Illinois Recycling Association

What Illinois Recycling Association does

The Illinois Recycling Association, operating in tandem with the Illinois Recycling Foundation, is a Illinois-based nonprofit membership organization founded in 1980 (originally as the Illinois Association of Recycling Centers) that promotes recycling, reuse, and waste reduction across the state. In 2020, the organization restructured into two united entities: the Illinois Recycling Association (501(c)(6), focused on legislative advocacy) and the Illinois Recycling Foundation (501(c)(3), focused on education, events, and outreach). The organization serves municipalities and local governments, recycling businesses and haulers, processors, educational institutions, nonprofits, and individual supporters, providing programming across stakeholder groups.

Its core offerings include a digital platform at illinoisrecycles.org and app.illinoisrecycles.org (built on Recycle Coach technology) that provides statewide recycling location search, material guidelines for metals, glass, paper, plastics, electronics, batteries, hazardous waste, and special items, plus a coordinator directory. The foundation coordinates three major stewardship programs: the Consumer Electronics Recycling Act (CERA) program covering 50-60 Illinois counties and approximately 87% of the state's population, the new Battery Stewardship Program (effective January 2026) operated by The Battery Network, and PaintCare Illinois (launched December 2025 with 345+ drop-off sites). Annual programming includes the Illinois Circularity Conference (co-hosted with ILCSWMA and IL Chapter of SWANA), CERA and Battery Stewardship workshops, Lunch and Learn webinars with universities, and the Feed the Cart mass-media campaign.

Revenue is generated through tiered membership dues (Student $35, Friend $60, Individual Supporter $130, Education/Government/Nonprofit $245, Business $325, Corporate $475, Benefactor $2,300), corporate sponsorships and benefactor support, event registration and sponsorship fees, and tax-deductible donations. The organization operates with 1-10 employees from Geneva, Illinois, and is governed by an 11-member board of directors comprising representatives from municipalities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations across Illinois.

Name

Illinois Recycling Association

Legal name

Illinois Recycling Foundation

Website

https://illinoisrecycles.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Illinois Recycling Association and Foundation are Illinois-based nonprofit organizations, founded in 1980, that promote recycling and circular economy through education, advocacy, and stewardship program coordination serving municipalities, recyclers, processors, and residents statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Services and Recycling Advocacy

NAICS

Waste Management and Remediation Services (562), Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (56)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH)

Keywords

• Recycling education
• Stewardship programs
• Circular economy
• Environmental advocacy
• Nonprofit association

Headquarters

HQ city

Villa Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individuals, businesses, municipalities, educational institutions, and nonprofits at various tier levels ranging from $35 (Student) to $2,300 (Benefactor). Provides voting rights, access to resources, newsletters, webinars, and member discounts.
2. Corporate Sponsorships and Benefactor Support: Corporate sponsors and benefactors provide financial support in exchange for logo placement, recognition, and visibility across the organization's website, newsletters, and events. Includes title sponsorships for the Illinois Circularity Conference.
3. Event Revenue: Registration fees, exhibition fees, and sponsorship revenue from conferences, workshops, and networking events.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to the 501(c)(3) Illinois Recycling Foundation supporting education, outreach, and statewide initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Illinois Recycling Association operates as a membership-based nonprofit providing recycling education, advocacy, and stewardship program coordination across Illinois. It runs the Illinois Recycles digital platform (app and website) that serves as a statewide recycling location finder and education resource, and it coordinates state-mandated stewardship programs for electronics (CERA), batteries, and paint. The organization delivers its mission through membership tiers, annual conferences, workshops, webinars, and public education campaigns.

Product overview

The Illinois Recycling Foundation operates primarily as a membership-based nonprofit organization providing recycling education, coordination, and advocacy services across Illinois. The organization offers a digital platform built on Recycle Coach technology that includes a recycling location finder, material guidelines database, and coordinator network. The foundation facilitates three major stewardship programs: CERA (Consumer Electronics Recycling Act) for electronics, the Battery Stewardship Program for portable and medium-format batteries, and PaintCare for architectural paint. Additional offerings include annual conferences, webinars, educational workshops, and the Feed the Cart public education campaign. The organization functions as a 501(c)(3) focused on education, events, networking, and outreach, while the affiliated Illinois Recycling Association (501(c)(6)) handles legislative matters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Recycling Location Finder Interactive search tool allowing users to find recycling facilities, drop-off centers, and collection events near them by searching city name or zip code. Built for Illinois residents, municipalities, and businesses seeking recycling infrastructure access.
• Recycling Guidelines and Education Comprehensive recycling guidelines organized by material type including metals, glass, paper/cardboard, plastics, electronics, batteries, hazardous waste, and special items. Built for Illinois residents seeking proper disposal information.
• CERA Program Coordination Foundation-facilitated electronics recycling program coordination connecting Illinois counties with manufacturers, collectors, and recyclers under the Consumer Electronics Recycling Act. Covers 8-9 categories of covered electronic devices including computers, TVs, printers, and game consoles, with 50-60 counties participating annually covering 87% of Illinois' population.
• PaintCare Illinois Program Statewide paint stewardship program providing drop-off locations for leftover architectural paint, stain, and varnish throughout Illinois. Managed by PaintCare and supported by the Foundation; collected 60,000 gallons in first two months.
• Battery Stewardship Program Support Support for Illinois' battery stewardship program covering portable primary and rechargeable batteries, medium-format batteries (4.4-25 lbs), and damaged batteries. Operated by The Battery Network with 250+ battery producers participating; provides 86% of Illinois residents a drop-off site within 13 miles.
• Illinois Circularity Conference Annual two-day conference bringing together recycling professionals for educational sessions, networking, and collaboration on building a circular Illinois. Jointly hosted with ILCSWMA and IL Chapter of SWANA.
• Membership Program Tiered membership program offering annual subscriptions ranging from $35 (Student) to $2,300 (Benefactor). Members receive voting rights, access to resources, webinars, member directory listings, event discounts, and policy representation.
• CERA and Battery Stewardship Workshops In-person stakeholder workshops addressing real-world challenges in electronics and battery stewardship. Sponsored by the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER) and The Battery Network, featuring presentations from Illinois EPA, NCER, and program leaders.
• Feed the Cart Campaign Mass-media recycling education campaign backed by a $2 million EPA grant, spanning six Chicago metro counties with 275 local governments. Features mascot 'Loop' and aims to increase recycling tonnage by 15% before 2030; generated 9.5 million media impressions.

