Pekin Public Services

Holidays: New Year's Day - President's Day - Memorial Day - Independence Day - Labor Day - Veteran's Day - Thanksgiving and the day after - Christmas Day.

Garbage Recycling Yardwaste

Garbage

The City of Pekin employees began collecting residential household garbage pick up on, Wednesday, September 1, 2004. If you currently lease a garbage container from Waste Management you may continue to use those containers. However, we feel as though we have a more cost effective garbage container alternative available thru the City of Pekin. Our 35 gallon containers are $35.00 and our 95 gallon containers are $50.00 or lease for $18.00 a year. Garbage containers may be purchased at local stores if the containers meet City of Pekin specifications. The specifications are as follows: 35 gallon- 37 inches in height, 19 inches in width, and 24 inches in depth or 95 gallon- 46.5 inches in height, 26.38 inches in width, and 33.62 inches in depth. Additional information may be obtained by calling the City of Pekin Solid Waste Department at 478.5444. Garbage Totes are purchased at City Hall, 111 South Capitol Street, Pekin, IL 61554 (2nd floor).

Recycling
Not all materials can be recycled. Those that can are:

Newspapers & Phonebooks: Any flyers and advertisements that comes with your newspaper, office paper or school paper.
Steel (bi-metal to tin) Food and Beverage Cans: Remove labels, rinse and flatten.
Small Cardboard: Cake boxes, soda containers, cereal boxes, etc. Cardboard no larger than 3 x 3 broken down. The driver will decide whether to take it depending on the size and the amount of room in truck. Large amounts of cardboard may be taken to the Recycling Center near McDonald's.
Plastic Marked #1 and #2: Just rinse; throw lids away. Examples are 2-liter soda, bleach, detergent, milk, juice, shampoo, cooking oil and salad dressing bottles etc. Excludes motor oil, antifreeze, pesticide or solvent bottles and wide-mouth containers such as margarine, ice cream and cottage cheeses etc.
Aluminum Beverage Cans: Just rinse.
Shredded Paper: In paper bags only. Plastic bags will not be accepted.

You may mix all of the above types in one bin. The driver will separate them for you.

Yardwaste
A Little History...in 1989 the State of Illinois enacted a law stating that all yardwaste was to be separated from garbage. This law was brought about because of rapidly declining space in our landfills. Yardwaste in plastic bags does not decompose as quickly as it should. We need to continue to concentrate on increasing more involvement in the use of the yardwaste program. All of the yardwaste materials are recycled.

Season For Collection:

Weekly pick-up April 1st through January 15th.
What is Considered Yardwaste?

Grass, leaves, and branches (maximum length 5 feet). Christmas trees, mulch, garden plants and straw. Christmas Trees may be set out for yardwaste pick-up December 25th through January 15th, after this date they can be set out for garbage pick-up. Christmas trees are the only trees allowed in the landfill.

What Type of Container Should be Used For Yardwaste?

Garbage cans (no larger than 35 gallon), 95 gallon wheeled toters (purchased or leased through the City of Pekin), and paper yardwaste bags (available at hardware and grocery stores).

What is Not Considered Yardwaste?

Animal feces, plastic garden pots, plastic plant trays, dirt, rocks, bricks, concrete, treated lumber, sod, and building materials (2' x 4's, plywood and drywall).

What Type of Containers are Prohibited For Yardwaste?

Plastic bags, paper grocery sacks, chemical barrels, cardboard boxes and cans over 35 gallons in size.

Helpful Hints:
Cans, bags and bundles should not exceed 50 pounds. Yardwaste cans and toters must have the C-A-R-E stickers on them, facing the curb so drivers can distinguish between yardwaste and garbage.

* C-A-R-E stickers may be purchased at 1130 Koch Street, at the Pekin Service Center or City Hall at 111 South Capitol Street.