Public Works crews normally pick up garbage every week and recycling every other week, alternating with leaf, brush, garden trimmings, and $25-per-loader-bucket bulk pickup, for Solid Waste Program customers. Pickup schedules are subject to change, especially during spring and fall free bulk pickups, fall leaf collection, and inclement weather. Garbage and recycling are picked up on all municipal holidays except Christmas Day. Public Works will post additional information prior to each holiday. Click here to download the Garbage & Recycling Pickup 2024 Calendar.

Solid Waste Program customers are charged a monthly cart fee to participate in the program. Click here to view more information on utility fees. The Solid Waste Program also funds various locations for customers to drop off recycling, leaves, brush, garden trimmings, bulk, electronics, and household hazardous waste through the Citizen Convenience Center, Drop Box Recycling Program, Self-Service Electronics Recycling, and Household Hazardous Waste disposal events.

Curbside Recycling Pickup Acceptable & Unacceptable Materials

Below is a list of acceptable and unacceptable materials for curbside recycling pickup. For information on how to dispose of specific items, view Recycle Coach below, download the Recycle Coach app available on the App Store and Google Play, email publicworks@cityblm.org, or call 309-434-2225 during regular business hours. Click here to download a PDF with this information.

*While these materials can be collected curbside or dropped off at the Citizen Convenience Center, they are not included in recycling. Customers must call Public Works at 309-434-2225 for an estimate and to schedule a pickup for curbside pickup or an estimate will be provided at the Citizen Convenience Center when dropped off. The charge is the same for curbside pickup and drop off. These materials must be cleaned so that they do not contain dirt.

Curbside Garbage & Recycling Pickup Do's and Don'ts

The do’s and don’ts listed below are additional requirements to improve safety, efficiency, and cost. Click here to download a PDF with this information.

1. Only materials generated by the resident will be collected by City crews. Commercial waste is not acceptable.
2. Garbage and recycling carts must be placed in the parkway (typically the area between the sidewalk and the curb) or at the end of the driveway near the street (especially if cars park along the street during the day) no earlier than 2 p.m. on the day prior to scheduled pickup and no later than 6 a.m. on the day of pickup. Emptied carts must be removed from the curb no later than 9 a.m. on the day following pickup and stored in a location that is not visible from the street.
3. Garbage and recycling carts must be placed at least 4 feet from garbage or recycling carts, other solid waste materials (including brush, garden trimmings, and bulk), trees, poles, mailboxes, fire hydrants, inlets, utility infrastructure, power lines, or other objects, and at least 10 feet away from vehicle parked in the street.
4. Garbage and recycling carts must be placed with the arrows on the cart lid pointing toward the street. The lid must be closed to prevent damage to the cart during pickup and to prevent spillage. An overloaded cart with an open lid will not be collected.
5. Carts with black lids are for garbage, and carts with blue lids are for recycling. Household garbage placed in a recycling cart with a blue lid will not be collected.
6. Clean carts periodically with water.
7. Don’t store carts near a fireplace, furnace, grill, or other heat source.
8. Don’t place leaves, garden trimmings, brush, hot ashes, solvents, paint, dead animals, chemicals, oils, liquids, or medical waste, such as exposed needles or used bandages, in a garbage cart or recycling cart. Household hazardous waste is not accepted curbside or at the Citizen Convenience Center. Needles must be placed in a sealed coffee can or laundry detergent container with the ends broken off from the dispenser units. The sealed container should be labeled "SHARPS" and placed inside a garbage cart for pickup.
9. Don’t allow children or pets to play in or on the cart.

Drop Box Recycling Program

The City of Bloomington, Town of Normal, and County of McLean fund the Drop Box Recycling Program, which allows customers to drop off recycling at various, convenient locations. Each drop box is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and accepts glass, plastic containers, corrugated cardboard, and paper products. The current locations of the drop boxes are as follows (see below map). Click here to download a PDF with this information.

• Wal-Mart, 300 Greenbriar Drive, Normal, Illinois
• YouthBuild McLean County, Crossroads Center, 360 Wylie Dr #305, Normal, Illinois
• Heartland Community College, 1500 W Raab Road, Parking Lot K, Normal, Illinois
• Jewel-Osco, 901 South Cottage Avenue, Normal, Illinois

Drop Box Recycling Acceptable & Unacceptable Materials

Below is a list of acceptable and unacceptable materials for the Drop Box Recycling Program. For information on how to dispose of specific items, view Recycle Coach below, download the Recycle Coach app available on the App Store and Google Play, email publicworks@cityblm.org, or call 309-434-2225 during regular business hours. Click here to download a PDF with this information.

Assistance Programs, Carts, & Fees

Solid Waste Program customers are charged a monthly cart fee to participate in the Solid Waste Program. Click here to view more information on utility fees. For more information on programs, carts, and additional fees, please see the information below or click here to download a PDF with this information.

