Yard waste has been banned from landfills in Illinois since 1990, so it cannot be placed out as trash with your regular waste pick up.
Yard waste includes - grass clippings
- weeds
- leaves
- twigs
- branches
- limbs
- brush
- vines
Yard waste does not include these materials because they jam up the large chippers, shredders and mulchers used at the yard waste composting facilities. Therefore these materials can be placed in your regular trash if you do not have a backyard compost pile.
- houseplants
- pumpkins
- bales of straw/hay
- cornstalks
- dirt
- sod
Cost: Many areas require that there be one (or more) refuse stickers attached to yard waste; see list below for details on your area. Kane County encourages residents to look for cost-saving alternatives to bagging yard waste for collection.
Reducing Yard Waste Reduces Cost: Residents who wish to reduce or avoid yard waste costs can use mulching mowers, leaf shredders, or backyard compost piles. Information on these methods can be widely found on the internet. The best way to reduce yard waste is to use a mulching blade in your mower and leave grass clippings in the lawn to decompose. Lawn mowers should be kept sharp and only one-third of the grass blade should be cut. Grass trimmings and leaves can also be composted or used for mulch in flowerbeds and vegetable gardens. Not only is backyard composting sensible from an economic perspective, it also effectively converts yard wastes into a useful soil additive that can make your garden healthier by returning valuable nutrients to the soil.
No Plastic Bags: Please do not place yard waste in plastic bags. It is usually recommended that you place leaves and grass clippings in brown kraft paper bags and bundle the brush according to guidelines; see the Yard Waste Area Programs list at the right for details in your area.
