One important way that we can preserve the planet for future generations is to eliminate or significantly reduce what is disposed of through the solid waste stream. Recycling and donating items are vital strategies for achieving this goal.
Learn About Your Community's Recycling Services
La Grange and many other nearby communities offer recycling as part of waste
hauling and collection services:
Go Green LaGrange encourages you to brush up on the curbside recycling services offered by your town. If you live in an apartment building or other multi-family property, you
may not be serviced by your community's contracted service. Instead, seek information from your property manager/landlord.
Find out exactly what you can recycle through your curbside services. Most services recycle glass, metal, and paper. Many plastic bottles and containers are also recyclable - but not all. NPR provides a
good summary of what plastics are recyclable. And DuPage County warns against
wish cycling.
Also, be sure to follow instructions on how to prepare your recyclables for pick up. This will help ensure that items are truly recycled.
See Also: Composting
Learn Where to Recycle or Donate Other Items
Not everything can be recycled through your community's waste hauling services. Go Green LaGrange collects some common items at
our
Events. We've also identified other local and not-so-local resources for recycling and donating.
If you know of other local resources, please contact Go Green LaGrange at
[email protected].
Sections
Recently added or updated:
March 2025:
- China - Catherine’s Community Closet
- Flags - Community Park District of La Grange Park
- Light Bulbs - Chicago Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility
January 2025:
- Electrical Wiring
December 2024:
- Plastic Holders for Beer Cans – Go Green events
- Corks – Mainstreet
- Shoes – Anthony’s Shoe Repair
- Hair Tools – Congress Park Green Team
- Oral Care – Congress Park Green Team
- Detergent and Cleaner Plastic Pouches – Congress Park Green Team
- Home Care and Cleaner Products – Congress Park Green Team
Other options for local recycling: SCARCE in Addison. In addition, you can search
Earth911 for where to recycle a variety of items.
Appliances
When buying a new fridge, dishwasher, or other large
appliance,
Best
Buy,
Lowes,
ABT, and other retailers will haul away your old one for recycling.
ABT also donates
appliances in good shape to Salvation Army and other nonprofits.
In addition, ABT
recycles small appliances for
free.
Additional Thoughts
ComEd offers
rebates
on energy-efficient appliances. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 also provides
federal tax
credits and incentives to home owners for certain energy-efficient changes,
such as installing heat pumps.
See Also:
See Reuse for information on repairing appliances.
Art Supplies
The
La Grange Art League is happy to be the recipient of any
art supplies that you no longer want. Please drop them off at the counter in the gallery.
Batteries - Auto and Marine
Recycling your used vehicle or boat battery is quick and
easy. Just drop it off at a local retailer - including
AutoZone,
O'Reilly
Auto Parts,
Advance
Auto Parts, and
CarQuest - and
they do the rest. Some retailers will grant you a store credit for your used
battery even if you don't purchase a new one.
BatteriesPlus also accepts a variety of batteries that
power vehicles, including lead acid batteries from golf carts, mowers, sump
pumps, etc. Nearest locations in Oak Lawn, Villa Park, and Oak Park. Call ahead
for details.
Stay tuned for where to recycle electric car batteries.
Argonne's ReCell Center is actively looking into advanced EV
battery recycling.
Additional Thoughts
If you want to be an expert on recycling batteries,
visit Argonne's
reading list on the subject.
Batteries - Household
Go Green LaGrange collects household batteries for recycling. Refer to our list of
Collections for information on when and where we will collect them next.
Other recycling options:
Countryside Police Department (Joliet Rd & Brainard) is
accepting alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, etc).
But only from Countryside residents.
BatteriesPlus accepts a variety of batteries.
Big Green Box has a
"Mini" box for
$36 that families and/or a group of friends or neighbors can purchase to
recycle household batteries.
You can also search for a battery drop-off location at
Call2Recycle.
Additional Thoughts
Switch to rechargeable batteries. They are better for the
environment, easier on the pocketbook, and are easy to recycle.
Home
Depot and
Horton's
Ace Hardware in La Grange, accept rechargeable batteries.
Bikes
You may send bikes and
parts to
Working Bikes, which repairs
and gives bikes to people in the local area and across the globe.
Or consider
The Recyclery
(7628 N Paulina, Chicago;
773-262-5900). You
can donate used bikes, bike parts, and tools (no helmets). Call ahead.
