Recycling in Chicago: Chemicals & Electronics

Chicago Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility, 1150 N. Branch St., two blocks east of the Kennedy Expressway at Division Street. Materials should be dropped off only when the facility is open: 7 a.m.-noon Tuesdays, 2-7 p.m. Thursdays and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. the first Saturday of the month.

The facility accepts household chemicals such as bleach and drain cleaners; batteries; oil-based and aerosol paints and thinners; fluorescent light bulbs; antifreeze; motor oil, gasoline and auto fluids; herbicides and pesticides; propane tanks for BBQ grills; lead acid batteries; hair spray aerosol cans; lawn, pool and hobby chemicals; mercury thermometers; small fire extinguishers.

Chicagoans can also obtain useable paints, stains and cleaners for free at the facility’s material exchange room, with the assistance of a staff person. They do not have to drop off any items of their own.

Electronics that it accepts include TVs; computers, keyboards and mice; printers; fax machines; scanners; VCRs, DVD players and recorders; digital converter boxes; cable and satellite receivers; video game consoles; portable digital music players such as mp3 and iPods.

Computers dropped off there will have their hard drives wiped clean. Materials will either be reused or broken apart and recycled through a joint program of the Illinois Department of Corrections, City of Chicago and PC Rebuilders and Recyclers to train formerly incarcerated people in electronics recycling and place them in jobs. Recycled computers are then made available to schools, churches, nonprofits and low-income families.

Central Metal Recycling, 5618 W. Fillmore St., Chicago; 773.345.8610; 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7-11 a.m. Saturday; centralmetalrecycling.net.

It accepts E-scrap for 15 cents a pound: the insides of computers and cell phones, towers, PCB boards and motherboards, but not old monitors with bulbs.

The City of Highland Park Recycling Center, 1180 Half Day Road, accepts up to 7 electronics items per visit, excluding cords and cables, at no charge from Lake County residents every Tuesday and first Saturdays from 7 a.m. -1 p.m. Clothing, textiles, shoes, up to 8 fluorescent light bulbs, and polystyrene foam are also accepted.

Solid Waste Agency of Lake County accepts household chemical waste by appointment only at 1311 N. Estes St., Gurnee; 847.377.4950; see swalco.org for preparation guidelines.