Yard Waste/Composting

Yard Waste/Food Waste Collection


Yard waste and organic compost material is collected at the curb on scheduled collection days from April 1 through November 30. The Village is hoping to eventually expand to a year-round compost program, and is currently investigating options for doing so.

Information about LRS yard waste and composting services can be found here.

Additional composting resources are provided by the Environmental Protection Agency, National Resource Defense Council, and the Illinois Food Scrap and Composting Coalition. 

Yard Waste:

Yard waste consists of brush, grass clippings, leaves, plant materials, roots, and twigs. Residents can place these items in a (stickered) brown kraft bag or in LRS rented carts designated for organic waste. 

Compost/Food Waste: 

Residents can place organic material and food waste out for weekly collection. Food waste can be placed in (stickered) brown kraft bags or in LRS rented carts designated for organic waste. It will then be sorted/separated and properly composted. 

Food waste accounts for approximately 20% of all waste that ends up in landfills and residents who compost will play a larger role in reducing this type of waste in landfills while helping reduce greenhouse gases.

Pumpkin Composting: 

Each year, the Village partners with SCARCE to provide pumpkin composting after Halloween. The Pumpkin Smash is a fun way to divert pumpkins from landfills. Pumpkins should not be disposed of in the regular garbage or set out at the curb with leaves, as they can damage leaf mulching equipment. Residents are encouraged to attend the pumpkin composting event, or to put pumpkins in a brown craft bag (with a blue sticker) for LRS yard waste collection.

Compost cart tip sheet displaying what you can and cannot compost.

Collection Guidelines

  • Yard waste/organic compost must be in a brown bag with an LRS sticker, or in a rented cart designated for organic waste.
  • Please make sure material is free of dirt.
  • The maximum weight of bags is 60 pounds.
  • Plastics bags will not be collected.
  • Christmas trees are collected at the curb the first two weeks of January. Tree must be free of any decorations. No waste sticker is needed.

Brush Guidelines

  • Brush must be bundled with natural rope or twine. Please do not use plastic binding or metal.
  • Bundles must be no more than 4 feet in length and 2 feet in diameter.
  • Individual branches must be no more than 3 inches in diameter.
  • The maximum weight of bundles is 60 pounds.
  • All bundles must have a Western Springs sticker affixed.

Storm Damage Cleanup

Following a severe storm, residents are urged to immediately move fallen branches to the curb for pick up by Public Works. All regular tree trimmings must be disposed of through the yard waste program.

Leaf Removal

The Village removes leaves from residential streets beginning in late October and ending the first week of December. In early October, an informational postcard is mailed to residents explaining the leaf removal program and schedule. Residents may also receive information on the program by subscribing to announcements from the Department of Municipal Services at Notify Me.

Only leaves are raked into the gutter. Also, residents parking on residential streets should exercise caution during this time as hot automobiles can easily ignite large piles of leaves.

During the removal process, residents can call the Leaf Hotline, 708-246-1800, ext. 305, for daily schedule updates.