Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling
The City maintains the Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility (HCCRF) to provide residents with a central location to dispose of potentially hazardous household chemicals and computer equipment.
LOCATION:
1150 N. Branch Street [map]
HOURS:
Tuesdays (7:00 am to 12:00 pm)
Thursdays (2:00 pm to 7:00 pm)
First Saturday of every month (8:00 am to 3:00 pm)
Taking the CTA? The HCCRF front entrance is about a two-minute walk from the North Branch stop on the #70 Division bus.
To learn what happens to the stuff you take to the HCCRF, click here.
Household Chemicals accepted at the HCCRF:
The chemicals from a single home might seem insignificant, but with over a million homes in Chicago, the proper disposal of toxic household chemicals plays an important role in the protection of our water supplies and the environment.
Hazardous chemicals should not be poured down the drain, on the ground, into storm sewers, or put in the trash.
Lawn & Garden
• Herbicides
• Insecticides
• Pesticides
• Rodenticides
• Bug spray
• Lawn chemicals
Cleaning Products
• Bleach and other harsh cleaning chemicals
• Toilet Cleaners
• Drain cleaners
• Oven cleaners
• Pool chemicals
Beauty Products
• Nail polish
• Nail polish removers
Paint Related
• Oil‐based paints*
• Spray Paints
• Paint thinners
• Aerosol paints
• Solvents (mineral spirits, stains, paint strippers, preservatives, sealers)
* Latex/water-based paints are not considered hazardous. Allow paint to dry out, ( mix it with kitty litter or sawdust to make it dry faster) before placing the can in the trash.
Pharmaceuticals
• Unused or expired medications (medications can also be dropped off at Police Stations citywide)
Auto Fluids (see more recycling locations)
• Antifreeze
• Gasoline
• Motor oil
Misc Household Hazardous Waste
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs and tubes (CFL) (see more recycling locations)
• All non-empty aerosol cans
• Devices with Mercury (thermometers, switches, thermostats)
• Auto & Boat Batteries
• Propane tanks for BBQ grills and heaters
• Small fire extinguishers
• Small non-refillable cylinders (NRCs)
• Rechargeable electronics
• All batteries except Alkaline batteries*
*Alkaline batteries no longer contain the high doses of mercury they did in the '90s so they're no longer considered hazardous. Alkaline batteries can be placed in the trash.
Tip: Use chemicals as directed. Brush off the impulse to use a little extra for 'better' results. If a chemical is more effective and/or safe in stronger doses, the manufacturer would recommend using more.
Computer equipment accepted at the HCCRF:
Sometimes referred to as 'e-cycling', recycling obsolete electronics keeps toxins like lead, mercury, and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) out of our environment. Recycling electronics also recovers precious resources like gold, silver, copper, and palladium which can be reused, reducing our need for additional mining.
In 2012, the State of Illinois passed a law banning computer equipment from landfills.
Tip: Best Buy, Staples, Dell and Apple offer trade-in credits for recycling newer electronics with them. Choose trade-in over e-cycling if your electronics still have some life. Better for the planet, better for your wallet.
Here's what to take:
• All computer-related equipment (monitors, mice, hard drives, CPU’s, computer cables, keyboards, laptops, etc.)
• Cell phones
• Fax machines
• Scanners
• Printers/copiers
• Televisions
• DVD players
• VHS players
• MP3/digital music players
• PDAs
• Video game consoles
• Zip drive
• Computer cables
Business/commercial sector wastes, explosives, fireworks or latex paint, and other electronics are not accepted at the HCCRF. See the full list of items not accepted at the HCCRF.
To learn what happens to your stuff after it's dropped off, read this.
