What Lakeshore Recycling Systems does

Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) is a privately held waste management, recycling, and portable sanitation company founded in 1999 and headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois (with the city of Morton Grove listed as an additional Illinois base). The company serves residential, commercial, and construction customers across the Midwest — operating in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Kansas, and Tennessee — with 11 recycling facilities, a fleet that includes electric vehicles, and a service footprint covering 1.2 million households across 160 towns. LRS's core offering spans three integrated lines: roll-off dumpster rentals and trash compactors (10–40 yard sizes, self-contained and apartment-style configurations), portable sanitation (toilets, restroom trailers, portable sinks), and recurring waste & recycling collection for residential and commercial accounts, supplemented by construction & demolition debris removal and septic/yard waste services. The Exchange material recovery facility processes 224 million pounds of materials annually with a 40% landfill diversion rate; LRS also operates a video monitoring and data analytics safety program that has cut recordable incidents 15% and lost-time injuries 26% from 2022 to 2023.

Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring monthly subscriptions (residential curbside pickup, commercial container service) and transactional rentals (dumpsters, portable restrooms, compactors), with quote-based pricing routed through a 844-NEED-LRS contact center, a website with ZIP-code lookup and self-serve booking, and a municipal portal. The go-to-market combines enterprise field sales for municipal franchise contracts (anchored by the Indianapolis win effective January 2026) with inside sales for mid-market commercial and self-serve online booking for SMB and consumer rental demand. Since 2017 LRS has executed 15+ acquisitions of family-owned regional haulers (most recently GHW in Indianapolis in August 2025) and raised institutional capital from Goldman Sachs Growth Equity and Maple Investment Partners in 2017, with a subsequent $100 million round in November 2023 funding continued Midwest consolidation. Alan T. Handley serves as CEO, Brian Tibble as CMO, and Daniel Goldstein as CFO.

Name

Lakeshore Recycling Systems

Legal name

Lakeshore Recycling Systems, LLC

Website

https://lrsrecycles.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Lakeshore Recycling Systems is a privately held Midwest waste management and recycling company serving 1.2 million households across 160 towns with 11 recycling facilities, offering roll-off dumpsters, portable sanitation, and recurring curbside collection for residential, commercial, and construction customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management and Recycling Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Collection (56211), Waste Collection (5621), Other Waste Collection (562119), Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal Solid Waste Collection (Residential/Commercial) (IMAIAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Roll-Off / Containerized MSW Collection (Commercial & Industrial) (EUAIAAAD), Commercial & Institutional MSW Collection (BPALAAAB), Residential Curbside MSW Collection (BPALAAAA), E-waste & Universal Waste Collection/Transfer (Electronics, Lamps, Batteries) (EUAIABAG)

Keywords

• Waste management services
• Recycling services
• Dumpster rentals
• Portable restroom rentals
• Construction debris removal

Headquarters

HQ city

Morton Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Residential Waste & Recycling Subscription: Weekly curbside trash and recycling pickup services for residential customers in municipalities across the service footprint. Subscription-based recurring revenue model.
2. Roll-Off Dumpster Rentals: Short-term heavy-duty container rentals for projects including home remodels, construction, and cleanouts. One-time rental fees with delivery and pickup.
3. Portable Restroom Rentals: Rental of portable toilets, restroom trailers, and sinks for construction sites, events, and temporary facilities. Flexible booking options for short and long-term needs.
4. Commercial Container Services: Regular waste collection services for businesses with various container sizes (carts to 8-yard dumpsters) in front-load and rear-load configurations.
5. Trash Compactor Rentals: Rental and servicing of trash compactors (self-contained, stationary, apartment-style, vertical) for businesses generating large waste volumes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) provides integrated waste management, recycling, and portable sanitation services across the Midwest United States. Its core offerings include residential curbside trash and recycling collection, commercial waste and recycling programs, construction and demolition debris removal, roll-off dumpster rentals, trash compactor rentals, commercial container service, portable toilet and restroom trailer rentals, and material recovery at 11 recycling facilities serving 1.2 million households across 160 towns.

