Lakeshore Recycling Systems was born in 2012 by way of a merger between two of Chicago’s strongest waste recycling companies: Lakeshore Waste Services and Recycling Systems, Inc.

Lakeshore Waste Services (LWS), was founded in 2001 by a veteran of one of the largest waste management companies in the world. LWS grew from a one-truck/one-route operation into a 60-truck company serving most of northern and northwestern Illinois. LWS grew its success by practicing the bedrock principles on which it was founded: offering first-rate customer services that don’t break the bank.

Recycling Systems, Inc. was founded in 1999 by veterans of the waste and recycling industry in Forest Park, Illinois. In 2005, RSI built two 25,000-square-foot recycling and transfer buildings and established its footprint in Chicago. Today LRS operates these transfer facilities with pride as they are viewed within the industry as the gold standard of transfer facilities, providing solutions that divert waste and debris from entering landfills. RSI optimized the waste stream by finding outlets for recyclable materials that today are sorted at LRS facilities. Today, LRS exceeds the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Certification points and is compliant with the City of Chicago’s Recycling Ordinance. RSI’s 55-fleet operation served Chicago-area residents, general contractors, and demolition and excavation companies for more than 20 years.