Batteries

Free Battery Recycling Now Available Throughout Illinois

Battery recycling is now free and easier than ever across Illinois. Thanks to the Portable and Medium Format Battery Stewardship Act, residents, businesses, schools, and local governments can recycle most household batteries at no cost through The Battery Network, selected by the Illinois EPA to operate the statewide program. Safe battery recycling is now within reach across McHenry County and throughout Illinois.

This program is funded entirely by battery manufacturers and brands, not taxpayers. Even state oversight is covered through manufacturer fees — Illinois residents can recycle covered batteries at no cost.

Learn more about how the Illinois program works at: batterynetwork.org/stewards/state-recycling-laws/illinois

Battery Network information by Marta Keane, Regional State Stewardship Manager, The Battery Network.

What Batteries Are Covered?

The Battery Network program covers three categories:

• Primary (single-use) and rechargeable batteries commonly found in homes and businesses, powering remote controls, toys, cordless tools, and more.
• Large rechargeable batteries (up to 25 lbs), such as those used in lawn equipment and e-bikes.
• Damaged or defective batteries that are no longer safe to use due to physical damage or malfunction such as leaking, cracked, or swollen. These must be taken to designated locations equipped to manage them safely.

Not sure what type of battery you have? Visit batterynetwork.org/battery-basics/what-to-recycle to learn more.

Illinois law now requires acceptance of all covered batteries, including alkaline. While alkaline batteries are not prohibited from landfill disposal until January 1, 2028, they can and should be recycled today.

Note: The law does not include embedded batteries that are not designed to be removed, automotive lead-acid batteries, EV batteries, nor recalled batteries — which remain the responsibility of the manufacturer.

Find a Drop-Off Location

Find a nearby drop-off location using the Battery Network locator: batterynetwork.org/locator/

This list is growing quickly — the locator has the most up-to-date information.

Interested in becoming a battery collection site? Learn how your organization can participate at batterynetwork.org/collection-partners. If you expect to generate a large volume of batteries, contact Marta Keane at mkeane@batterynetwork.org to determine your eligibility.

Alkaline Batteries

Battery Network recognized alkaline battery collectors in McHenry County. This list is growing quickly — visit www.batterynetwork.org/locator for the most up-to-date list of no-fee collectors.

• The Home Depot — Algonquin
  200 S. Randall Rd., Algonquin
  (847) 854-1100
• The Home Depot — Crystal Lake
  4447 US Hwy. 14, Crystal Lake
  (815) 479-1030
• The Home Depot — McHenry
  2461 N. Richmond Rd., McHenry
  (815) 385-9503
• Batteries Plus — Algonquin
  1497 S. Randall Rd., Algonquin
  (815) 404-4265
• Lowe's Home Improvement — Lake in the Hills
  300 N. Randall Rd., Lake in the Hills
  (847) 458-0419

Lead Acid (Car and Marine) Batteries

The following locations accept lead acid (car and marine) batteries. Fees and limits vary by location — check details below.

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Electronics, TVs & Monitors

Many haulers offer a once-a-year electronics pickup free with service. Contact your hauler for this information. Local drop-off options and community events are also available throughout McHenry County.

Retailers Accepting Small Electronics

• Target

  Accepts small electronics, ink cartridges, plastic bags, and film — no fee.

  • Algonquin: 750 S. Randall Rd., (847) 458-5340
  • Crystal Lake: 5201 Northwest Hwy., (815) 356-9265
• Waste Management's ThinkGREEN From Home
  (866) 570-4702 | www.thinkgreenfromhome.com
  • Offers various recycling kits for CFLs, fluorescents, batteries, electronics, cans, paper, and sharps

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Household Hazardous Waste

In addition to the annual one-day event, there are four permanent locations in northern Illinois that are open to Illinois residents at no additional cost. Please check the McHenry County Department of Health Division of Environmental Health website for updates: www.mchenrycountyil.gov/departments/health-department

