The Village of Mount Prospect has a comprehensive Solid Waste Management program that promotes waste reduction and resource recovery. Many of the solid waste programs also align with GRC goals. Waste and Recycling Programs increase access to recycling, support sustainable material management and reduce the amount of material being sent to landfills. Below are few ongoing initiatives that support waste and recycling.

• Single Family Refuse & Recycling Curbside Collection increases access to recycling while providing a service for proper refuse disposal. For more information check out Public Works Garbage Collection page.

• The Village's Unlimited Curbside Organics Collection makes recycling grass clippings, brush, leaves, fruits, and vegetables even more convenient. Visit the Organics and Yard Waste Collection page to learn how to divert waste from landfills. In addition, on-site composting is permitted by Village Code

• Additional Recycling Programs such as Plastic Bag Drop-Off, Textile Recycling, Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb Recycling, Battery Recycling and more are also available for residents. In addition, the Village's Electronics Recycling Drop-off program at the Mount Prospect Works Facility is made possible through a partnership with the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC). For more information and complete list of recycling programs, visit Public Works Additional Recycling Programs page.
  
  
• The Village of Mount Prospect Public Works Department hosts two special Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events per year. This special collection event is open to Mount Prospect residents ONLY. No business or commercial waste will be accepted.  In 2021, 800 cars dropped off Household Hazardous Waste. For more information on this program visit: Household Hazardous Waste Collection page.

• Cleaning out a garage, attic or basement? Garage Sales are a great way to avoid adding to the waste stream while also supporting the exchange of goods among residents. In addition, every May, the Village holds a community-wide garage sale event. Check Experience Mount Prospect for dates.

• The below table shows the recycling totals. 

 GRC Waste and Recycling strategies that the Village has completed or is working on are referenced below:

Mount Prospect benefits from several transportation systems directly serving the community. The sustainability of these systems and enhancing mobility options are goals for the Village and GRC. The Village’s long range planning documents (i.e. Comprehensive Plan, Bicycle Plan, Rand Road Corridor Study, etc.) address transportation and mobility. In addition, the Village has hired traffic engineers to study and propose solutions for traffic congestion and pedestrian accessibility at specific intersections. Below are a few ongoing initiatives that support sustainable transportation and enhanced mobility.

• The 2022 Community Investment Program includes constructing Pedestrian Crossing Improvements for Central Rd at We Go Trl. and Central Rd at Cathy Ln. There is also funding for designing crossing improvements at Central Rd at Pine St. These actions are the implementation of the Central Road Corridor Pedestrian Crossing Study recommendations intended to increase safety for pedestrian and bike crossing. 
  
  
• The Village is continuing to pursue intersection improvements at Rand-Central-Mount Prospect Roads and Rand-Elmhurst-Kensington Roads. The Village of Mount Prospect is committed to developing enhancements to the transportation system that will benefit motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, nearby businesses, and our residents.
  
  
• The 2021 Community Investment Program includes constructing Pedestrian Crossing Improvements for Central Rd at Pine St, and designing crossing improvements for Central Rd at We Go Trl. These actions are the implementation of the Central Road Corridor Pedestrian Crossing Study recommendations intended to increase safety for pedestrian and bike crossing.
  
  
• On February 11, 2020, staff presented a Bicycle Plan Update at a Committee of the Whole meeting of the Village Board. The update shared progress on proposed bike network improvements and communicated the Village’s commitment to continue employing the Plan as a guidance document in the development of a robust multi-modal transportation network for Village residents and visitors.
  
  
• Also in February 2020, the Village Board adopted a Complete Streets Policy. The policy was developed utilizing model policies promulgated by CMAP and the National Complete Streets Coalition. Complete Streets are streets that provides safe and convenient access for all users (pedestrians, bicycles, transit users, freight, passenger vehicles, emergency vehicles, etc.). It establishes that the Village will consider incorporating pedestrian, bicyclist, and other multi-model user improvements whenever a street is reconstructed or substantially improved.
  
  
• The Village is continuously working towards installing sidewalks at locations where they are nonexistent or discontinuous. 

GRC Mobility strategies that the Village has completed or is working on are referenced below:

The Village of Mount Prospect and GRC are committed to encouraging the efficient use of energy for buildings and facilities and enacting policies that support clean energy. The Village implements energy efficiency measures that have a short term pay back (i.e. lighting, occupancy sensors) and also plans for long-term energy efficiency equipment upgrades (i.e. HVAC systems, pumping stations). Below are few ongoing initiatives that support energy use reduction and alternative energy.

