Make spring cleaning more sustainable!

Our event partners will be collecting electronics, prescription drugs, household recyclables, bikes, clothing, plastic bags and much more. The Forest Preserves will be also be collecting books in good, clean condition. The first 25 donors receive a free, “Don’t be Trashy” t-shirt. Grove 6.

Partners

• CHaRM (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)
• Helping Hands Clothes and Shoes
• Cook County Department of Environment & Sustainability
• Cook County Sheriff
• Habitat for Humanity
• Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA)
• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD)
• Midway Movers
• TerraCycle
• Working Bikes

Accepted Items by Partner

CHaRM

• • Glass
  • Plastic bottles
  • Cardboard
  • Hard drives (for shredding)
  • Polystyrene
  • Textiles
  • E-waste

Helping Hands Clothes and Shoes

• • Items: Clothing, shoes, household items, toys, and accessories.
  • Accepted Details: Blouses, coats, dresses, hats, jackets, jeans, bedspreads, drapes, sheets, sofa covers, towels, backpacks, belts, pants, scarves, shirts, socks, suits, sweaters, swimsuits, ties, tops, formal wear, undergarments, and all baby/infant clothing.
  • Household & Misc: Washcloths, blankets, curtains, quilts, toys (plastic, plush, and stuffed), gloves, handbags, costume jewelry, sleeping bags, shower curtains, pillows, baskets, wallets, purses, and tote bags.
  • Not Accepted: Mattresses; nothing wet or moldy.

Cook County Sheriff

• • Unwanted/expired prescription pills
  • Cables, cell phones, and telephone devices
  • Computers, laptops, and hardware (motherboards, monitors, etc.)
  • Calculators, printers, fax machines, and game systems
  • Stereos, toasters, and blenders
  • Toner cartridges, UPS batteries, and car batteries
  • Televisions (Limit: 1 per household)
  • Offering off-site shredding

Habitat for Humanity

• • Tools and artwork
  • New/unused building materials
  • Working small appliances
  • Lawn, garden, and home goods

Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA)

• • Herbicide Containers: High-density polyethylene (HDPE).
  • Requirements: Must be triple-rinsed, dry, and residue-free. Remove all caps and stickers. All sizes up to 55-gallon capacity accepted.

Midway Movers (Off-Site Document Destruction)

• • Paper documents

TerraCycle

• • Plastic & Packaging: Clean plastic bags, flexible packaging, non-woven shopping bags, plastic grocery bags, cereal bags, shrink wrap, bubble wrap, and air cushions.
  • Lightbulbs: Intact LEDs, Straight CFL, HID, and U-Bend lamps. (No broken bulbs!)
  • Office Supplies: Binder clips, fasteners, binders, card filers, correction supplies, desk organizers, label backing, markers, paper cutters, and paperclips.
  • Batteries: Dry cell batteries (Alkaline, nickel-cadmium, lithium, lithium-ion, nickel-metal hydride, iron, zinc-carbon, and silver).
  • Auto: Tire Pressure Monitor Systems (TPMS).

Working Bikes

• • Adult bikes (in repairable condition)
  • Gently used children’s bikes
  • Bike parts, tools, and accessories