In Recognition of Earth Day Cook County and South Suburban College Announce Creation of Household Hazardous Waste Facility to Open in 2025

Facility will serve as permanent drop-off location in the south suburbs

In celebration of Earth Day, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced a $4.6 million partnership today between the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES) and South Suburban College (SSC) to provide County residents with a permanent drop-off location to appropriately dispose of household hazardous waste (HHW) materials. The HHW facility will be located alongside the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM Center) that opened at SSC on Earth Day 2023. 

In addition to electronics, polystyrene foam, clothing and textiles, personal healthcare equipment and general household recycling materials that can be disposed of at the CHARM Center, Cook County residents will also be able to dispose of  household chemicals, rechargeable batteries, oil-based paints, solvents, medications, fluorescent light bulbs, antifreeze, motor oil, gasoline, auto fluids, herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, aerosol cans and lawn, pool and hobby chemicals. The HHW facility is projected to open in 2025.

“Cook County is excited to expand our partnership with South Suburban College to ensure that residents in the Southland have access to a facility that will allow them to safely dispose of hazardous materials,” said President Preckwinkle. “The HHW facility will complement the CHaRM Center and make the surrounding communities, which have traditionally lacked access to these services, safer and more sustainable.”

This new facility fills a major gap in services in the south suburbs and south side of Chicago. The nearest similar facilities are on the near north side of Chicago, Naperville, Lake County and Rockford. 

“This partnership creates a new HHW facility and will also provide our students opportunities to become the next generation of sustainability leaders through internship and continued education opportunities,” said SSC President Dr. Lynette D. Stokes. “This facility is critical to residents in the south suburbs because we don’t currently have a facility that allows us to properly dispose of household hazardous waste which can lead to serious health conditions and environmental impacts, negatively affecting a region with historically high pollution and open dumping issues.” 

The County is providing funding for the HHW facility as well as the CHaRM Center through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. The County allocated over $100 million in ARPA funding to support a clean environment for all and to fight climate change.

County residents that have questions about the HHW facility or the CHaRM Center may email DES at wasteandrecycling@cookcountyil.gov. 

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