Blankets
(October 1 – February 28) all sizes and types – the
Westchester Food Pantry
at 1938 S. Mannheim Road in Westchester will gladly accept new or gently-used blankets to share with those in need who visit the pantry.
Click
here for a list of drop-off locations.
Books, DVDs, CDs, Etc.
If the items are in good shape, try unloading books, movies,
records, video games, and comics at Half Price Books in Countryside (14
Countryside Plaza;
708-579-1770). The store pays $$$$ (pennies).
Alternatively, your local library may have a donation
program for books, records, DVDs, CDs, etc.
Other options:
- Donate all types of books to Open Books, a Chicago
nonprofit.
-
SCARCE,
in Addison, also accepts any and all books.
-
Recycle CDs through the CD Recycling Center (closed due
to COVID).
-
Donate theology books (for example, about church history,
philosophy, ethics, Bible studies) to the Theological Book Network.
Located in Grand Rapids, Mich., the organization gives theological books to
seminaries and universities in the southern hemisphere. Great
way to help people give their theological books away - and the books
will be used.
-
Bring prior-year textbooks to your school bookstore, if
possible, for credits toward new textbooks. You can
also sell textbooks online at ABEbooks, Amazon, BookScouter, Bookchor, EBay, and
other sites.
Books - Children's
The
Westchester Food Pantry
at 1938 S. Mannheim Road in Westchester
will gladly accept new or gently-used children’s books to share with those in need who visit the pantry.
Click
here for a list of drop-off locations.
You can also ship children's books to
The Children's Book
Project or donate them to
Cradles
to Crayons Chicago.
Bras
You can drop off your unwanted bras at one of our Clothing and Textile
Events.
If possible, please keep bras separate from your other clothing and textile donations
so that we can make sure they are sent to whichever charity is currently in need.
You can also bring them to the lingerie store, SOMA, in Oakbrook Center.
SOMA (an affiliate of Chico's) donates new and gently used bras to the nonprofit
I Support the Girls,
which provides bras to women who are homeless, impoverished, or subject to domestic abuse.
If the bras are not in good enough condition to be reused, SOMA will donate them to
The Bra Recyclers.
Donate new or gently used bras and get rewarded up to $10 off your purchase per month.
Another nonprofit that specializes in recycling all the parts of the bra (cloth, fasteners, etc.) is
B.R.A. Bra Recycling Agency.
Bread Tags
Go Green LaGrange collects plastic bread tags at every
Event to ship to the
Danielle
Cares for Chairs, Carmel, Ind. via SCARCE. The nonprofit collects millions
of bread tags from around the country, delivers them for recycling, and then
uses the proceeds from recycling to buy wheelchairs for people in need. The
organization recently gifted its 15th wheelchair to a child!
Check out
Danielle
Cares for Chairs for a great story.
Building Materials (Can also buy used)
-
Maywood Reuse Depot, 50 W. Madison, Maywood, IL.
Donate to, or shop, in their 35,000 square feet of reclaimed building materials and architectural salvage.
Their mission is to keep reusable building materials out of landfills. They do this by promoting environmentally friendly
deconstruction over traditional demolition, thereby saving the embodied energy that went into the making of the
original building materials. These materials are then harvested from their deconstruction sites,
brought to their warehouse and offered for sale to the general public at a fraction of their original cost.
-
ReStore (Habitat for Humanity) - Check their website for locations.
Donate or shop, everything from building materials to furniture. Proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity.
Cardboard
See
Paper/Magazines/Mail for location information of the paper recycling dumpster.
Cars
Consider donating your old car to
Habitat for Humanity,
which fixes up and sells old cars to finance future Habitat homes. Habitat for
Humanity is taking steps to build energy-efficient homes. For instance, Fox
Valley Habitat for Humanity plans to build 17 net-zero homes
in
Aurora.
Other options:
WBEZ
may take that jalopy that still runs. Even
Goodwill takes cars.
China
China - Vintage Tea Cups, Saucers, and Plates:
Catherine’s Community Closet
will accept these as donations.
Christmas Trees (Real)
Check if your community's refuse services include pick up of
real Christmas trees and greenery.
In La Grange, holiday greenery collection and pickup are
free of charge and will take place the first two weeks of January. Holiday
greenery must have all tinsel, ornaments, lights, and nails removed before being placed out at the curb for pickup. Collection of
holiday greenery after the third week of January will be billed as a bulk item
pick up on your next invoice.
See Also
See Rethink to learn about composting options for Christmas
greenery and other plant life.
Cleaning Products
The
Westchester Food Pantry
at 1938 S. Mannheim Road in Westchester will gladly accept new cleaning products to share with those in need
who visit the pantry. Products must be new and unopened.
Click
here for a list of drop-off locations.
Clothing and Supplies for Babies and Young Children
Here are some options:
-
Cradles to Crayons Chicago collects new and gently used
clothing, books, school supplies, diapers, etc. to
give to babies and children in Chicago. The organization has a list
of items that are needed and accepted.
-
Cradles to Crayons has a collection box in the lobby of First
United Methodist Church of La Grange (the chapel entrance on Cossitt). The church is normally open 9-5 weekdays and
Sunday morning. The church's preschool families keep the box full most of the
time.
-
Children's Community Closet of La Grange Park
accepts clothing in sizes newborn to 16 years, maternity clothing, and children’s shoes. These donations are then
made available for FREE to the public 2 days per month.
Donations may be left in one of the 24-hour bins behind St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 501 E. 31st Street, LaGrange Park.
(Entry to the parking lot is off Sherwood Avenue. Bins are just past the back entrance.)
Volunteers are needed weekly to help sort donated items. If interested in volunteering or have any other questions,
please email: [email protected] for more information.
-
The Cossitt Clothing Sale
-
usagain
has a number of collection boxes in the local area,
including one in the parking lot of St. Barbara Church in Brookfield. The
organization collects re-useable clothes, shoes, accessories (e.g., purses),
and household textiles.
Clothing and Jewelry for Adults
Options include
Goodwill,
usagain, and
Sharing Connections.
Clothing - Cold Weather, Boots
(October 1 - January 31) coats, hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, snow pants, snowsuits, and boots for children and adults –
the
Westchester Food Pantry
at 1938 S. Mannheim Road in Westchester will gladly accept new or gently-used items to share with those in need
who visit the pantry. These items must be dropped off directly at the Pantry
on Wednesdays 12-7pm, Fridays 12-2pm, or Saturdays 8:30-11:30am.
West End Vision, 715 W. Hillgrove Ave., La Grange – Drop off in the office with any staff member.
Before bringing to the shop, separate the foil from the plastic. You can combine the pieces in one donation,
they just need to be pulled apart first.
Cooking Oil
Do you have oil from that deep-fried 22 lb. turkey or deep-fried
Twinkies? Leftover oil can be deposited in the "Mahoney Bin" in the alley just south
of Tate's Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Shop (behind Aging Care Connections).
Learn
more about oil recycling at Mahoney Environmental.
Another Chicago-area option:
Green Grease Environmental, which partners
with restaurants and heavy users.
Additional Thoughts
Did you know cooking oil is used as aviation fuel? Look up "sustainable
aviation fuel" (SAF). Here is more on this topic:
U.S.
DOE Releases Roadmap to Achieve Carbon Neutral Aviation Emissions.
Corks (Natural corks only - no plastic)
You can drop off your corks at one of our
Events,
at the
Lyons Township Headquarters
on Joliet Road in Countryside, or at
Mainstreet Liquors in Countryside.
These corks will be taken to
Corkology. They grind down the corks and
use the material to produce products such as coasters, placemats and bulletin boards.
You can also turn your corks into art.
See Reuse.
Detergent and Cleaner Plastic Pouches
From August 1st through the first week of June, The Congress Park Green Team, at 9311 Shields Avenue in Brookfield,
will accept Arm & Hammer, Oxi Clean, Tide pod and Downy pod pouches. Drop off is inside the main entrance.
Electrical Wiring
United Scrap
in Cicero (1545 S Cicero; North of 22nd/Cermak) will pay for household electrical wiring. Contact them for current pricing.
Electronics
Bob's TV & Metal Pickup. Call
630-235-0387 for more
information. Mailing address is 435 Custer, Lyons;
garage is on Plainfield Rd. Bob picks up anything with a plug attached (except
old wood TVs) as well as pots and pans, Xmas lights, cords and cables, and
metal stuff. You can also drop off stuff next to his garage if the stuff fits
his collection list. Bob is a good guy according to patrons. Used by local
community groups. Been around for over 10 years.
Other options:
-
La Grange homeowners can call Flood Bros (630-261-0400) to
ask about curb collection of electronics for a fee. If you can
wait, the annual Clean Up Day may include electronics.
-
e-Works/Burr
Ridge Public Works (451 Commerce St., Plainfield) Open 7-3 Monday through Friday.
-
Best
Buy, in Countryside and elsewhere, will take various electronics, including
computers, printers, cartridges, game consoles, and TVs (with limitations).
-
Asurion
(formerly UBreakIFix) next to the La Grange Theater
on La Grange Road for small electronics. Good people.
-
You can sell or trade-in cell phones, iPads, gaming
consoles, computers, etc. to Gazelle,
deCluttr and
many other stores/services.
-
Goodwill (closest location at Wolf & 31st) will take LCD-screen
TVs. In fact, check out the Goodwill
Donation Guidelines. They take lots of stuff for discount resale and then
recycle leftovers. Even shoes and clothes. But NOT exercise equipment or coat
hangers; best to call ahead.
Additional Thoughts
Learn about
Illinois'
Electronic Recycling Program.
Eyeglasses
Ask your eye doctor or the store where you buy glasses if they
accept old eyeglasses (prescription and non-prescription).
Other local options:
-
Lions Club on 22d & York. They also take hearing aids.
Drop off boxes in lobby.
-
Eye Mechanix (52 S. La Grange Rd) accepts donations of
eyeglasses and suggests the Western Springs Post Office as well.
-
La Grange Park Public Library has a drop off box in entry lobby.
-
West End Vision, 715 W. Hillgrove Ave., La Grange – Drop off in the office with any staff member and they will put in their
Lions Club donation bin. They do not take the cases. Also, for contact lens wearers, West End Vision accepts the
blister packs the lenses come in. Before bringing to the shop, separate the foil from the plastic.
You can combine the pieces in one donation, they just need to be pulled apart first.
Fabric (Clothes/Textiles/Blankets)
Go Green LaGrange hosts an event twice a year for these items. Refer to our list of
Events to find out the next time we will be doing this.
We will take anything -- from that shirt you never wore, to the towel you wore out.
Blankets and towels will be donated to an animal shelter.
Bras will be given to a local women's charity.
Everything else will be taken by a local recycler who will do their best to ensure as little as possible goes
into a landfill.
Note: You can probably donate your blankets and towels at any time to the shelter of your choice. Call first to confirm, but they are usually in need.
Fire Extinguishers
Check if your local fire department is accepting drop-offs.
If not, you can take extinguishers to a hazardous waste disposal facility,
along with other hazardous waste:
This option is only for Illinois residents - not businesses,
schools, or institutions.
Flags
Drop flags off in the entry way during normal business hours at
Community Park District of La Grange Park.
Or, bring flags in any condition to the American Legion lot -- drop off box looks
similar to a big mail box:
Robert E. Coulter,
Jr., Post 1941, 900 S. La Grange Road, La Grange, IL 60525-2936.
Flowers
Please see information under Vases.
Food
Unopened non-perishable food items - The
Westchester Food Pantry
at 1938 S. Mannheim Road in Westchester will gladly accept non-perishable food items.
Click
here for a list of
drop-off locations and a list of most-needed items.
Frames and Framed Artwork
The
La Grange Art League will take your unwanted frames or framed artwork
and use the pieces to create something new. Please drop off your unwanted
frames or framed artwork at the counter in the gallery.
They are open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Furniture and Other Household Items
The
Chicago
Furniture Bank (CFB) has been recommended to Go Green LaGrange by a trusted
person. You can donate furniture and other large household items to CFB. The
nonprofit gives these items to people
transitioning out of homelessness. CFB also takes mattresses
in good-condition. A monetary donation may be requested to help cover costs. CFB partners with the
Honest Junk Company to cart away items that are not in good shape.
Home 2 Home
Project in Hodgkins (
708-505-5496) accepts
donations of furniture and other items to help homeless families transition
into independent living.
For more on helping the homeless in our community, check out
BEDSPlus as
well.
