News Flash

Household paint and batteries have new recycling options, as the Village cannot accept either item, via PaintCare and The Battery Network. Learn more on their websites.

The Electronics Recycling Program will resume Thursday, April 2 and will be held each Thursday from 1 - 3 PM at the Public Works Yards at 1390 Willow Road until the end of November.

Accepted Items:

• Cable Receivers    
• Desktop Printers     
• Scanners
• Cellphones     
• Fax Machines    
• Televisions
• Computer Cables     
• Mice and/or Keyboards    
• Video Game Consoles
• Computer Monitors     
• MP3 Players    
• Video Recorders/ Players
• Computers (Desktop, Notebook, Tablet)    
• Portable Digital Assistants (PDAs)     
• Convertor Boxes    
• Satellite Receivers    
• Zip Drives

Plastics and household appliances are not accepted. I.e.: Items with motors; Microwaves, blenders, coffee makers, toaster/ toaster ovens, lamps, or vacuum cleaners.

Recycling options for items not recycled through SWANCC's electronic recycling program are as follows:

Abt Electronics200 N Milwaukee AveGlenview, IL 60028847-954-4100

Elgin Recycling145 South Weiler RoadArlington Heights, IL 60005847-741-4100

eWorks Electronics Services, Inc.1480 S Wolf RoadWheeling, IL 60090855-213-8348

Local Best Buy Stores

Small handheld electronics (cell phones, tablets, cables, etc.) can be recycled year-round in the front vestibule at Winnetka Public Works. For questions regarding accepted items during year-round small electronics recycling, please call Winnetka Public Works at 847-716-3568.

Batteries can be recycled at the Glencoe Public Works Service Building located at 320 Hazel Avenue Glencoe, IL 60022. For questions related to types of batteries accepted, please call Glencoe Public Works at 847-835-4134. 

The Village is the energy supplier for residents and businesses within Winnetka. If you receive an energy bill from another entity or an offer for a rebate or refund for electricity usage that is not from the Village of Winnetka, there is a strong chance it is not legitimate. If you have questions about utility billing, please contact us at 847-501-6000.

Due to structural safety concerns, the Tower Road Beach pier is closed to the public and parking on the pier is not permitted. Parking in the upper lot at the top of the bluff at Tower Road Beach and at the handicapped stalls at the beach entrance remain open. The Village is conducting a structural analysis of the pier to plan the next steps for its rehabilitation and reopening at a future date.

After larger snows, typically beyond 3 to 4 inches, the Village plows snow from residential sidewalks. In order to prevent ice buildup on the sidewalks, residents should remove snow from the sidewalks in front of their homes after slushy events or smaller snowstorms. This will go a long way towards helping keep our sidewalks free from ice and easier for pedestrians to navigate.

The Environmental, Forestry, and Sustainability Commission invites residents and local businesses to participate in its annual Green Awards Program, which recognizes properties and households within Winnetka that demonstrate exceptional commitment to sustainable or environmentally-friendly practices. The Commission encourages residents to nominate any house, business or property for projects that were completed within the past five years and deserve recognition for advancing sustainability in Winnetka. Submit nominations by March 11.Please direct any questions about the Green Award to the Village's Sustainability Manager, Elyse Steiner.

The Winnetka Fire Department has partnered with the Cook County Sheriff's Office to participate in their expired/unused medication collection program. A drop box is in the lobby at the fire station and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM – 5 PM (428 Green Bay Road). 

To encourage sustainability in Winnetka, the 2026 budget allocated funds to incentivize expanded energy efficiency, renewable energy, and electrification investments. These new customer rebates from the Village will help residents save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lower utility bills.

Utility Rebates for 2026

• A/C condenser replacement: up to $600
• Appliances:
  • ENERGY STAR Electric heat pump water heaters: $500
  • ENERGY STAR Electric heat pump clothes dryers or combination washer/dryers: $250
  • Induction cooktops/ranges: $150
  • Autonomous/robot electric lawn mowers: $200
• EV charging: up to $500
• Smart thermostat: up to $200
• Solar energy systems: up to $3,000

Learn more and apply.

Winnetka’s Document Destruction Event will be held on Saturday, August 15 from 9 AM to 12 PM at the Public Works Yards at 1390 Willow Road for residentially-generated paper, such as medical forms, bank statements, personal files, retired tax forms, etc. Paper clips and staples do not need to be removed, but please remove binders and any plastic covers. 

There is no cost to participate, but residents must live in one of the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County’s member communities and IDs will be checked for proof of residency. Residents will be limited to six file-size boxes or paper shopping bags per vehicle. Please do not bring documents in plastic bags. As residents drive up in their vehicles, workers will unload the paper documents into large carts. When full, the carts of paper are emptied into the truck’s cross-shredding machine.

The Illinois TRUST Act generally prohibits Illinois law enforcement agencies from assisting with any civil immigration enforcement operation. Specifically, the law prohibits Illinois law enforcement from entering into immigration enforcement agreements with immigration authorities, from complying with immigration detainers, from transferring individuals into immigration agents’ custody without a criminal warrant, and from allowing immigration agents access to state and local facilities for investigation or enforcement purposes. Should Immigration and Customs Enforcement be present in Winnetka, the Village’s Police Department will continue to comply with state law.

Additionally, the Winnetka Police Department cannot impede any federal law enforcement agency within the Village limits if they possess lawful orders.

The Village’s recycling contractor (Lakeshore Recycling) began participating in Hefty ReNew Orange Bag program. This program allows residents to recycle otherwise hard-to-recycle items through curbside recycling. Simply purchase the program’s orange bags at a participating retailer and place in your recycling container. Lakeshore will then sort these and route to the correct recycler at their facility. More information about the Renew program can be found on Hefty’s website.

As a result of this new program offering and due to increased uncertainty about the Village’s current Styrofoam recycler’s capacity to accept more product, the Village’s drop off program has been discontinued. Residents are encouraged to utilize the Hefty ReNew program as it can accept more products and disposal is simplified through curbside recycling. Large or voluminous amounts of Styrofoam can be taken to ABT in Glenview (white packaging foam only) or to Mount Prospect Public Works. For Abt’s recycling program information, please visit their website. For program information and hours at Mount Prospect Public Works building, please visit the Mount Prospect website.

Please contact the Public Works Department with questions at 847-716-3568.