Year-Round Permanent HHW Collection Sites

• Chicago Department of Public Health — Goose Island Facility
  1150 N. North Branch St., Chicago
  (312) 744-7672 | www.cityofchicago.org/hccrf
  • Tuesdays 7 a.m.–Noon
  • Thursdays 2–7 p.m.
  • First Saturday of the month, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
• Naperville Public Works
  156 Fort Hill Dr., Naperville
  (630) 420-6095 | www.naperville.il.us — Household Hazardous Waste Facility
  • Open Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
  • No fee, no appointment needed
• Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful (formerly Four Rivers Sanitation Authority) — Rockford
  3315 Kishwaukee St., Rockford
  City of Rockford: (779) 348-7300
  Keep Northern IL Beautiful: (815) 637-1343 | www.KNIB.org | info@knib.org
  • Call for fees and accepted items
  • Open Saturdays 8 a.m.–4 p.m. (excluding weekends closest to holidays)
  • Sundays Noon–4 p.m.
• SWALCO — Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, Gurnee
  1311 North Estes St., Gurnee
  (847) 377-4950 | www.swalco.org | info@swalco.org
  • Year-round drop-off on Saturdays twice a month — appointments required
  • Mobile collection dates (tentative — check website for confirmation): May 24, July 18, Aug. 16, Sept. 20. Appointments available within 45 days of each posted event.
  • Also accepts latex paint

Accepted and Unacceptable Items — Permanent HHW Sites

HHW Collection Day — June 6, 2026: Event Details

Date & Time: Saturday, June 6, 2026, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
Location: Huntley School District Reed Road Campus
10910 Reed Rd., Lake in the Hills
Enter the event from Reed Rd.

This event is sponsored by the McHenry County Department of Health and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

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Paint — Latex

In 2023, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Paint Stewardship Act, an example of an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy. EPR places the responsibility for managing products at the end of their useful life on the manufacturers and producers of those products.

PaintCare Inc., a non-profit organization representing paint manufacturers, operates the paint stewardship programs in the eleven states with paint stewardship laws. The program works by adding a one dollar per gallon fee to each new can of paint sold in the state. The program features free drop-off locations across Illinois.

Please contact all PaintCare drop-off sites to confirm their hours and availability before dropping off paint. For a complete list of locations, visit www.paintcare.org/drop-off-sites

PaintCare Drop-Off Locations

• Sherwin-Williams (6 locations)

  Limit: 5 gallons per visit. Accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains, and varnish up to 5 gallons. Does not accept aerosols, unlabeled containers, or containers that are leaking or empty.

  • Crystal Lake: 6605 Northwest Hwy., (815) 477-1070
  • Lake in the Hills: 120 N. Randall Rd., (847) 658-1459
  • Fox River Grove: 910 Northwest Hwy. #600, (847) 516-7002
  • McHenry: 3718 W. Elm St., (815) 578-1752
  • Woodstock: 631 S. Eastwood Dr., (815) 337-0942
  • Huntley: 12820 S. Rte. 47, (847) 669-3066
  • Volo: 2800 Hartigan Rd., Volo, (224) 337-7778
• JC Licht Paint & Décor — Algonquin
  1700 E Algonquin Rd., Algonquin
  (847) 658-3622
  • Limit: 5 gallons per visit
  • Accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains, and varnish up to 5 gallons
  • Does not accept aerosols, unlabeled containers, or containers that are leaking or empty
• Ace Hardware — McHenry
  4520 W. Crystal Lake Rd., McHenry
  (815) 385-3660
  • Limit: 5 gallons per visit
  • Accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains, and varnish up to 5 gallons
  • Does not accept aerosols, unlabeled containers, or containers that are leaking or empty
• RP Lumber — Woodstock
  4001 S Country Club Rd., Woodstock
  (815) 356-8600
  • Accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains, and varnish up to 5 gallons
  • Does not accept aerosols, unlabeled containers, or containers that are leaking or empty

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Collection Events

McHenry County offers several ways to recycle materials throughout the year: county-hosted one-day events, recurring Saturday events at two township road districts, and a permanent year-round drop-off at Nunda Township.

