Road District of Orland Township 

At the Highway Department you will find a Paper Retriever bin. This bin is yellow and green and is specifically for items accepted below. Please only recycle mail you feel comfortable putting in a recycling bin.

• • Text Books*
  • Kids Books*
  • Hard/Soft Cover Books*
  • Encyclopedias*
  • Newspapers
  • Magazines/Catalogs
  • Office Paper
  • Junk mail
  • Cardboard
  • Phone Books
  • Envelopes
  • Flattened Cardboard

* If items are in good condition, they may be donated for reuse rather than recycled.

** No moldy, wet or large quantities of books please.

ProShred bins are also available for on-site drop-off use. Place any materials you have in these secured bins and ProShred will pick up and shred the items for safe and confidential disposal.

Learn more about ProShred

Items can be dropped off at the Highway Department garage during weekdays. For a complete list of items accepted for recycling, please view the PDF linked below:

E-Recycling Accepted Item List

Important Note: A recycling fee is required for all types TV’s and Monitors. When recycling these items, a staff member will assist with payment for recycling.

• Monitors smaller than 21 inches diagonally – $25
• Monitors larger than 21 inches diagonally – $35

Two new programs to the Highway Department can help community members take an active role in going green.

• Pumpkin Recycling (November) – Instead of throwing your pumpkin in the garbage, recycle it at the Highway Department. Pumpkins will be collected and transported to local farms for recycling instead of ending up in our landfills.
• Holiday Lights – Recycling old, broken or damaged holiday string lights helps reduce deposits of copper wiring, glass, and plastic going back into the environment. If lights are thrown in the regular trash, they will sit in landfills for years, making a huge ecological impact on the planet. Please consider recycling light sets at the Highway Department. For the safety of our crews, please remove any broken glass prior to recycling.

Pet waste can be a major source of bacteria and excess nutrients in local waters. When walking your pet, remember to pick up the waste and dispose of it properly. Flushing pet waste is the best disposal method. Leaving pet waste on the ground increases public health risks by allowing harmful bacteria and nutrients to wash into the storm drain and eventually into local waterbodies.

Debris such as plastic bags, six-pack rings, bottles, and cigarette butts — washed into waterbodies can choke, suffocate, or disable aquatic life like ducks, fish, turtles, and birds. Dispose of trash and litter in an approved receptacle.

Erosion controls that aren’t maintained can cause excessive amounts of sediment and debris to be carried into the stormwater system.

• • • Divert stormwater away from disturbed or exposed areas of the construction site.
    • Install silt fences, vehicle mud removal areas, vegetative cover, and other sediments and erosion controls and properly maintain them, especially after rainstorms.
    • Prevent soil erosion by minimizing disturbed areas during construction projects, and seed and mulch bare areas as soon as possible.

Excess fertilizers and pesticides applied to lawns and gardens wash off and pollute streams.

• • • Don’t overwater your lawn. Consider using a soaker hose instead of a sprinkler.
    • Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly; use organic mulch or safer pest control methods whenever possible.
    • Compost or mulch yard waste. Cover piles of dirt or mulch being used in landscaping projects.

Leaking and poorly maintained septic systems release nutrients and pathogens (bacteria and viruses) that can be picked up by stormwater and discharged into nearby water bodies. Pathogens can cause public health problems and environmental concerns.

• • • Have your septic system inspected by a professional at least every 3 years and pump your tank as necessary (every 3 to 5 years).
    • Don’t dispose of household hazardous waste in sinks or toilets.