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Highland Park Recycling Center

The City of Highland Park has partnered with the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) to promote residential recycling. The drop-off program is available to all Lake County residents.  SWALCO and the City are committed to continuing electronic recycling.  

Highland Park Recycling Center

  • Open year-round to Lake County residents
  • Location:  1180 Half Day Road.  Click here for the map.
  • Hours of Operation:  Every Tuesday and the first Saturday of each month from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM
  • Safety Precautions and Guidance before visiting the Recycling Center.

Materials Accepted (Click link for additional information)

To recycle other items not listed above, please visit SWALCO's website: Disposal of Other Items.

Click here for information regarding paint disposal. 

Highland Park residents, our agreement with Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) allows one large electronic waste item to placed curbside on the customer's first pickup of each month at no additional charge. Items over 50 lbs. will incur additional fees. To ensure your electronic recycling items are collected, you must call LRS to schedule your pick-up.

Materials Accepted Curbside (Click link for additional information)

Glass, Paper, Plastic, & Metal

Reduce - Reuse - Recycle
The City of Highland Park has been committed to increasing waste diversion rates. Reducing your waste stream and reusing items that would normally go into the waste stream can lead directly to saving money while reducing your impact on the environment. Millions of tons of recyclables end up in the landfill each year unnecessarily, taking up space while wasting time and money. 

The EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response found that 42% of U.S. 2006 GHG emissions were associated with the manufacturing, use, and disposal of materials and products. Reducing the number of materials used to make products, extending product life spans, and maximizing recycling rates are examples of materials management strategies that can significantly reduce GHG emissions.

Highland Park has a strong track record of recycling.  The City boasts the highest rate of residential recycling in the SWALCO service area, with 40% of waste being recycled, just over the national average of 34.5%.  In Highland Park, 70% of businesses and multi-unit residences also recycle.

Reducing the volume of disposable materials in general, whether bound for recycling or landfill, is the best first step toward increasing our recycling rate.  Bottled water provides a great example of how to reduce waste. “Americans buy an estimated 42.6 billion single-serving (1 liter or less) plastic water bottles each year. Almost eight out of ten end up in a landfill or incinerator,” and those figures don’t even include other bottled beverages, such as soda and juice.  According to one study, one refillable bottle replaces 167 disposable bottles per year. If tap water costs the same as bottled water, the average household water bill will top $9,000 per month!  With a little advanced planning, using refillable containers for water, soda, coffee, and any other beverage can be as convenient as packaged products.

Explore the other links on this page to learn about recycling and waste management in Highland Park and more strategies for reducing the volume of materials that come into your home or business.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency provides a good overview of how you can reduce, reuse and recycle. Learn more...