City of Bloomington | Recycle/Garbage

The Public Works department provides curbside collection of refuse, garbage and recycle for the City of Bloomington residents only. Businesses may NOT participate in these programs. Receipt of the Recycle/Garbage Collection map by Condo/Apartment complexes does NOT guarantee participation in the program. Contact Public Works for specifics of participation.

PLEASE CHECK THE MAP TO INSURE THE PROPER DAY OR WEEK OF YOUR COLLECTION.

Click on the image to download and view the current Recycle/Garbage Map & Schedule.

Garbage Collection

Garbage is collected once a week, Monday through Friday, beginning at 6:00 a.m. Garbage is NOT collected on Christmas Day. Garbage regularly collected on Christmas Day will be collected on December 27th, along with the garbage regularly scheduled for collection that day. Garbage is collected on all other holidays that fall on a weekday. (See the Recycle/Garbage Map & Schedule.)
Garbage may be placed out for collection at the curb, but NOT in the street, no earlier than 2:00 p.m. on the day prior to scheduled collection, and no later than 6:00 a.m. on the day of the collection. Empty containers must be removed from the curb no later than 9:00 a.m. on the day following collection. Garbage containers can be plastic trash bags, galvanized steel containers, or heavy duty plastic containers. Containers must have a tight fitting lid, and handles or bales. Containers must NOT exceed 33 gallons in capacity. The container and garbage must NOT weigh over 35 pounds, lids cannot be attached to cans and containers cannot be attached to objects such as; mailboxes, trees or any type of post/pole.
No liquids of any type including but not limited to paint, varnish, stain, other paint like materials, oils, or chemicals may be mixed with garbage.
Needle disposal: In order to provide safety for our refuse workers and to prevent inappropriate use of needles, the City requires that prior to placing needles in a sealed coffee can or laundry detergent container the end should be broken off from the dispenser unit. The sealed container that the broken needle has been placed in should be labeled “SHARPS” and placed beside your garbage cans. By placing the sealed and labeled container beside the garbage cans, our refuse workers can identify the potential hazard and breaking the needles prevents their further use by anyone else. Please don’t place any needles or other sharp objects loose in the garbage as this presents potential health and safety hazards for our refuse workers.

Glass disposal: Glass and other similar sharp objects can do great harm to our refuse workers. Because of this, the City requires citizens to place broken glass into a sealed container that will not fall apart if it gets wet. Our concern is with glass placed in cardboard (or other similar material) that falls apart when it gets wet. Our refuse workers can get severely hurt if they grab this material and it falls apart with glass inside. Please help us protect our workers. If the glass is not broken and whole, please place the unbroken glass panes carefully on the curbside separate from the garbage cans and bulk waste. Our bulk waste workers will be able to safely dispose of the glass this way.

Recycle Collection

Any recyclables placed in plastic bags for collection will NOT be collected. The plastic bags are not recyclable and blow into neighbors bushes, wires, etc.
Recycle may NOT be placed in the street.

Place all allowed recycle materials into one or more containers that are 33 gallons or less in capacity and no more than 35 pounds in weight. Clearly mark containers as recycle to distinguish these materials from household waste. All cardboard must be cut and folded to newspaper size. (Please see the listing for Recycle description/explanation located next to the Street Map Index in the Recycle/Garbage Map & Schedule).

Some plastics that have not been accepted previously, namely #4 and #5 yogurt cups, margarine tubs, and similar non-narrow neck containers can now be placed out for collection with other recyclable items. All #6 plastic products are still not acceptable.
For a complete list of recyclable items, please click here.

For further information about recycling in the Bloomington/Normal area please visit the Ecology Action Center, or call them at 309-454-3169.

***Please call the Public Works Department at 434-2225 for specific instructions on how to prepare recyclable products for collection.***

Items Not Lisited
For questions about the disposal of items not lisited, contact Public Works at 434-2225 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM weekdays.

Recycle collection is conducted every other week (bi-weekly) on the same day as garbage collection beginning at 6:00 a.m. Recycle collection is NOT collected on Christmas Day. Recycle regularly collected on Christmas Day will be collected on December 27th, along with the recycle regularly scheduled for bi-weekly collection that day. Recycle is collected on all other holidays that fall on a weekday. (See Recycle/Garbage Map & Schedule.)