McHenry County to add ‘Recycle Coach’ tool; electronics and Styrofoam drop-off services shift

County staff told the Board of Health on Nov. 17 that the department will add a Recycle Coach web application to the county website so residents can check local recycling and pickup schedules.

Director Noem said the tool will let municipalities add local franchise and pickup details so a Woodstock or Crystal Lake resident can view their own pickup calendar online.

Noem also said the county’s longtime one-day electronics collection vendor has opted not to continue the one-day events into 2026 because collection volumes have declined and more providers now offer similar services. Residents may use the permanent electronics facility on Terracotta Drive in Crystal Lake, staff said.

Volunteers who ran local Styrofoam drop-offs reported they can no longer compress and move the material because processing equipment is not available or affordable; without compression, most Styrofoam will be landfilled. A community volunteer said private processors such as DART accepted loads only occasionally and that current Styrofoam types (thin takeout containers and packing foam) damage compressors.

“We don’t have anyone to take it anymore,” a volunteer said, describing the operational limits that led to winding down the drop-off program.

Board members discussed signage and improved sorting at drop-off sites to reduce contamination (plastic bags mixed with glass). Separately, a board member said assistance from the environmental department helped secure funding to buy community fridges for donation points at local sites.

Staff said they will return with more details on the 2026 recycling schedule and vendor options once county procurement assesses alternatives.