Lakeshore Recycling Systems
Reviews and Complaints

Our city switched over to LRS last year or so. I pay my bills and pay them early or on time. This company claims they received no payment from me for the fall of 2022. It wasn't brought to my attention until earlier this year (2023). After multiple calls, emails and proof of payment, I have yet to be credited. They continue to double bill and add interest. It's difficult to get hold of anyone and more often than not, emails go unanswered.

Horrible service. Truck drove right past my cans and didn’t pick up our garbage. I called twice, filled out their online form twice, repeatedly told “a truck will be back today to collect it” and it never came. Now it’s been a week and my trash is still sitting at the end of the driveway. I called again and I get the same nonsense that they’ll pick it up today. Well they certainly ought to as this is our normal scheduled pick up day. What a lousy service with no accountability.

Disrespectful service men who refused to render any services after payment. Either wouldn't pick up trash or damage the can. When we called to say they did not pick up our can they said they would come by and never did. Horrible company do not use.

The worker is putting trash AND recycling in the same truck multiple times. I have called 2 times now, and no changes. I have video evidence of this and I am tired of seeing this happen. I will report to the right people. It's a disgrace and total disrespect for the environment, and this company claims that they work for the environment.

I'd say over the course of the year I have noticed every so often my trash can is in the street upon my arrival home and didn't think much of it, but since working home these last few months I have noticed that garbageman is deliberately not putting it back onto our driveway. The same garbage truck is also putting the garbage and recycling into the same truck. I called to inquire about it and was told that was not to happen. I was told a call back would occur. What also prompted the call was that the garbageman left trash bags that we had left outside the can, on the call I was informed that we have to prepay for the extra "bulk" bags. In no way are these bulk and I was never informed. In an attempt to look up my billing online to see if they are prospectively or retrospectively billing so I can be ore informed when I cancel.

In the alley behind approximately 624 south Wabash, Chicago, Illinois there are several dumpsters that are emptied on a regular basis that belong to the businesses and residences.

However there is one in the alley that has been there for a couple of months that is overflowing with trash and food and it is attracting rodents and I think it is a dangerous situation with the school and restaurants and residential units. (Photo attached below)

I submitted a request on the City of Chicago 311 app approximately two weeks ago and I even emailed the company that is on the dumpster - Lakeshore Recycling System and called them.

Over several years our condominium association has asked for a copy of the contract with no response.Over several years our condominium association has asked for a pickup schedule including holiday changes with no response.On several occasions we have not had a scheduled pickup and have on 1 complaint received a credit.We want a copy of the contract, a pickup schedule that includes holidays.

This is you current commercial customer. There is no snow near my container. And it is easy to pickup. In past three weeks, Lakeside recycling driver didn't show up on Wednesday . They said it is too much snow to pickup. This time I took the pictures for record. And the management office and another restaurant owner request me to pay for the fine. Due to the overload trash. It's a over $100 tickets bill. I call their service number so many times. They just ignore me. I call their service number on 2/10,2/15,2/17 twice a day. By the way, They charge me for $5 chain fee per month. But they tool the chain without any reason from December ,but they still charge me.

DUE TO COVID AND OTHER HEALTH HAVE NOT BEEN IN IL SINCE NOV 2019 THEY CHARGE ME $5.36 FOR SEASONAL TODAY BILL CAME AND IT WAS FOR OVER $91.00 I CALLED SND THEY SAID SEASONAL COULD ONLY BE FOR 6 MONTHS SO I NOW HAVE TO PAY REG MONTHLY RATE, I TOLD THEM MY SITUATION AND SAID AM NOT THERE THUS NO GARBAGE SO HOW CAN YOU CHARGE MEFOR A SERVCIE THAT I DONOT NEED NOR THAT YOU PREFORM; ISIT EVEN LEGAL FOR THEMTO CHARGE FOR SOMETHINGTHEY ARE NOT DOING.? TRIED TO CANCEL ACCT WAS TOLD I COULD NOT BECAUSE THEY HAD A CONTRACT WITH THE VILLAGE THIS SEEMS UNETHICAL TO ME. OUR OLD COMPANY WASTE MANAGEMENT NEVER CHARGED 1 CENT WHILE I HAD NO SERVICE I HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 45 YEARS ANS HAVE NEVER HAD THIS EXPERIENCE BEFORE

Last July, I called LRS and advised that I was moving and no longer wanted their service. At that time, I asked that they pick up the garbage and recycling carts. I was told at that time that they dont pick up the carts but to stop using them, which I did. Fast forward to today and I was charged. I called them and was told that I had only put a vacation hold on the account, untrue, and that they cant refund me the charge until the cans are picked up and that in ***, there is no Opt Out. I still own the home and it will be sold soon. I was told to have the carts out on Tues for pickup which is a huge pain as Im no longer living in the home. I hope my neighbor will put them out. My complaint is the fact that my account got so screwed up and that there isnt an Opt out option. All I get from them is the answer that there was a miscommunication. My address at the time was