Quantifiable outcome

• CERA program covers 87% of Illinois' population through 50-60 participating counties
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PaintCarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025PaintCare operates Illinois' architectural paint stewardship program launched December 1, 2025. The program provides over 345 drop-off locations for leftover paint, stain, and varnish, collecting 60,000 gallons in the first two months.
• National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCER is a non-profit organization based in West Virginia managing the Illinois Clearinghouse program since the CERA transition in 2019. They sponsor IRF workshops and provide manufacturer clearinghouse operations connecting all CERA stakeholders with the latest program data and county opt-in coordination.
• The Battery Network (formerly Call2Recycle)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 1994 by battery manufacturers, The Battery Network operates Illinois' battery stewardship program covering portable and medium-format batteries. They are title sponsor of the 2026 Illinois Circularity Conference and provide free collection solutions including OneDrum systems and Call2Recycle boxes to collection partners.
• Recycle CoachcoreTechnology or IntegrationIllinois EPA partnered with Recycle Coach to provide all residents with hyper-local recycling information via free app and web tools. Features include collection reminders, 'What Goes Where' searches, and community-specific guidance to reduce contamination and improve recycling rates statewide.
• SWANCC (Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWANCC operates a no-fee electronics collection model for residents, serving as a model for resident-friendly service. Executive Director Christina Seibert participates in IRF workshops sharing insights on making free collection work.
• Metropolitan Mayors CaucuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed the unveiling of 'Feed the Cart,' a $2 million EPA-funded recycling education campaign spanning six Chicago metro counties. Campaign includes 275 local governments working together on the largest coordinated recycling effort in Illinois history.
• Illinois EPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIllinois Environmental Protection Agency partners with IRF on recycling education, stewardship programs (CERA, battery, paint), and provides regulatory oversight for covered electronic devices and battery stewardship programs.
• Strategic Materials Inc. (SMI)minorOthersNorth America's largest glass recycler, operating facilities in Illinois. SMI is a dedicated IRF member and benefactor contributing expertise and advocacy to statewide glass recycling efforts.
• University of Illinois ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with IRF to host 'Lunch and Learn' webinar on campus sustainability and recycling initiatives in October 2024.
• Loyola University ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with IRF and UIC on the 'Lunch and Learn' webinar series focused on campus recycling and sustainability initiatives.
• PCs for PeopleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit collecting e-waste for reuse and recycling, distributing computers to low-income individuals and families. Board member Loren Williams represents the organization.
• ILCSWMA (Illinois Association of County Solid Waste Management Professionals)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted the first Illinois Circularity Conference with ILCSWMA and the IL Chapter of SWANA, attracting over 160 attendees.
• IL Chapter of SWANAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted the first Illinois Circularity Conference with ILCSWMA and IRF, reviving a partnership for the joint conference.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Keep America Beautiful: National nonprofit focused on litter prevention, recycling, and community beautification through education campaigns; comparable mass-media education approach with broader scope than the foundation's recycling focus.

Direct peers

• SWANA (Solid Waste Association of North America): Professional association for solid waste and recycling professionals; the Illinois Recycling Foundation co-hosts the Illinois Circularity Conference with the IL Chapter of SWANA, indicating their direct peer relationship in convening solid waste stakeholders.
• US Composting Council: National nonprofit trade association advancing composting through education, advocacy, and member services; a parallel mission-driven trade association in the adjacent organics-recycling space.
• Product Stewardship Institute: Nonprofit advancing producer responsibility and product stewardship policies for electronics, batteries, paint, and other hard-to-recycle products; directly comparable to the foundation's role coordinating CERA, battery, and paint stewardship programs in Illinois.
• Recycling Partnership: National nonprofit focused on improving recycling through public education, grants, and program funding for municipalities; comparable mission of advancing circular economy and grants-funded education campaigns like the Feed the Cart program.
• Container Recycling Institute: Nonprofit advancing beverage container recycling through research, policy advocacy, and education; comparable niche advocacy nonprofit focused on a specific recycling stream with national scope.
• Northeast Recycling Council: Regional recycling council serving Northeast U.S. states with similar mission of advancing recycling through research, education, and policy advocacy; a regional peer operating in a different geography but with comparable scope and approach.
• National Recycling Coalition: National-level trade association advancing recycling through education, advocacy, and member services; the Illinois Recycling Foundation offers reciprocal NRC membership at the benefactor tier, signaling their direct peer relationship as the state affiliate.

Emerging players

• Earth911: Digital recycling information platform providing location search and educational content to consumers nationwide; competes with the Illinois Recycles app in providing recycling guidance, but operates commercially and at national scale.

Regional players

• CalRecycle (California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery): State-level agency administering recycling programs in California; functions as the governmental equivalent of the foundation's coordination role but in a different state with state-agency structure rather than nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IllinoisRecycle
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@irfira6715
• Facebookfacebook.com/IllinoisRecyclingFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/illinois-recycling-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Illinois Recycling Association