Why Lake Zurich closed its polystyrene recycling program until spring

What began as a pilot program in Lake Zurich to recycle polystyrene has become so successful the village has paused for the winter with plans to retool for spring.

The free program closed a few weeks ago and a 16-foot trailer sits locked and empty in the American Legion parking lot to be stored off-site. So called “fly dumping” while the trail is unsupervised also has been a factor in the decision and residents are asked not to drop off in the meantime.

“We are not throwing in the towel but have to retool the program to accommodate the vast amount of foam collected and attracting a group of volunteers,” the village explained in a recent e-newsletter.

Nothing has been officially determined but two-hour Saturday morning collections twice a month beginning in April are being considered. Volunteers will be key.

Anyone interested should check the village website or Facebook page or email info@lakezurich.org.

Polystyrene is used to make white foam block for packaging to protect appliances, electronics and other items. Some food containers also are made of the substance commonly referred to by the trademarked name Styrofoam.

Haulers don’t want it in recycling bins and since it’s not banned from landfills finding a green solution for the common product can be challenging.

Aside from occasional special collections options are limited. In Lake County, only Highland Park, which debuted in 2015, and Lake Zurich, which started as a pilot in 2021, have limited programs to accept polystyrene.

In 2025, 16 trailer loads of polystyrene were collected in Lake Zurich.

“The trailer is 28-feet long and we stuff it,” said Michael Duebner, assistant village manager. “It’s just been going gangbusters.”

Part of the reason for the influx was that three sites open multiple days a week in McHenry County closed, said Erin Rauscher, assistant to the village manager.

Polystyrene foam is a good insulator and cushion. It’s inexpensive and light weight and comprised of about 90% air, explained Pete Adrian, recycling coordinator for the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County.

Because of that, it requires a large volume to make it worthwhile to recycle and collection points are scarce.

“You’re going to have to seek them out and figure when, where and how to get it there,” he said.

Lake Zurich partners with one company that provides the storage container and another that removes it for the contents to be compacted and used in other products, like pens or picture frames.

Only rigid material is accepted not soft foam or packing peanuts, for example.

“It’s not as simple as dropping stuff off,” she said.

Educating program users is another area in which volunteers come into play.

On another front, the Illinois Environmental Council is leading a campaign with the Illinois Coalition for Plastic Reduction to ban polystyrene foam foodware to reduce hazardous, nonrecyclable plastic pollution, said Tucker Barry, IEC chief communications officer.

Proposed legislation seeks to phase out the containers by about 2030.