Low Income Refuse and Water Fee Discount Application

The City offers a discounted rate for refuse collection and water service based on an individual’s income. The qualifying criteria for this discount is based on the federal poverty guidelines as provided in the Federal Register issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services each year. In order to receive the discount, an individual or household must provide proof of income that is below the federal poverty guidelines. Applicants and/or co-applicants must submit the Low Income Fee Application with proof of the last 30 days of income, with social security number removed or redacted. Click here to view the Low Income Refuse and Water Fee Discount Application.

Waste Container Assistance

The City offers short-term and long-term waste container assistance for those who are certified by a licensed physician through the Written Medical Certification process. Once a residence qualifies for Waste Container Assistance, Public Works will move garbage and/or recycling carts from a location visible from the street to the curb to collect garbage and/or recycling and then move garbage and/or recycling carts back to the same location visible from the street. Click here to view the Medical Certification for Water Service, Waste Container Assistance, and Alley Plowing Assistance for more details.

Carts, Cart Sizes, and Cart Fees

All residential properties that participate in the Solid Waste Program should have a garbage cart and a recycling cart with a monthly cart fee. If you would like to order a new garbage cart, switch garbage cart sizes, order a new recycling cart, or order additional recycling carts, please contact Public Works using one of the methods listed below. There is a $30 administrative fee to switch from a smaller garbage cart to a larger garbage cart, but there is no fee for switching from a larger garbage cart to a smaller garbage cart. There is no fee to order additional recycling carts. Solid Waste Program customers are charged a monthly cart fee to participate in the program. Click here to view more information on utility fees.

Additional Garbage Bag Sticker Fee

Residents can purchase stickers to be placed on additional bags that do not fit in the provided container, so long as the bags are not more than 35 pounds. The stickers cost $3.00 each. The stickers are designed to accommodate households on those occasions when they dispose of more trash than usual – during holidays, for example. Stickers do not replace carts. All users will be assigned a cart and charged a monthly fee. The stickers may be purchased on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at The Hub located at the Government Center, 115 E. Washington Street, Suite 103.

Cart Sharing Program

Landlords may want to contact their tenants and work on logistical issues and a system of cart-sharing. While a cart-sharing system may be worked out among the owner and tenants, every apartment unit is treated and billed by the City as an individual customer.

The owner of a multiple-family dwelling may elect to have multiple tenants share garbage carts by enrolling in the Cart Sharing Program. A landlord can bundle multiple buildings in the cart-sharing agreement if the buildings are on the same parcel or if the buildings are on adjacent lots with no street dividing them. Under cart sharing, every tenant is charged the lowest rate on the City's rate schedule. If the landlord pays the solid waste fee, which is included on water bills, the landlord will be charged the minimum fee per unit. There will be no fee for switching carts under the cart-sharing program. Landlords must submit an application, which is subject to approval by the Director of Public Works. Click here to view the Cart Sharing Program Application.

Composting Resources

Yard Waste Composting

The Ecology Action Center, Town of Normal, and City of Bloomington all invite residents to explore new, easy-to-use backyard composting instructions found at www.CompostBN.org. Backyard composting is an easy way to recycle yard waste into valuable, soil-improving, organic material. A new instructional flyer lists three simple steps to get started composting—it’s that easy. Click here to view the flyer.

Backyard composting is an easy and natural process that allows for recycling of natural materials into nutrient rich compost. It not only helps conserve natural resources, improve your garden, and reduce the direct costs of solid waste management, it also helps improve air quality. Proper composting of natural materials prevents the generation of harmful methane gas that is created when natural materials are landfilled instead, where little to nothing can break down. In addition, less yard waste to be picked up curbside means less truck emissions on residential streets and better air quality for all.

From compost bins designed and built in-house, to expert troubleshooting, to guidance on use of finished compost, the Ecology Action Center professional staff is available to support your composting effort. The EAC’s composting workshops and other in-person educational offerings will resume in later reopening phases. Meanwhile, visit www.ecologyactioncenter.org for more information, or to order low-cost but durable composters. Local residential delivery fees are currently waived in order to maximize access to a pre-made composter for those who want one.

Community Composting

Do you want to compost but don’t want to deal with the mess? Do you want to use compostable food packaging from your favorite local restaurant but know it’s not compostable in a backyard compost pile? Maybe you live in an apartment and don’t have anyplace to compost. Easy residential composting service is now available through a unique drop-off program using a kiosk with key-card access. The program is sponsored, in part, by the Ecology Action Center. Residents can sign up for the service through the purchase of a Kiosk Starter Kit. The Starter Kit includes a 5-gallon bucket, educational materials, a 30-pack of compostable liners, and your kiosk access card.  When you run out of liners, you can purchase a refill, which includes another 30 liners and covers composting costs. For more information about this program, visit: www.BNCommunityComposting.org.

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