• In April 2022, the Village was designated a SolSmart Gold community. SolSmart is a national designation program that recognizes communities that reduce local barriers to solar energy. As a SolSmart designee, the Village of Mount Prospect is helping solar companies greatly reduce the cost of installations and pass those savings on to consumers. This allows even more local homes and businesses to obtain affordable, clean, and reliable electricity through solar. Visit the Installing Solar Energy Systems page for more information.
  
  
• The Village of Mount Prospect has partnered with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to launch the state's largest community solar program called the CS2 Residential and Small Commercial Program, which provides consumers easy and immediate access to new community solar farms in northern Illinois. Visit the Community Solar page to learn more and sign up.
  
  
• The Village complies with the Illinois Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which helps protect the environment and reduce energy consumption. By following an energy conservation code, property owners can reduce air pollution, moderate energy demand, stabilize energy costs and electric, oil, and gas supplies.
  
  
• Replacement of less energy efficient equipment at the end of its useful life is another way the Village incorporates energy use reduction.
  
  
• The new Police Headquarters and Fire Headquarters/Station 13 are both adaptive reuse projects cutting out energy costs of new construction. In addition, both new headquarters buildings meet 2015 IECC standards, which also meet or exceed the requirements necessary for LEED Silver Certification, but require no additional documentation, oversight, or design process.

GRC strategies that the Village has completed or is working on are referenced below:

Water (quality, delivery, conservation) stewardship is a primary service of the Village and it is a critical component for a sustainable community. A lot of water passes through the Village from stormwater to the clean water coming out of a faucet. The Village has a number of programs to help protect this fundamental resource.

• Annually the Village prepares the Water System Consumer Confidence Report. This report provides residents and businesses served by the Village-owned water distribution system with the information necessary to make prudent decisions about how they use tap water.
  
  
• The Village Board adopted a Water and Sewer Rate Study in 2017, which included a proposed rate structure to place water main replacement on a 130 year cycle instead of the unsustainable preexisting 600 year cycle. This reduces risk of water main breaks in the long-term, while also being a fiscally responsible means of funding improvements to an otherwise aging critical infrastructure.
  
  
• The Village implemented Automated Meter Reading (AMR) Technology which delivers better customer service by providing accurate water bills based on actual consumption, eliminating the need for residents to read their meter, and overall improved efficiency. It is also better suited for bring water system leaks to the attention of the resident and Public Works.

• The Village has a local code provision that requires all new plumbing fixtures and irrigation controllers installed bear the WaterSense label when such labeled fixtures are available. WaterSense is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program designed to encourage water efficiency.
  
  
• Mount Prospect restricts water use for watering and/or sprinkling lawns and/or gardens or for the purpose of filling and/or refiling swimming pools, outside washing or other uses.

Did you know? The Village of Mount Prospect is the 2019 Recipient of Utility Water Saver Award! Illinois Section of American Water Works Association recognized the Village of Mount Prospect for innovation in water infrastructure management.

GRC strategies that the Village has completed or is working on are referenced below:

The Greenest Region Compact Land Use goals address sustainable development, urban forestry and landscapes. The Village of Mount Prospect engages in these sustainable strategies through supporting redevelopment of underutilized or contaminated properties with transit-oriented development, and management of more than 24,000 parkway trees and over 59 acres of green space. Below are a few ongoing initiatives that support sustainable development and land use:

• The downtown development projects of 20 West Apartments, Maple Street Lofts, 10 N. Main and 1 W. Prospect are all transit-oriented developments.
  
  
• The Edwin and Elsie (Meyn) Busse Park, which opened in 2020, is located downtown two blocks northeast of the Mount Prospect Metra Station. The park includes a rain garden and native and diverse plants in its planting beds..
  
  
• The Village works to conserve, restore and enhance natural ecosystems and support biodiversity by using native and diverse plant selection in public right of way and municipal property landscaping. Leaf mulch is used at all Village landscape sites and pesticides are for spot treatment only.
  
  
• Annually, the Village of Mount Prospect coordinates an Arbor Day celebration that includes the planting of a tree. Also, staff collaborates with the Mount Prospect Garden Club in their conservation of monarch butterflies and plantings at Moehling Park and the Mount Prospect Historical Society Campus.
  
  
• Weller Creek is an open storm water system and is maintained as a natural open space area.

Several GRC strategies that the Village has completed or is working on are referenced below: