Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

Every day, Illinoisans fill containers and dumpsters with trash to be hauled away for disposal in landfills… "out of sight and out of mind." DCEO's Division of Recycling and Waste Reduction offers programs that promote alternatives to landfill disposal, conservation of resources, and further development of markets to recycle more of what we currently throw away. Adding value to recycled materials is the principal reason that recycling has become a multi-billion dollar industry in Illinois.

We've set up this site to provide you with the resources you need to implement waste reduction, recycling, and composting methods as alternatives to landfill disposal. The goals of these programs are to divert large volumes of waste from landfill or incinerator disposal and to foster recycling endeavors in Illinois.

The Illinois Recycling Grants Program helps communities, businesses and not-for-profit organizations collect and process materials for recycling.

The Recycling Expansion and Modernization (REM) Program provides grants to divert materials from the municipal solid waste stream, thereby conserving our natural resources, and improve the performance and “bottom line” of Illinois businesses and organizations (reduced operating costs, increased sales, etc.) while demonstrating public economic benefits.

Illinois Zero Waste Schools Grant Program
Thank you for your interest in the IL Zero Waste Schools Grant Program, a funding opportunity for K-12 Illinois schools to implement or expand recycling and waste reduction programs. The deadline to apply for grant applications for programs to begin in schools in the fall of 2008 ended February 15, 2008. Announcements for future Request for Applications for IL Zero Waste School Grant Programs will be posted at this site, or you may request to be notified by email of future solicitations by contacting Brett Ivers at Brett.Ivers@illinois.gov or 217-524-5859.