September 09, 2024
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Changes coming to Woodstock garbage pickup service, with totes to be required

Residents required to use totes starting next year, but should see some savings

By Claire O'Brien
A garbage truck leaves the McHenry County College University Center parking lot in Woodstock Aug. 1, 2024.

A garbage truck drives out of a parking lot in Woodstock Aug. 1, 2024. For residential customers who use the city's separate garbage contractor, MDC Environmental Services, changes are on the way. (Claire O'Brien)

Changes are coming to Woodstock’s garbage pickup service next year.

Those who use garbage stickers will ring in the new year with a price increase, with residents paying $5 per sticker starting Jan. 1. Garbage stickers currently cost $3.38 each and can be obtained at City Hall, 121 W. Calhoun St.; the Woodstock Public Library, 414 W. Judd St.; or Jewel-Osco, 145 S. Eastwood Drive.

Starting July 1, 2025, residents living in buildings with four or fewer units will need to get garbage totes. The program will include a 95-gallon garbage tote and 65-gallon recycling tote, said Danielle Gulli, Woodstock’s executive director of business development.

Gulli said residents can buy stickers for more garbage that doesn’t fit inside the tote, and people get one free bulk item per week.

Woodstock currently offers residents the ability to get sticker-only disposal for $3.38 per bag or rent out a tote for about $83 for three months of service, according to the city’s website.

Starting July 1, residents will need to use a tote, and the sticker-only option will be eliminated.

Woodstock has been a “laggard” in adopting such changes, Gulli said, adding that there was nothing more the city could do to keep the current system in place. Many other suburban communities already have shifted to totes.

However, under the changes, residents are expected to get a price reduction for the totes. Gulli said the garbage company estimates the monthly cost for the totes will decrease from its current $27.65 per month to $23.50 per month.

Residents 65 and older will get a larger discount on the totes. Gulli said seniors, who currently pay the full rate for a tote, will pay $15.50 per month under the new program.

The city has contracted with MDC Environmental Services for waste services since 1994, with another contract extension set to begin Jan. 1, city officials said.

Woodstock plans to host public meetings with residents to go over the changes in the garbage collection process. An in-person meeting will be at 7 p.m Aug. 7 at City Hall, with a meeting over Zoom planned for noon Aug. 8.

MDC Environmental Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

More information about the changes coming to Woodstock’s garbage pickup is available at woodstockil.gov/204/Garbage-Yard-Waste-Recycling.

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