Lakeshore took over Roy Strom Refuse. Residential refuse hauler Roy Strom sold out to Lakeshore Recycling Systems. We received a letter stating so sometime 02 but NOTHING WAS GOING TO CHANGE. About March 9 we received a large envelope from Lakeshore Recycling stating that we needed to sign a new contract and that the pick-up day of the week changed from Tuesday to Friday. And we were required to pay for the service by March 15. Many other customers in subdivision never receive ANY INFORMATION. I called and emailed Roy Strom that I was not going to continue using them. At first they tried to tell me they have to check my contract. I said we have been with Roy Strom for over 17 years, NEVER had a contract. I also kept asking about what happens to the 37 Lawn Waste Stickers we have. We were told Lakeshore would continue to honor them, we were also told we could return them. JEWEL refuses to refund. We want to return, putting out on 2 days.We had no warning!

There is only one option for recycling and garbage pickup in my city, Highland Park, IL. Lakeshore Recycling Systems has been terrible. After missing a pickup over the July 4 weekend, which was our fault, we noticed a maggot infestation in our large trash can (the large blue one used for pickup, not one that is in our kitchen or anywhere but the garage). Since then, I have called LRS to ask for a new garbage can to swap out. They initially gave me the information for a company that cleans the garbage can, but I really wanted LRS to replace it to start with a brand new can. I have now called 5 separate times, each time waiting on hold. Each time, I hear from someone who has my information and apologizes for a lack of something being done. They say someone will call me back, but this has never happened, except once via voicemail (called back and then no one called back from there). I am now told that there is nothing they can do, after calling 5 separate times for over a month!

On Monday, 5/17, I called Lakeshore Recycling for an additional pick up to my normal Friday garbage day. My family had did some spring cleaning inside our house over the weekend & our garbage & recycling cans were full. I was informed by the representative that there was a 2 yard minimum & I could put as much out as long as the 2 yard minimum was met. I set the additional pick up day for Tuesday, May 18th, confirmation number 014615 & told there was a one time $30 fee which I paid. I then called again on 5/18 at 2:42pm because my trash had yet to be picked up on the set day. On Wednesday, 5/19, my trash was finally picked up. On 5/21, the company charged me $115 without my authorization. I called on 5/24 & spoke with Catherine. She told me she had no idea why I was charged an additional $115 because her system does not list the reason. I only authorized my card to be charged once on 5/17 for $30 & was told that was the only fee. I want my $115 back!

Earlier this year our waste disposal service was bought out by LRS and the collection day was changed to one that conflicts with our schedules. We called to cancel and were told by a representative that we wouldn't owe anything and that the waste containers would be picked up soon. The containers weren't picked up for over a month and whenever we called either company (LRS or the previous service), we were told to call the other company for container pick up. Never were we told that we had an outstanding invoice or that we owed money. We switched to Groot mid-March . On September 13th, I received a voicemail from a representative informing us of an outstanding balance and the need to pay it to avoid 3rd party collections. After a few days of phone tag, I finally connected with the representative (who was very kind and professional). I told her about calling both companies to get the containers picked up and neither of them telling us we owed them anything. She said she would speak to her supervisor and call me back when she could find my contract. I never heard back from her. Last week we received an invoice from LRS for almost $300.

I called LRS today, 1/13/22, to cancel my trash service. I have been with LRS since I moved in June. They had provided (2) 95 gallon toters (one for trash and one for recycling) and at the time of signup (done entirely verbal and over the phone) I was told that they would take any extra trash that was in cans or less than 50lbs/bundle, in addition to 1 yard of construction or miscellaneous waste per pickup for no additional charge.The first few months we lived here we generated a LOT of trash as we were cleaning and sorting after the move. Everything neatly bundled or in cans was always picked up. During the summer of 2021, LRS bought DC Trash and they took over our route, which was missed several times and required several calls to get rectified. I never asked for a refund.About a month ago I put out our trash and a couch that I left in several pieces because it was heavy to move and got a snarky letter on my can (ONLY ONE UNIT OUTSIDE CANS). I thought I was doing a favor by leaving it in easily-managed pieces.Last week I put out both toters, and 2 30 gallon trash cans. The trash toter and one can were picked up, the recycling was left along with the other trash can without explanation. Later that day strong winds blew over the full recycling bin and scattered trash for a few hundred yards all over my property. I called LRS and they informed me that their terms of service had changed as of 1/1 and they would no longer be accepting anything outside of the two bins without a waste sticker that I could buy for each piece for $3 at a location on the other side of town. This was never communicated to me. I called today to cancel my service and they said they will charge me $60 to remove my cans (their property). I had never agreed to this. The best they can do is charge me half the fee. This is still unacceptable and illegal to demand payment for something not agreed upon. They said I could either pay it or have it sent to collections. I'm not paying it.