2026 County One-Day Recycling Events

Events are hosted by the McHenry County Department of Health. Check www.mcdh.info for updates and additional information.

• May 30, 2026

  McHenry County Admin Building

  667 Ware Rd., Woodstock

  Hours: 9 a.m.–Noon
  Document shredding only; Styrofoam; Textiles; Fluorescent and LED light bulbs ($); Batteries ($)

• June 6, 2026 Pre-Registration Required

  Huntley School District Reed Rd Campus — Household Hazardous Waste

  10910 Reed Rd., Lake in the Hills

  Pre-registration required: www.mcdh.info
  See HHW Collection Day details for complete accepted/not-accepted items lists.

• July 12, 2026

  McHenry County Admin Building

  667 Ware Rd., Woodstock

  Hours: 9 a.m.–Noon
  Document shredding; Styrofoam; Textiles; Fluorescent and LED light bulbs ($); Batteries ($)

• September 19, 2026

  McHenry County Admin Building

  667 Ware Rd., Woodstock

  Hours: 9 a.m.–Noon
  Document shredding only; Styrofoam; Textiles; Fluorescent and LED light bulbs ($); Batteries ($)

• September/October 2026 Pre-Registration Required

  McHenry County Fair Grounds — Electronics Recycling ONLY

  11900 Country Club Rd., Woodstock

  Hours: 9 a.m.–Noon
  Electronics recycling only. Pre-registration required: www.mcdh.info

• October 18, 2026

  McHenry County Admin Building

  667 Ware Rd., Woodstock

  Hours: 9 a.m.–Noon
  Document shredding; Styrofoam; Textiles; Fluorescent and LED light bulbs ($); Batteries ($)

Recurring Township Collection Events

Algonquin Township Road District Residents Only

Specialized recycling hours: 9–11 a.m. on the following Saturdays:

April 25, May 30, June 27, July 25, Aug. 29, Sept. 26, Oct. 31

No drop-off during the week for specialized recycling. Drop-off is located in the township employee parking lot, April–October.

Items accepted from Algonquin Township residents ONLY:

• Small electronics — see website for complete list of accepted items (no charge)
• Televisions and computer monitors: $1/lb to $85 max per item; small dorm refrigerators and wine coolers: $15 per unit
• CFLs and LEDs: $0.50 each
• Fluorescent tubes: $0.50 each (4 ft.), $1.00 each (8 ft.)
• Textiles (must be clean)
• Styrofoam — all #6 Styrofoam accepted, clean; no bubble wrap or construction foam
• Packing peanuts in clean, dry box — collected for reuse
• Election signs (signs and metal, must be clean)
• Batteries: $1/lb for household batteries; no charge for lead batteries
• Daily drop-off recycling: aluminum and metal cans, glass bottles and jars, plastics (milk jugs, water/pop/beverage bottles, laundry and other household containers), newspaper, cardboard, and magazines, clothing/shoes/flags, eyeglasses/cellphones/hearing aids/children's books, household electronics (not including TVs or monitors)
• Brush, branches, and twigs up to 8 inches diameter and 10 feet length (no grass clippings, leaves, or logs with debris)
• Mulch available when gates are open
• Brush drop-off available April–July on selected dates — see www.algtwsp.com/recycling for dates and times

McHenry Township Road District Residents Only

Recycling event Saturdays from 8 a.m.–Noon (in partnership with the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County):

April 18, May 16, June 20, July 18, Aug. 15, Sept. 19, Oct. 17

Items accepted from McHenry Township residents ONLY:

• TVs and monitors: 1 per family per month; no charge
• Car and boat batteries (no alkaline)
• Used motor and cooking oil
• Two tires without rims free with proof of residency

Not accepted: transmission fluid, sealant, antifreeze; appliances; bulbs, auto fluids; household hazardous waste.

Nunda Township Permanent Daily Drop-Off — Year-Round Option

The Nunda Township Road District permanent site offers daily drop-off recycling year-round — a convenient option for township residents outside of the scheduled Saturday events.

Items accepted from Nunda Township residents (ID requested):

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