Sharing Connections in Downers Grove accepts furniture, household supplies,
baby items, and clothing for families in need.
Other options for donating furniture include national
charities like
AmVets and
Salvation
Army. Always good to call ahead before wasting gas to drop off furniture
and getting a "not today."
Garden Produce
The
Westchester Food Pantry
at 1938 S. Mannheim Road in Westchester can accept homegrown produce from home and community gardens.
These items must be dropped off directly at the Pantry on Wednesdays 12-7pm, Fridays 12-2pm, or Saturdays 8:30-11:30am.
Guns/Bullets
Call ahead to the La Grange Police Dept to set a time to
drop off that old gun (and/or bullets).
From August 1st through the first week of June, The Congress Park Green Team,
at 9311 Shields Avenue in Brookfield, will accept all brands of electronic hair tools and appliances,
including hair dryers, curling irons and styling irons. Drop off is inside the main entrance.
Halloween Candy
(October 1 - December 31) - The
Westchester Food Pantry
at 1938 S. Mannheim Road in Westchester will gladly accept your extra Halloween candy to share with those in need who visit the pantry.
Click
here for a list of drop-off locations.
Hangers (Metal)
Ruby Cleaners (6 W. Burlington; just east of La Grange Rd.)
accepts metal hangers.
Cleaners
at 55th & Plainfield (Marshall Shopping Center Across from Fuller's Car Wash) will only take back
hangers sourced from its plant.
Breen's Cleaners
on Hillgrove will also only accept hangers from its own store. Breen's also recycles plastic bags.
Hazardous Materials (Household)
Here are some options:
Also, the
Illinois EPA provides information on disposing of various types of wastes, including
hazardous.
Home Care and Cleaner Products
From August 1st through the first week of June, The Congress Park Green Team,
at 9311 Shields Avenue in Brookfield, will accept all brands of air and home cartridges,
air and home care plugs, air and home care trigger heads, air and home care plastic and film packaging,
and Mr. Clean Deep Cleaning Mist bottles and trigger heads. Drop off is inside the main entrance.
Jars (Glass)
Please see information under Vases.
LEGOS®
Visit the
LEGO® website
to get information on how to ship your unwanted bricks and find out what happens to them once received at the toymaker.
They also provide information on what to do if you prefer to donate them locally.
Light Bulbs
According to
an
article from Home Depot, different types of light bulbs should be disposed
of in different ways. It's worth reading the whole
piece. But here's a summary:
-
Incandescent bulbs: These can be difficult to recycle, but are
safe to toss in your regular garbage. One possible option for recycling:
BatteriesPlus
Once you use up all your incandescent bulbs, consider committing to LED bulbs, which are much more eco-friendly.
-
Halogen bulbs: These are safe to toss in your regular
garbage. These can be difficult to recycle. One possible
option for recycling: BatteriesPlus
-
Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs): These contain mercury,
which is toxic to humans and animals. Never throw these in your household
trash. (If one breaks, seek info from EPA on how to clean up.) Several
retailers may accept CFLs for recycling, including Home
Depot and BatteriesPlus.
CFLs can also be dropped off at
Chicago Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility.
-
LED bulbs: LEDs are great eco-options because they last much
longer than incandescent bulbs. However, LED bulbs contain trace amounts of
lead and arsenic. Thus, avoid tossing them in your trash. Instead, recycle them
through various retailers, such as Menards, IKEA, Home Depot, and Lowes (call
ahead to ensure the store accepts).
-
Fluorescent tubes: Like CFLs, fluorescent tubes contain
mercury. So do not toss in trash. (If one breaks, seek info from EPA on how to
clean up.) Recycling options are limited. One
option:BatteriesPlus.
Nearest locations in Oak Lawn, Villa Park, and Oak Park. Call ahead for
details.
Makeup and Skin Care Containers
You can drop off your empty skin care and hair care products,
compacts, makeup jars, bottles, and tubes at the Beauty Department of Nordstrom
in Oakbrook Center. Learn
about
Nordstrom's
commitment to recycle.
If you use MAC Cosmetics, you can drop jars, etc. at Ulta Beauty, Macy's, or Nordstrom.
Additional Thoughts
Go deeper with
38 Refillable Products to Try for a Less Wasteful Beauty Regimen at Allure.
Mattresses
Elegant Mattress Inc
(3421 W. 48th Pl., Chicago, IL; 872-444-5875) will take mattresses in good condition (not stained). Charges $5 to pick up.