Product overview

Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) offers a unified waste management service platform providing dumpster rentals, portable restroom solutions, and waste & recycling collection services. The core product portfolio includes Roll-Off Dumpsters and Commercial Containers for container-based waste needs, Trash Compactors for volume reduction, and Portable Toilets, Restroom Trailers, and Portable Sinks for sanitation requirements. These equipment offerings are complemented by Residential, Commercial, and Construction-focused Waste & Recycling Services that provide curbside collection, recycling programs, and specialized debris removal. The company operates across the Midwest serving 1.2 million households across 160 towns with 11 recycling facilities, emphasizing sustainability through waste diversion and environmentally responsible practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Roll-Off Dumpsters Heavy-duty open-top containers delivered and picked up on demand for short-term waste needs, available in rectangular, tub-style, recycling, heavy-duty scrap, sludge, flatbed, and custom builds ranging from 10 to 30 yard sizes, for construction, remodeling, and cleanout projects.
• Trash Compactors Waste compression equipment for businesses to reduce waste volume and disposal costs, available in self-contained, stationary, apartment-style, and vertical configurations with sizes ranging from 0.25 to 40 yards.
• Commercial Containers Business waste collection containers available in carts, front-load, and rear-load configurations ranging from 96 gallons to 8 yards, designed for restaurants, schools, office parks, and apartment buildings.
• Portable Toilets Portable restroom rentals available in standard, deluxe, ADA-compliant, and roller configurations for construction sites, events, and outdoor gatherings, featuring vents, hand sanitizer dispensers, and various customization options.
• Restroom Trailers Luxury portable restroom trailers with flushable toilets, running water sinks, climate control, and premium finishes available in 2-stall, 4-stall, 8-stall, 10-stall, and ADA-compliant configurations for formal events.
• Portable Sinks Hand-washing and sanitizing station options for portable sanitation setups at events and worksites.
• Residential Waste & Recycling Services Weekly curbside trash and single-stream recycling collection for residential customers, including yard waste collection, septic services, bulk item pickup, and e-waste/hazardous household waste scheduling.
• Commercial Waste & Recycling Services Container and collection services for businesses including trash pickup, recycling programs, and sustainable waste management plans for commercial developments.
• Construction Waste Disposal Services Construction and demolition debris removal with roll-off dumpsters, portable restrooms, street sweeping, and advanced recycling for materials including asphalt, brick, drywall, metal, and roofing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% of trash diverted away from landfills
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Chime EnterpriseminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 February 2026LRS adopted Chime Workplace financial wellness platform for employees, including earned wage access, high-yield savings accounts, and credit-building tools. This is a benefits partnership for LRS's workforce rather than a revenue-generating partnership.
• Habitat for HumanityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership involving building new homes and donating resources to combat food insecurity in areas of need. Reflects LRS's social impact commitment beyond waste services.
• Universal Technical Institute (UTI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLRS/UTI Early Employment Program employs UTI students as 'Mechanics in Training' paired with experienced 'Mentor Mechanics' to learn skills in LRS garages. Talent development partnership for workforce pipeline.
• Northern Illinois University College of BusinessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLRS supports NIU's Business in Action and Experiential Learning Center programs, cultivating next-generation professionals and developing talent pipeline for the industry.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Waste Management, Inc. Largest North American waste hauler with integrated collection, transfer, recycling, and landfill operations. Directly comparable to LRS on residential curbside, commercial, and roll-off services; far larger scale but serves the same end markets and competes for the same municipal RFPs (e.g., Indianapolis-area).
• Republic Services, Inc. Second-largest U.S. solid waste company offering residential, commercial, industrial, and recycling collection plus disposal. Competes head-to-head with LRS for municipal contracts and commercial accounts across the Midwest, with broader geographic and infrastructure footprint.
• Waste Connections, Inc. Major North American solid waste and recycling services provider with an acquisition-driven growth model similar to LRS. Operates a vertically integrated collection-to-disposal network across many secondary markets that overlap with LRS's Midwest footprint.

Direct peers

• GFL Environmental Inc. Canadian-based, publicly listed environmental services company pursuing a roll-up strategy of regional waste and recycling haulers. Highly comparable to LRS in business model (collection, recycling, organics, infrastructure), M&A approach, and mix of residential/commercial/industrial customers, including Midwest U.S. operations.
• Casella Waste Systems, Inc. Vertically integrated solid waste, recycling, and resource management company operating in the Northeast and Midwest U.S. Closely mirrors LRS's regional roll-up strategy, residential/commercial mix, recycling focus, and acquisition-based expansion playbook.
• Recology, Inc. Employee-owned integrated waste and recycling collection company with strong commitment to zero-waste diversion. Comparable to LRS in residential/commercial collection, recycling processing, and sustainability leadership (high diversion rates, MRF operations).
• Green for Life Environmental (GFL) subsidiary operations in U.S. Midwest: U.S. subsidiary operations of GFL Environmental serving Midwest markets. Direct overlap with LRS across residential, commercial, roll-off, and recycling services in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Minnesota.

Regional players

• Rumpke Consolidated Companies, Inc. Family-owned regional waste and recycling hauler serving Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia. Directly overlaps LRS's Midwest footprint, offers residential curbside, commercial, roll-off, recycling, and portable restrooms, and competes for municipal contracts in adjacent Indiana/Ohio markets.

Emerging players

• Heritage Environmental Services: Indianapolis-headquartered environmental services firm focused on waste management, recycling, and industrial services. Geographic overlap with LRS in Indiana, particularly relevant given LRS's Indianapolis contract win; competes on commercial and industrial accounts.

Others

• Stericycle, Inc. U.S. provider of medical waste, secure information destruction, and specialty waste services. Adjacent peer in the broader environmental services space; not a direct competitor but shares the regulated waste handling, compliance-driven, and route-based collection model relevant to LRS's e-waste and hazardous household waste offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lrsrecycles
• Facebookfacebook.com/lakeshorerecyclingsystems
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3041219

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A15 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lakeshore Recycling Systems