclables may be mixed together. Please rinse all items, flatten milk jugs and plastic beverage containers, and flatten all boxes.

• Newspapers
• Mixed paper: advertisements, junk mail, office paper, gift wrap, paper bags, stationery envelopes, paper bags
• Magazines, catalogs
• Paperback books (no hard covers)
• Chipboard such as gift boxes, tissue boxes, and food boxes
• Cardboard
• Glass bottles and jars (clear, brown, green)
• Aluminum, tin, or steel cans, including empty aerosol cans and paint cans
• Plastic containers coded #1 through #7 (except #6)
• Plastic 6 and 12-pack rings
• Milk cartons, juice cartons, and juice boxes

• Polystyrene foam materials such as drinking cups, plates, and egg cartons
• Packing peanuts and foam packing blocks
• Shredded paper
• Mirrors, window glass, Pyrex glass or dinnerware
• Cardboard soiled with grease or other food residue
• Pots and Pans
• Gas cans or other items containing hazardous chemicals

Carts are available in three sizes. If you rent a cart for garbage, you may also rent a second cart for yard waste, for an additional monthly fee.

NOTE: Carts may not be rented for yard waste unless you also rent a cart for garbage.

Monthly cart rental prices are listed below. Prices are valid from April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025.

35-gallon cart: $19.96 per cart

65-gallon cart: $22.72 per cart

95-gallon cart: $29.73 per cart

Customers are invoiced for these fees on a quarterly basis.

One sticker costs $4.44. This price is effective April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.

Stickers may be purchased at the following locations:

• Civic Center; 850 Curtiss St. Downers Grove (Finance window)
• Ace Hardware; 6216 Main St. Downers Grove
• Jewel-Osco; 1148 Ogden Ave. Downers Grove
• Jewel-Osco; 6215 Main St. Downers Grove
• Jewel-Osco; 7335 Cass Ave. Darien
• Jewel-Osco; 4 E. Ogden Ave. Westmont
• Jewel-Osco; 2317 75th. St. Woodridge
• Stop 24 Food; 6400 Woodward Ave. Woodridge
• Wannemakers; 1940 Ogden Ave. Downers Grove
• Walgreens; 6240 Belmont Rd. Downers Grove

Yes! Please mail a check for the total amount of stickers you'd like to purchase along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:

GARBAGE STICKERS

VILLAGE OF DOWNERS GROVE

801 Burlington Avenue, Downers Grove, IL 60515

One sticker is required for each container or bag, up to 50 lbs in weight.

Loop the sticker through the handle of the container or affix directly to the bag or item.

No. However, if you have additional waste the does not fit inside the cart, those items must have a sticker.

The City of Naperville operates a recycling/disposal site for DuPage County residents.

Environmental Collection Campus

156 Fort Hill Dr., Naperville. IL

630.420.6095

Many recycling facilities and special events do not accept smoke alarms. Smoke alarms may be returned to the manufacturer:

• Where to return smoke alarms

The Village accepts used motor oil and transmission fluid. This program is not for use by commercial entities. 

Items may be brought to the Fleet Services garage, Monday-Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The garage is located within the fenced parking lot at 700 Curtiss St., east of the Civic Center.

Used motor oil must be poured into the large, labeled, receptacle located on the south side of the garage. Please take empty containers with you to reuse as these are not recyclable.

 For locations that accept used cooking oil, visit SCARCE. 

Locations in Downers Grove accepting unused prescription drugs:

• Walgreens: 1000 Ogden Ave
• Walgreens: 6240 Belmont Rd.  
• CVS: 400 Ogden Ave.

Unused prescription and over-the-counter drugs are accepted on weekends at the DuPage County Household Hazardous Waste collection site. 

The Illinois EPA has put together a website to find a location near you to drop-off medications: https://medtakebackillinois.org/.

• Dispose My Meds
• U.S. Dept. of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration Drug disposal info and initiatives

Please use the following sources to safely dispose of sharps at home. 

• Household Sharp Disposal
• DuPage County Resources

Dart Container Corporation, 310 Evergreen Drive, North Aurora, IL

Respectfully retire and dispose of worn-out or unused American flags at the Downers Grove Township Center, 4340 Prince St.

The box is located outdoors on the south side of the building.

DuPage County has an online Repair Guide to help you find professionals to repair items like rugs, vacuums, lawn equipment, crystal and more.

Yard waste is collected seasonally each week by Republic on your pickup day. Yard waste collection runs from April 1 through the second full week of December.

Option 1: For each brown paper yard waste bag or reusable container, one sticker must be attached. Containers may not be larger than 33 gallons in capacity and must be clearly labeled as YARD WASTE, ONLY.

Option 2: If you rent a garbage cart, you are also able to rent a separate cart for yard waste.

Brush and tree branches may not exceed 4 feet in length and 5 inches in diameter and must be bundled together with jute twine or uncoated string.

Bundles may not exceed 2 feet in diameter, 4 feet in length, and 50 pounds in weight.

Leaves are treated as yard waste, subject to the same regulations:

Option 1: For each brown paper yard waste bag or reusable container, one sticker must be attached. Containers may not be larger than 33 gallons in capacity and must be clearly labeled as YARD WASTE, ONLY.

Option 2: If you rent a garbage cart, you are also able to rent a separate cart for yard waste.

No. The Village does not have a program that allows leaves to be raked to the curb for collection. Leaves must be bagged and tagged with a yard waste sticker.

No. Leaves may not be openly burned in the Village, either alone or as part of a recreational campfire. Please see OPEN BURNING regulations.

Compost is organic matter that is produced by the decomposition of items such as food scraps, egg shells, grass clippings and other yard waste. Making compost from these throw-away items keeps them out of landfills where they take up space and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

This seasonal program applies ONLY to households that rent a yard-waste cart from Republic Services.

The following compost materials may be blended in your cart:

• Yard Waste i.e. grass clippings, small braches, weeds
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Pastas, breads, crackers and cereals
• Meat (NO BONES)
• Cheese and Yogurt

Please, no liquids of any type. All materials must be clean and free of debris.