Here’s how you can recycle electronics, hazardous waste in St. Clair County
For those who celebrate Earth Day or engage in an annual spring cleaning, some big-time recycling may be included on the to-do list. Even if regular recycling is part of one’s regular trash pick-up service, there are some items that can’t be included in the weekly service, such as electronics, appliances and even car parts.
Before throwing out items no longer needed or wanted, there are some things to know.
Under Illinois’ Consumer Electronics Recycling Act, it’s illegal to throw specific electronic devices in the trash because they contain hazardous materials. They may also contain some valuable metals, such as gold, silver, copper, zinc, nickel and others.
Manufacturers of these devices are required to participate in the management of these devices, according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency website.
This includes computers and small-scale servers, computer monitors, keyboards and mice, printers, fax machines, scanners, televisions, DVD players and recorders, VCRs, digital converter boxes, cable receivers, satellite receivers, portable digital music players and video game consoles.
If household hazardous waste is part of the spring clean purge, there are occasional waste collection opportunities, including community drives. One such event takes place May 3 at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds. (See the list below.)
In Madison County, hazardous waste collection events are held once a month – by appointment – in Wood River. The next date is May 10, according to the county’s website. (Also on the list below)
Learn more about what is and is not accepted for these collections on the IEPA website.
To help ensure fewer of these items end up in landfills, here are some upcoming recycling opportunities and other resources.
Upcoming recycling drives/events
J&C E-Recycling Freeburg Spring Cleaning – Noon to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 24, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, April 25-26. Freeburg Fire Protection District, 410 W. High St., Freeburg. Metal and trash recycling by the train tracks, electronics in the fire department parking lot. There will be fees/costs for tube-style and plasma TVs, tire recycling. facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068138045868
Granite City Electronic Recycling Day – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 3. Think-IT Recycling, 1843 Madison Ave., Granite City. To see the list of accepted/not accepted items, visit facebook.com/events/582486594805303.
Household Hazardous Drive-Up Waste Collection Day – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 3, by appointment only. Belle-Clair Fairgrounds Park, 200 South Belt East, Belleville. Free and open to all Illinois residents by appointment only. Vehicles only - no walk-ins. Participants must remain in their vehicles and may have to wait 10 to 40 minutes. Accepted items include: aerosol paints, antifreeze, drain cleaners, used motor oil, old gasoline, herbicides, corrosives, hobby chemicals, pool chemicals, oil-based paints, paint thinners, pesticides, insecticides, acids, fluorescent light bulbs, cleaning solvents, household batteries (non-alkaline), mercury-containing items, household cleaning products, lawn fertilizers and chemicals.
The following items will not be accepted: latex paint, used tires, agricultural wastes, business wastes, explosives/ammunition, fireworks, smoke detectors, farm machinery oil, medical wastes, controlled substances, unwanted medications, biohazard waste.
For more information, visit scchealthdept.com. For questions about particular items, call the St. Clair County Health Department at 618-233-7769 or Illinois Environmental Protection Agency at 217-786-0737.
Electronic/Scrap Metal Recycling Drive – 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 3. Amelia Carriel Jr. High School, 451 N. 7 Hills Road, O’Fallon. Acceptable items include anything metal or with a power cord. For questions, please contact Power Recycling at 618-344-7232.
The O’Fallon Panther Band Boosters will be on-site volunteering by helping unload items. Donations will be accepted to help support the band.
Tube TV/Monitor Disposal Fee: $20-$40 depending on size. Flat screens are free of charge.
Common unacceptable items include but are not limited to wood and batteries.
Household Hazardous Waste Collection – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 10, by appointment only. Madison County HHW Collection Facility, 249 N. Old St. Louis Road, Wood River. Free and open to all Illinois residents. To make an appointment, visit https://bit.ly/3ExHFro. For more information, including a list of accepted/prohibited items: 618-296-5237 or recycling@madisoncountyil.gov.
