Municipal Waste, Recycling and Diversion Rates in Cook County

In 2024, the suburban Cook County residential recycling rate was 17% and the waste diversion rate was 26%. The average suburban Cook County household generates an estimated 8 pounds of waste per day. On average, 74% of this material goes to a landfill (~6 pounds).

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials that can be reused, repurposed, and returned to the economy. Diversion refers to materials segregated from the disposal waste stream through recycling and composting programs. The diversion rate is the rate at which materials are diverted from landfills. This includes recyclable materials, yard waste, and food scraps that are sent for composting. 

The Cook County Solid Waste Ordinance requires waste haulers operating in suburban Cook County to report their collected waste, recycling, and yard waste tonnages to the Department of Environment and Sustainability quarterly, by municipality. This data is used to determine a residential recycling and diversion rate for each municipality and an overall residential recycling and diversion rate for Cook County. Data for the City of Chicago was provided by the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation, for one to four unit residential properties. 

The interactive map below shows the 2024, 2023, and 2022 residential recycling and diversion rates for 131 suburban Cook County municipalities and the City of Chicago. Click here to view the map in a new window. 

Municipal Waste Recycling Diversion Rates Report: 2019 and 2022

For more information, please contact DES at wasteandrecycling@cookcounyil.gov.