City of Chicago

Blue Cart Recycling

A partnership between the City of Chicago, Department of Streets & Sanitation and LRS

November 13, 2023

Department of Streets and Sanitation worker loading Blue Cart recyclables into a truck.

Three logos, from left to right: City of Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson, DSS (Department of Streets and Sanitation), and LRS (Lakeshore Recycling Systems).

Chicago's Blue Cart Program

Chicago's Blue Cart program is the City's largest effort for residential recycling. The Blue Cart program encompasses approximately 625,000 residential units consisting of single family households, multi-family buildings (up to four dwelling units) and city facilities.

In June 2021, Chicago's Department of Streets & Sanitation (DSS) partnered with Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) to service the city's residential recycling.

Chicago's Blue Cart Program

Chicago's Blue Cart program divides the city into six service areas based on geography and number of households.

DSS maintains service in zones 2 and 4, while LRS collects recyclables from the remaining four zones.

Table providing household counts in each service area of Chicago, and indicating who services them: DSS services zone 2, which contains over 77 thousand households, and zone 4, which contains over 112 thousand households; LRS services zone 1, which contains over 103 thousand households, zone 3, which contains over 110 thousand households, zone 5, which services over 115 thousand households, and zone 6, which services over 103 thousand households.

LRS recycling truck on the City of Chicago's Museum Campus, with Adler Planetarium and skyline in the background.

DSS Locations

DSS services zones 2 & 4.

DSS services zone 2, which contains over 77 thousand households, and zone 4, which contains over 112 thousand households.

DSS Locations

The DSS recycling crews leave from the Division 1 and Division 4 sites on the north side and from the Division 5 site on the southwest side.

The DSS crews empty the blue carts along their routes and take the recyclable material to a service yard called a transfer station. Recyclable materials are consolidated into larger vehicles and transported to an LRS material recovery facility (MRF) in Forest View, Northbrook or the Chicago Stockyards to be processed.

LRS Zones

LRS services zones 1, 3, 5 and 6.

LRS services zone 1, which contains over 103 thousand households, zone 3, which contains over 110 thousand households, zone 5, which services over 115 thousand households, and zone 6, which services over 103 thousand households.

LRS Locations

LRS trucks leave from depots in Maywood and the Chicago Stockyards. The blue carts are serviced, and the material is brought to an LRS material recovery facility (MRF) in Forest View, Northbrook or the Chicago Stockyards to be processed.

Recycling Centers - Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs)

After recyclables are collected, the material is brought to one of three MRFs.

In February 2023, LRS opened a new state-of-the-art MRF in the Chicago Stockyards. This new facility processes 25 tons per hour. As of March 2023, 90% of Chicago's Blue Cart material is processed at the new MRF. Recyclables from the Blue Cart program make up the majority of the material processed at this site.

Where Does Your Recycling Go From Chicago?

After all of your material is collected and sorted, it is sent to one of ten states to be processed as well as the Canadian province of Ontario.

Glass is sent to Illinois & Wisconsin while metal is sent to Illinois, Kentucky and Ontario.

Paper material is sent to mills in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ontario & Wisconsin and cartons are sent solely to Wisconsin.

Plastics cover the largest footprint from the Southeastern states of Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina to the greater Midwest of Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin and as far North as the Ontario province.

Glass

Glass material is sent to mills in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Since June 2021, LRS has recycled 37,159 tons of glass from the Blue Cart program.

The recycled glass is turned into new glass containers, fiberglass and road base.

Bottles and jars, the common glass objects that are accepted in the Blue Cart program.

An LRS roll off container filled with glass bottles and jars.

Metal

Metal material is sent to mills in Illinois, Kentucky and the province of Ontario.

Since June 2021, LRS has recycled 6,413 tons of metal from the Blue Cart program.

The recycled metal is turned into new metal containers and products.

Metal cans and foil products accepted in the Blue Cart program.

Metals being sorted in LRS Chicago Stockyards Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).

Metal products that have been sorted and baled in the LRS Chicago Stockyards Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).

Paper

Paper is sent to mills in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and the Ontario province.

Since June 2021, LRS has recycled 88,458 tons of paper and cardboard from the Blue Cart program.

The recycled paper is turned into paper products and corrugated cardboard.

Cardboard that has been sorted and baled in the LRS Chicago Stockyards Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).

Cartons

Carton material is sent to mills in Wisconsin.

Since June 2021, LRS has recycled 660 tons of cartons from the Blue Cart program.

The recycled cartons are turned into new liquid containers.

Various cartons accepted in the Blue Cart program.

Cartons that have been sorted in the LRS Chicago Stockyards Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).

Cartons that have been sorted and baled in the LRS Chicago Stockyards Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).

Plastic

Plastic material is sent to mills in Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

Since June 2021, LRS has recycled 11,690 tons of plastic from the Blue Cart program.

The recycled plastic is turned into new plastic containers, clothing and backpacks.

The plastic containers accepted in the Blue Cart program: plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, and jars.

Plastic containers being sorted inside the LRS Chicago Stockyards Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).

Plastic containers that have been sorted and baled in the LRS Chicago Stockyards Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).

Diagram: Recycling & the Circular Economy. Shows a wheel with 7 numbered steps, each leading into the next, with the 7th leading back to the first. The steps are: 1. Recyclable items are placed in blue carts. 2. Blue carts are collected by DSS and LRS truck. 3. Recyclables are brought to an LRS Material Recovery Facility (MRF). 4. Materials are sorted and sold to mills. 5. Mills further process materials. 6. Processed materials are turned into new products. 7. New recycled products are redistributed and sold. Images under the diagram then illustrate how a plastic bottle is recycled into a backpack, a milk carton is recycled into a juice box, a cardboard box is recycled into a new cardboard box, an aluminum can is recycled into aluminum foil, and a glass jar is recycled into a new glass jar. Image then displays text thanking Chicagoans for recycling correctly on behalf of the Department of Streets and Sanitation and City of Chicago. At bottom of image are three logos, from left to right: City of Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson, DSS (Department of Streets and Sanitation), and LRS (Lakeshore Recycling Systems).

Chicago Recycles Homepage

The City's Blue Cart program provides bi-weekly recycling services to single-family homes and multi-unit buildings with four or fewer units. One of the goals of Chicago's Climate Action Plan is to increase resident awareness on recycling and sustainability through targeted and equitable education for Chicagoans.

https://www.chicago.gov

City of Chicago - 2021 Waste Strategy

Strategies to tackle waste & material management to improve the economy, environment, and citizens daily life.

https://www.chicago.gov

Home | LRS Waste Management Services - LRS

Driven By Service.Dedicated To Sustainability.

https://www.lrsrecycles.com