Collinsville Scrap Metal & Recycling Drive – 9-11 a.m. Saturday, May 10. 9200 Collinsville Road, Collinsville. CRT TVs fees range $20-$40. Not accepted: paper, glass, plastic, wood, cardboard or tires. Held monthly on the second Saturday (except January). 618-344-7232 or powerrecycling.com.
St. Clair County Scrap Metal & Recycling Drive – 9-11 a.m. Saturday, May 17. St. Clair Township Building, 107 Service St., Swansea. CRT TVs fees range $20-$40. Accepted: anything metal or has a power cord. Not accepted: batteries, furniture, paper, glass, plastic, wood, cardboard, concrete, light bulbs, tires or hazardous waste. Held the third Saturday of the month (except January and December). 618-344-7232 or powerrecycling.com.
Electronics Recycling Event – 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 17. Equity Realty Group LLC, 109 Clintonian Plaza, Breese. J&C E-Recycling will be on hand to safely dispose of your unwanted electronic devices. Accepted items: computer towers, battery backups, electric motors, floppy drives, memory RAM, computer fans, DVD/VHS players, computer parts, power supplies, laptops, batteries, wire, small appliances, cellphones, printers, keyboards/mice, speakers, modems, hard drives, CD ROMS. Not accepted: light bulbs, smoke detectors, propane tanks, carbon dioxide detectors. CRT monitors and TVs are $.50 per pound and weighed onsite.
Places to take items for recycling
Apex Recycling Services – 1245 N. First St., Fairmont City. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. Automotive parts, ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, electronics. 618-875-9146, apexrecyclingservices.com
Belleville Recycling Inc. – 501 Hecker St., Belleville. 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Metals (for cash) include copper, aluminum, brass and others, cardboard. 618-233-2425, bellevillerecycling.com.
J&C E-Recycling – 621 Atlanta Drive, Belleville. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Recycle computers and equipment, radios, metals, mobile devices, batteries, TVs, washers/dryers, A/C units, racks/metal shelving and more. Call ahead for special pick-up or after-hours services. 618-558-6048m 618-233-5009, jc-e-recycling.webnode.page.
LMS Metal Buyers – 808 Walnut Ave., East St. Louis. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. Scrap metal for cash. Copper, brass, aluminums, iron and more. 618-271-0824, lmsmetalbuyers.com.
Merritts Recycling – 239 S. 88th St., East St. Louis. 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday (excluding holidays). Wood and yard waste recycling. Accepted items include used and damaged pallets, all tree types (no root balls), logs, limbs and branches, brush. 618-332-9661, merrittsrecycling.com.
PCs for People – 100 Florida Ave., Belleville. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Recycling drop-offs made at the back of the building; use buzzer. Accepts computers, monitors, keyboards, mice, cables, drives, printers, gaming equipment and more. 618-215-3787, pcsforpeople.org.
Power Recycling – 9200 Collinsville Road, Collinsville. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Recycling for metals, electronics. To schedule a pick-up or for more info, call 618-344-7232. powerrecycling.com
Other Resources
Illinois EPA: 2520 W. Iles Ave., P.O. Box 19276, Springfield, IL 62794-9276; 217-782-3397, epa.illinois.gov
Illinois Department of Central Management Services: Visit cms.illinois.gov/agency/recycling/greenpractices.html for easy ways to reduce waste.
Illinois Environmental Council: 520 E. Capitol, Springfield, IL 62701. 217-544-5954, iec@ilenviro.org. Visit ilenviro.org/waste-reduction for more info on recycling in Illinois.
Illinois Food Scrap & Composting Coalition: This nonprofit organization’s mission is to advance “diversion and composting of all organics in Illinois through advocacy, program implementation, market and business development, policy and outreach.” The organization offers various resources ranging from composting basics and why it’s done to using compost, where to find it and more. illinoiscomposts.org
This story was originally published April 23, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
