Lakeshore Recycling Services becomes Elgin’s garbage collection provider starting Thursday, a change that will give residents new options for yard waste and organics services.
“Through this partnership, the city and LRS plan to introduce innovative practices and programs aimed at boosting recycling rates, improvements to yard waste and organic material collection, and enhancements to certain community engagement initiatives,” Elgin’s Public Works Director Aaron Neal said.
LRS will be providing waste collection services for more than 33,000 Elgin households, 142 city facilities and 78 park spaces, Neal said.
Under the new contract, residents will pay a flat rate for a standard 64-gallon cart of $24.95 per month. A 35-gallon cart will be $22.50 per month. Base services will continue to be billed on monthly Elgin utility bills, he said.
Elgin owns the garbage and recycling carts residents use so there won’t be a change in those, Neal said.
If you have a standard 64-gallon cart, no action is needed, he said. If you currently have a 35-gallon cart, you will need to enroll for a reduced waste rate by going to Elgin.LRSrecycles.com, Neal said. Any changes in cart size can be requested at the site.
A new service being offered by LRS is free yard waste and organics collection. It’s an optional service but also requires enrollment and a cart request by going online at Elgin.LRSrecycles.com. Carts requested by Jan. 10 will be delivered in the first quarter of the year, Neal said.
Among the items that can be placed in the yard waste/organics cart are baked goods, food waste, grains, produce and clay floral items, according to LRS’s website.
But they won’t accept animal waste, dairy products, meat and bones, paper goods, plastic items, and construction and yard waste. Hazardous materials like grease, liquids, and oils also cannot be left for pickup.
One of the benefits of the LRS contract is an end to the purchase of special bags and stickers for leaf collection, Neal said. However, stickers will be required for bulk items and additional bags of garbage that don’t fit inside the containers, he said. Trash stickers from Waste Management, the former trash collection company, will be honored through March 31.
Anyone who doesn’t sign up to receive a yard/organics cart can leave landscape waste at the curb in biodegradable, 2-ply thickness brown waste bags or a 35-gallon, customer-owned container with a 50-pound limit. Brush secured in bundles must not exceed 5 feet in length, 2 feet in diameter or 45 pounds in weight.
On-street fall leaf collection will still be available in designated areas for eligible residents.
Recycling will remain the same. LRS will offer e-waste and hazardous waste materials collection, but residents must either submit a request online or call LRS at 855-612-7938 to schedule a pickup. The website has more information about guidelines.
Collection days will remain the same, but garbage, recycling and yard waste pickup times will vary, Neal said. Recycling materials will now be collected first on all routes.
LRS reminds residents that all materials and carts must be placed at the curb on the night before the scheduled collection day or by 6 a.m. the day of collection.
“The departments of public works and neighborhood services have worked diligently to prepare for this transition, and the city’s 311 call center is ready to assist residents with any questions or concerns,” Neal said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
