TIRE COLLECTION EVENT – July 13, 2026
SWALCO and the Lake County Division of Transportation, in partnership with the Illinois EPA, are hosting a free, one-day-only tire collection at the Lake County DOT Salt Dome Yard, 600 W Winchester Rd., Libertyville. The collection will take place on Monday, July 13, 2026, from 7 am to 2 pm.
An appointment is required; only one appointment per household. Residents may bring up to 12 tires (on the rim, any size or type). This event is open only to Lake County residents; tires from commercial entities will not be accepted.
A government-issued ID is required at check-in to verify the appointment. Persons who arrive without an appointment will be turned away.
State law prohibits the accumulation of more than twelve waste tires on a property. Waste tires left outside can collect water, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes. One scrap tire can lead to the breeding of thousands of mosquitoes over a single season. Proper disposal of tires helps reduce the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses.
To schedule an appointment, go to www.swalco.org/tires.
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Launch of New Lake County Recycling Campaign
Aims to Boost Participation and Reduce Contamination
GURNEE, Ill. — An innovative campaign to boost curbside recycling among Lake County residents in
North Chicago, Waukegan, and Zion neighborhoods will kick off this month,
urging them to improve even more, the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) announced today.
Key elements of the campaign
- Recycling cart checking and tagging programs to provide real-time feedback and promote proper recycling habits.
- Modifying and expanding educational resources to serve a wider, multilingual audience.
- Community education and outreach aimed at reducing contamination and increasing recycling participation.
“We look forward to helping Lake County residents get more materials into their recycling containers,” said
Walter Willis, executive director of SWALCO.
“Many Lake County residents are already doing a fantastic job, and we want to help them understand how they can do even better,” Willis said.
“We will be encouraging our residents to really rethink the way they dispose of waste in their home and, by doing so, motivate them to recycle more. The good news is that it’s never been easier to recycle more of the glass, paper, cardboard, metal, plastics, and other materials we use every day.”
SWALCO is a municipal joint action agency that serves 43 municipalities, including Lake County and the
Naval Station Great Lakes, which includes approximately 230,000 households. SWALCO and its municipal
government members are implementing and measuring the grassroots education campaign, which is designed to increase awareness
for curbside recycling, grow participation, and ultimately boost volume.
Education tactics for the SWALCO campaign include marketing, an enhanced web and social media presence, advertising,
public relations, and grassroots, community-level outreach. SWALCO will measure the impact of the campaign and issue a report
upon its completion.
Rollout schedule
- Wednesday, Oct. 8 — Zion
- Friday, Oct. 10 — Waukegan
- North Chicago — Date to be determined for 2026
“Our team members will be looking at the recyclables and tagging residents’ recycling carts with information on incorrect practices they observe, such as mistakenly putting recyclables into plastic bags rather than depositing them loosely in the container without plastic bags,” Willis said.
“We invite Lake County residents to feel free to engage the SWALCO team member in conversation to learn more about how recycling benefits people and the planet by reducing landfill waste, conserving natural resources, saving energy, and much more.”
The SWALCO campaign is funded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which announced a $2 million
grant in 2024 to support the Chicago Metro Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) campaign. This REO grant is the
largest EPA investment in Illinois recycling in over three decades. The campaign’s goal is to increase the collection of
recyclable materials and decrease contamination of the recycling stream in the Chicagoland region.
SWALCO received a subaward from REO to lead targeted recycling education efforts within Lake County, and has hired
Frank Pettis, founder of environmental consulting firm GreenLit Solutions, to focus on improving
recycling practices in North Chicago, Waukegan, and Zion.
Visit swalco.org to learn more about SWALCO’s reuse and recycling programs.
To learn more about the Chicago Metro Recycling Education and Outreach Campaign, click
here.
About SWALCO
The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, Ill. (SWALCO) is a municipal joint action agency responsible for developing and
implementing a regional solid waste management plan for its 43 municipal members, including the County of Lake and Naval
Station Great Lakes. Formed in 1991, SWALCO represents approximately 85 percent of the county’s population. Its mission is
to implement a regional solid waste management plan; facilitate an efficient, reliable, and environmentally sound waste
disposal system; advise and assist its members regarding solid waste management issues; educate the public regarding
implications of solid waste management options; and identify, evaluate and disseminate information regarding techniques to
reduce, reuse and recycle the amount of solid waste generated. For more information, visit
swalco.org.
Household Chemical Waste (HCW) — Mobile Events by Appointment
Reminder: HCW mobile events are by appointment. Please stay in your vehicle during your visit.
Real-time online appointment scheduling makes services easily accessible and gives you control over appointments.
The scheduler works on desktop and mobile so you can book at your convenience. Appointments help ensure safe and efficient
planning for incoming household chemical waste and visiting vehicles.
Collections are for residential waste only. No business waste will be accepted. All SWALCO HCW Collection Events are
FREE for Illinois residents only.
Items you can bring to a collection include: CFL bulbs, unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medicines and supplements
(people and pet), household cleaners, gasoline, garden chemicals, pesticides, oil-based paints
(no latex — see website for alternatives), varnishes, and other household chemicals. For a detailed list, visit
swalco.org.
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