In cooperation with the Chicago Departments of Streets & Sanitation and Environment, the 46th Ward is hosting two recycling programs: the expansion of the City's Blue Cart Separate Collection Recycling Program and the 46th Ward Multi-Unit Pilot Recycling Program.

The City's Department of Streets and Sanitation has been testing alternatives for recycling of garbage pick up and will be expanding its pilot program in 2007 to include seven additional wards, including the 46th Ward. 

The city's pilot will be phased in beginning in January with the 46th and 47th Wards beginning their recycling pick-ups in August. Everyone who currently has their garbage picked-up by the Department of Streets & Sanitation will be included.

Everyone else who lives in buildings with four or more units has their garbage picked up by private waste haulers and are required to contract for some kind of recycling service. Most buildings contract for the blue bag program. However, the blue bag program has been often criticized for being an ineffective way to recycle.  

The expansion of a source separation recycling pilot program to seven wards by the city is likely to lead to changes in our citywide laws requiring recycling, and these changes will most likely be applied to all buildings.  

“We are very pleased to be part of the city’s recycling pilot program in 2007. But we also want to offer recycling to multi units buildings as well," said Alderman Shiller.

"As a result of the city’s expanded recycling program, our citywide requirements will eventually change. When this happens I want to make sure that what we consider and pass makes sense for our multi-units buildings as well. If we do this pilot here where we have every kind of multi-unit housing as there is in Chicago, these experiences can inform our citywide recycling policies in the future.” 

Get the Recycling Fact Sheet which provides more information on the 46th Ward Multi-Unit Pilot Recycling Program.