New Trash Collection System Means Your Garbage Day Might Be Changing

Comparing the previous garbage collection map to the new one, it's easy to see why the grid approach makes sense. 

For the past several months, the city of Chicago has been shifting toward a new trash collection system that simplifies pickup schedules and reduces the amount of traveling crews have to do to get from one collection area to another.

“By moving to a grid garbage collection system we will be able to continue to provide residents with the same high-quality garbage collection services while using fewer resources,” said Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Charles L. Williams, in a news release. “Residents may experience a change in their refuse collection day, but that will be the only change.” 

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The new approach reaches the 19th Ward on April 15. It's a move that Ald. Matt O'Shea estimates could save the city $15 million this year and around $20 million in subsequent years. 

Previously, the ward was visited by garbage crews every day of the week and collection areas could be as small as a few blocks. Now, depending on which side of the ward you live your garbage day will either be a Monday or a Tuesday. 

View the collection map by clicking on the PDF to the right of this article.

The basic breakdown goes like this: All homes west of Western Avenue, from 99th St. to 107th St., Longwood Drive to Western Avenue and all homes south of 107th Street will have a Monday collection day. All homes north of 99th Street and 99th Street to 107th Street east of Longwood Drive will have a Tuesday collection day. 

If you have curbside recycling, that will shift to the same day as your garbage collection. 

The change affects the 19th Ward especially, as the area has the highest proportion of curbside pickup of any ward in the city. A total of 59 percent of ward residents have curbside pickup, O'Shea said. Chicago as a whole has 75 percent alley pickup.

Come Monday, April 15, 35 trucks will be out in the western portion of the ward, while 11 trucks will handle those with Tuesday pickup.

While it might be a bit of a struggle for some residents to change what might have been a decades-old routine, O'Shea says the overall savings of the new approach is something worth pursuing.

If you have any problems with your pickup, you can contact the 19th Ward Office at (773) 238-8766 or ward19@cityofchicago.org. 

READ MORE: Map of Many Colors: Compare the Old and New 19th Ward Garbage Collection Map