The
Chicago
Furniture Bank will also take a mattress in good condition.
Medical Sharps and Needles
You can drop home-generated sharps/needles off at the Westmont
Police Department (500 N. Cass) in the red box container in the lobby,
Monday-Friday, 8-3 pm. (Email:
[email protected]).
Additional Thoughts
Learn more
about the safe disposal of sharps and needles. Sharps should never be thrown loosely into the trash or toilet. Sharps that
retract after use, or are very small, should be
disposed of like all other sharps.
Medical Supplies and Equipment
Project C.U.R.E. in
Woodridge accepts beds, crutches, sleep apnea equipment, and many other medical
supplies and equipment.
The
Mending
Lending Closet of Holy Guardian Angels Church (formerly St. Barbara's) also
takes medical equipment in good shape. Call first. Located at 9300 W. 47th St,
Unit 1E, Brookfield;
708-295-7336.
Generate instant cash at
United
Scrap (1545 S Cicero; North of 22nd/Cermak) for rebar, wiring, crowbar,
steel file cabinets, stoves, refrigerators, car rims, gutters and downspouts, metal coat hangers, lead pipes, and
other metals. Open from 6 to 6 weekdays.
Contact them at the link above for current pricing.
Another option is
Cozzi
Recycling in Melrose Park.
See Also
Pop Tops
Musical Instruments
Music in
Schools Today (MUST) recycles used musical equipment and donates to public
schools needing help.
The
Old Town School
of Folk Music will accept many instruments in
playable and good condition. Please call or email (
[email protected]) before
dropping off your donations to double check. They accept acoustic and electric
guitars, mandolins, ukuleles, banjos, violins, and hand drums in working
order.
SCARCE
also takes music instruments.
If anyone knows of a local source seeking used musical
equipment, please
contact Go Green LaGrange.
Oral Care
From August 1st through the first week of June, The Congress Park Green Team,
at 9311 Shields Avenue in Brookfield, will accept all brands of used or empty toothpaste tubes and caps,
toothbrushes, toothpaste cartons, toothbrush outer packaging, and floss containers.
Drop off is inside the main entrance.
Packaging Materials
EcoShip
is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that collects shipping materials from Chciagoland communities and
distributes them to businesses and individuals for reuse.
Paint - Latex
Village True Value Hardware Store
in Western Springs recycles latex paint. As of April, 2024, the cost is $6.00 for a gallon and $2.75 for a quart.
You may combine leftover latex paints into a single gallon or quart can for recycling.
Paper/Magazines/Mail
You can recycle most paper through your community's
recycling program or wherever you put your clean cardboard.
Another recycling option: Paper Retriever (dumpster) on the SW corner of 55th and East Avenue in Countryside
(east side of the Helping Hand building, in the parking lot). Proceeds may benefit Helping Hand.
Additional Thoughts
Stop all that junk
mail, including unwanted catalogs, from ever getting to you in the first place.
Learn how.
Pills (Unwanted/Expired)
To dispose of pills, capsules, tablets, etc.
that you no longer need or have expired, take them to the La Grange Police
Department (304 Burlington) and put them into a secured medication box in the
lobby.
The
Illinois
EPA and
DuPage
County list many other locations that accept unused medications.
Note:
Never flush medicines down the toilet. The Village of La Grange
explains
why.
Do not drop medical sharps and needles off with unused
medications. Needles and sharps can be brought to Westmont Police Department.
Additional Information
Effective December 2023: A new (2022) Illinois law (HB 1780)
will make drug manufacturers responsible for covering the costs of disposing of
all medications collected as part of a centralized, statewide collection
network.
Also check out
MyOldMeds.com
and
MED-Project. Good stuff.
Pill Containers (Empty)
Matthew 25: Ministries in Blue Ash, Ohio, accepts donations of empty plastic pill bottles for inclusion in
shipments of medical supplies. Their pill bottle program fulfills the dual needs of improving medical care in
developing countries and caring for our environment. Please refer to their
website for important instructions on which
bottles they will accept, and how they should be prepared for donation.
