Recycling Drop-off Locations in Chicago

This post will provide Chicagoans who lack recycling options at their residence with a resource for recycling everyday waste. Read below for locations of blue recycling drop off centers and a list of acceptable items.

For non-everyday waste, click here to find locations (anywhere in the U.S.) to recycle Electronics, C.D.’s, Cell Phones, and Household batteries. Or here to recycle Appliances, Stuffed Animals, Books, Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs, Paint, and Shoes.

Thanks for reading, be green (or blue), and don’t let anyone get in your way–let you be you.

Below are locations for 30 blue recycling drop off centers in Chicago, from north to south. They accept most daily waste (papers/magazines, most plastics, bottles/jars, cans, etc.) but see the chart below for a full list. Click the location name to open a google map, or click here to see them all together: Recycling Center Map

North/Northeast

Golf Course Lot at Warren Park                                                    2045 W. Pratt Blvd.

Far North Side                                                                                    6441 N. Ravenswood

17th District Police Station                                                             4649 N. Pulaski

Homer Park                                                                                         4201 N. California

Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility            1150 N. North Branch

• This place rocks! They accept a lot of stuff you don’t need in your home: Acceptable Items to drop off. 1150 N North Branch Street, just off Division 2 blocks east of the Kennedy Expressway (90/94). Find out more info here.

Notebaert Nature Museum                                                              2430 N. Cannon Drive

• This location is a favorite, my trip to the drop-off center usually ends up with a visit to the free Lincoln Park Zoo. Where else can you make good karma, visit live animals, and enjoy this view?

Northwest

Caldwell Woods Forest Preserve                                                    6358 W. Devon Ave

Chevailier Woods Forest Preserve                                                 5530 N. East River Road

Schiller Woods East Forest Preserve                                             8700 W. Irving Park Road

Portage Park Neighborhood                                                            4243 N. Neenah

Hermosa Community                                                                         4619 W. Homer

Mozart Park                                                                                          2036 N. Avers

Riis Park                                                                                                6241 W. Wrightwood

West

Old 10th District Police Station                                                        1952 W. 23rd St.

Columbus Park                                                                                      400 S. Golf

North Lawndale                                                                                    1817 S. Pulaski

Douglas Park                                                                                         1359 S. Thompson Dr.

Central/Downtown

Chicago Center for Green Technology                                            445 N. Sacramento

Near South Recycling Center                                                             1758 S. Clark

South/Southwest

City Facility Campus                                                                              1424 W. Pershing

Gage Park                                                                                                  2411 W. 55th

Sherman Park                                                                                          1300 W. Garfield Blvd

Marquette Park                                                                                         6734 S. Kedzie

Ogden Park                                                                                               6500 S. Racine

Auburn Gresham                                                                                     7811 S. Racine

Dan Ryan Woods Forest Preserve                                                       2300 W. 83rd Street

West Pullman                                                                                            11615 S. Indiana

Southeast

Washington Park                                                                                    5560 Russell Dr

Rainbow Park                                                                                           3111 E. 77th Street

Calumet Park Beach                                                                                9807 S. Avenue G

Click here to see all locations on one map: Recycling Center Map

What can you recycle?

#6 Plastics are NOT accepted. This is called polystyrene but you know it as styrofoam. #6 also makes up hard, but brittle plastics such as C.D. cases & plastic spoons/forks/knives.

Acceptable Items