McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) will be hosting a residential electronics recycling event with the help of Elgin Recycling. MCDH has also continued to partner with Paper Tiger Document Solutions for document destruction and The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County for collection of Styrofoam, textiles, and fluorescent bulbs.
McHenry County residents who have done their spring cleaning can bring their electronic recyclables, documents, clean Styrofoam, textiles, fluorescent bulbs and alkaline batteries to McHenry County College, 8900 U.S. Route 14 in Crystal Lake, from 9 a.m. to noon on May 22.
MCDH will also be accepting battery sizes AA, AAA, C, D and 9- volt from residential sources during the event, free of charge. Rechargeable batteries such as lithium, cell phone and drill/tool batteries will not be accepted. During the month of January 2021, MCDH collected over 2 tons (4283 pounds) of alkaline batteries.
"Providing recycling events to McHenry County residents allows them to properly and safely dispose of items that cannot be put in the landfill," said MCDH Solid Waste Manager Kelli Boeckmann.
For the health and safety of our employees and volunteers, masks are required at the event and participants are asked to remain in their vehicle. To help maintain social distance, please place items to be recycled in the trunk of your vehicle.
The following electronic devices will be accepted:
Televisions and Computer Monitors (fee applies)
Computers (desktop, laptop, netbook, notebook, tablet), Keyboards, and Mice
Printers, Fax Machines, Scanners, Small Scale Servers
DVD Players, DVD Recorders, VCRs
Video Game Consoles
Electronic Keyboard and Portable Digital Music Players
Digital Converter Boxes, Cable and Satellite Receivers
Fees apply to TVs and computer monitors ($15 for any size LCD monitor; $25 for all other units (flat screen and CRT) 20 inches or smaller; $35 for all other units (flat screen and CRT) 21 inches or longer). Elgin Recycling will accept credit cards or cash onsite. Masks must be worn to allow for payment transactions to occur. For additional items accepted but not listed, please visit Elgin Recycling or contact them by calling (847) 741-4100.
If you are unable to make the event, you can recycle electronics and other items at Elgin Recycling, 5114 East Terra Ave. in Crystal Lake. The facility is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Paper Tiger Document Solutions will provide a document shredding truck onsite to securely shred paper documents, free of charge. There is no limit to the number of boxes that one person can bring, we just ask that you are courteous to others. Document shredding will only be available until the truck is full. This event is for residential purposes only, no businesses please. Documents must be removed from three-ring binders and/or binder clips prior to the event. Paper clips and staples are OK.
The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County will be collecting fluorescent tubes for a cost of $0.50 to $1 each; clean Styrofoam; packing peanuts; reusable bubble wrap and cloth items (clothing, linens, rags, and shoes tied together by the laces).
For more information about the May 22 event as well as other recycling events in 2021, please visit Environmental Health's Solid Waste Program webpage. Also be on the lookout for information about a free household hazardous waste collection event scheduled for June 26. If you have question, please contact Solid Waste Coordinator Kelli Boeckmann by calling (815) 334-4585.