Plastic Bags and Wrap
Near the entrance door to most grocery stores (for example, Jewel,
Mariano's, Target), there should be a receptacle clearly marked for disposal of
plastic bags. Many stores also accept plastic bread
bags, dry cleaning plastic covers, and other plastic wraps.
For instance, see what plastic bags and wraps are accepted
by
Albertson's/Jewel-Osco.
Your biggest fear, with the shortage of workers, is that the
plastic bags wind up in the dumpster out back. Good one = Jewel in La Grange
Park.
Additional Thoughts
California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New York, Oregon,
Vermont, and Washington have all banned single-use plastic bags and auxiliary
containers in one form or another. Illinois? One can hope...
Could fungi be the answer to plastic waste? On November 21,
2022, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a
report on biological
recycling, or bio-recycling. This emerging technology uses microbes, such as
bacteria or fungi, to break down plastic into its basic components for reuse. According
to GAO, research suggests that bio-recycling of plastics could help promote a
circular economy in which plastic waste is continuously reincorporated into new
products.
Plastic Holders for Beer Cans
Bring your plastic beer can holders that hold 4 or 6 cans (as shown in the
picture below as 4-can) to any of our Go Green LaGrange
Events.
You can take the 4-pack holders (shown below) to
Imperial Oak Brewing in Brookfield.
They will clean and reuse them.
Pop Tops from Aluminum Cans
Go Green LaGrange collects pop tops at all of our
Events. We donate them to the
Ronald McDonald
House near Loyola University Medical Center. The charity gets money for the
pop tops through metal recyclers.
Many local schools also collect pop
tops. You can also drop them off at
any Ronald McDonald House
location in the Chicago area.
Pumpkins
La Grange sponsors a Pumpkin SMASH in November, usually the
first Saturday after Halloween. Remove the candles and inside stuff and
decorations.
School Supplies
(June 1 - August 31) - The
Westchester Food Pantry
at 1938 S. Mannheim Road in Westchester will gladly accept your new and gently-used school supplies,
including backpacks, lunch bags, pencils, pens, scissors, rulers, markers, colored pencils, etc.
Click
here for a list of drop-off locations.
Shoes
Children’s Community Closet of La Grange Park accepts gently worn children’s shoes and boots.
These donations are then made available for
FREE to the public 2 days per month.
Donations may be left in one of the 24-hour bins behind St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 501 E. 31st Street, La Grange Park. (Entry to the parking lot is off Sherwood Avenue. Bins are just past the back entrance.)
Volunteers are needed weekly to help sort donated items. If interested in volunteering or have any other questions, please email:
[email protected] for more information.
Go Green LaGrange conducts a ‘shoe drive’
Event bi-annually. In the Spring, we collect shoes and sandals,
and in the Fall we collect shoes and boots. You are encouraged to bring in any pair you no longer want –
they can be brand new or on their last leg, or foot (haha). Reusable footwear will be displayed for
everyone to see, and to take anything they want. When the event is over, the leftover items are then sorted into
categories and sent to different organizations. For example, our Spring, 2024 event provided footwear to:
Beds, Children’s Community Closet, and Potter’s Hand, to name a few.
Anthony’s Shoe Repair, 13 W. Hillgrove, has a collection box in the front of the shop.
Go Green LaGrange picks up the shoes. Footwear that is still usable will be sent to Children’s Community Closet,
and the well-worn footwear will be sent for recycling.
JAYNE in La Grange (on Harris),
has a drop-off box just inside their front door during business hours for shoes to be sent to Soles4Souls.
Alternatively, you can
ship the shoes
for free, courtesy of Zappos, to be sent to Soles4Souls.
Also, you can drop off your shoes at DSW in Oak Brook. Please refer to their
website
for information on how this program works.
The
Westchester Food Pantry
at 1938 S. Mannheim Road in Westchester will gladly accept clean paper shopping bags with handles for our clients
to carry their groceries. Bags are accepted year-round! (They go through approximately 450 per week!)
Click
here for a list of drop-off locations.
Smoke/CO2 Detectors
Most smoke detectors typically fall into two categories:
photoelectric and ionization.
Old photoelectric detectors can generally be tossed in
regular trash. (Take out the batteries first and recycle those separately.)
