Overview

Protect Our Resources - Keep Your Home and City Safe

Help properly dispose of household chemicals and old computers by dropping off these materials at the City’s permanent Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility. Instructions for dropping off.

Accepted items, to name a few, include household chemicals, oil-based paints, solvents, cell phones, compact fluorescent light bulbs computers and related equipment. The facility does NOT accept business/commercial sector wastes, explosives, fireworks, latex paint or working televisions. See complete lists of accepted and not accepted items. Review the list of convenient locations throughout the city to recycle your batteries.

Household electronics often contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). When electronics are disposed of in the waste stream (for example, when they are thrown out with other garbage), these hazardous materials can contaminate the air, soil and water. When electronics are recycled, however, they are disassembled and any hazardous materials they contain are reprocessed and reused in an environmentally-responsible manner.

DOE holds electronic recycling (“e-cycling”) neighborhood events annually to collect, reuse when possible and recycle household electronics. Special neighborhood collection days give you additional opportunities to drop off items, including unused or expired prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs, and outmoded lawnmowers and gas cans.

In addition to the neighborhood events, DOE operates the Household Chemicals and Computer Recycling Facility. Households are welcome to bring unwanted, unused or obsolete computers, and computer peripherals and cell phones-for reuse and recycling. Commercial and industrial electronics, as well as larger household electronics, such as air conditioners, dehumidifiers and large home appliances, are not accepted at these events.

The facility also houses a material exchange room for exchanging items such as oils, cleaners, and wood stains. Latex paints are not accepted, and a job training program for ex-offenders.

Location: 1150 N. North Branch Street (two blocks east of the Kennedy Expressway at Division Street)

Hours (open year-round):

Upcoming Neighborhood Collection Days

• Tuesday (7:00 am–12:00 pm)
• Thursday (2:00 pm–7:00 pm)
• First Saturday of every month (8:00am–3:00pm)
• If a holiday falls on one of those days, the facility will not be open.

The Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility is operated by the City of Chicago and is partially funded by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.