However, ionization detectors contain a small amount of
Americium 241, a radioactive isotope. When in use, these detectors are
perfectly safe, as the radioactive material is shielded by a metal chamber
inside the device. If dismantled, however, the radioactive material can become
exposed. For this reason, you should never try to take apart an old ionization
detector.
To determine whether or not your detector is an ionization
type, look on the back; it should either have the letter "I" or say
ionization. Or there may be a label warning about radioactive material on the
back of detector.
First Alert has a
complimentary
disposal program for intact ionization smoke detectors (postage not included).
These must be First Alert, BRK, Family Gard, or Onelink
brand.
The U.S. Post Office has also posted
a
list of manufacturers that accept old smoke/CO2 detectors for proper
disposal.
You can also bring detectors to
SCARCE, in
Addison. The nonprofit charges a small fee per detector.
Sports Equipment
Soccer:
Peace Passers
accepts gently used soccer equipment - balls, shoes, shin guards, gloves, sets
of team jerseys and shorts - and redistributes them to communities in need.
See detailed
donation information.
Tennis balls: APT Layhold is
turning used tennis balls into tennis courts.
You can
ship used tennis balls for a fee.
Elmhurst
Park District also accepts used tennis balls.
Other sports: If your kid grows out of those expensive
hockey skates or your daughter has upgraded to a more expensive tennis racket,
you may want to consider
Play
It Again Sports in Westmont (233 W Ogden;
630-810-9811). Check the website
to see what they currently need. No junk stuff. You
might get some trade-in money.
Styrofoam
Western Springs sponsors a free
styrofoam recycling event on the first Saturday of
every month. Volunteers accept drop-offs of clean Styrofoam (no peanuts) between 9 and noon near
the Community Center parking lot and garages in Western Springs, just north of the BNSF tracks.
The foam is brought to
Dart Container. Please separate your food packaging from block foam.
STOROpack in Hillside (320 Craig
Place;
708-547-8030) accepts Styrofoam packing peanuts - both white and pink peanuts
but must be separated. Open Mon-Fri. 8-5.
Additional Thoughts
What happens to the stryofoam that
is collected for recycling? Check out
one use by the Perfect Block. You will love the video.
Dart
Container says the material is eventually turned into crown molding,
picture frames, and other items.
Tires
Nothing local.
K&S
Tire Recycling in Chicago Heights accepts tires (303 S. State;
312-805-8266)
K&S charges $3 per tire to recycle.
In Chicago, there's also
Liberty
Tire (2044 N Dominick, near Webster & Ashland on the North Branch of
the Chicago River).
In addition, if you buy tires for your car, Discount,
Firestone, Costco, and other retailers will recycle your old ones for a fee in
the $3.00 to $5.00 range.
Toiletries
New, unused toiletry items -- the
Westchester Food Pantry
at 1938 S. Mannheim Road in Westchester will gladly accept new, unopened toiletries to share with those in need who visit the pantry.
Click
here for a list of drop-off locations.
The Chicago
Tool Library (4015 W. Carroll Ave. Chicago) accepts donations of various
tools, ranging from table saws to sewing machines to camping tents. Check the
nonprofit organization's
donation list and
hours of operation before dropping off any tools.
Vases
Interfaith Community Partners (ICP)
uses small-medium vases for their Petal Pushers program. Primarily,
ICP provides rides to older adults (60+) who no longer drive.
Additionally, ICP offers outreach services including flower delivery for clients' birthdays and special occasions,
through ICP's Petal Pushers program.
Small-medium vases and upcycled jars are most useful and can be dropped off at the
Interfaith Community Partners (ICP) office in the First Presbyterian Church
of La Grange, or left outside the door with the ICP logo at the northeast corner of Catherine and Elm.
Note: Please remove labels from upcycled jars.
ICP is thrilled to be part of the
Bloom ‘n Toss
network which works to extend the life and impact of flowers that would otherwise be thrown away.
Through Bloom ‘n Toss, ICP receives flower donations from Mariano's that would otherwise be thrown out,
like produce after a certain date. ICP's Petal Pusher volunteers make these flowers into
arrangements to be delivered to older adult clients. To volunteer with Petal Pushers
(arranging flowers or delivering them) please contact Amy Watkins, Community Outreach Coordinator
at
[email protected]
You may recycle sympathy and wedding flowers, as they can also be used by ICP’s
Petal Pushers to be recreated into arrangements for ICP clients.
