The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) provides the follow programs to assist with water conservation and reduce flooding.

Acquiring Your Rain Barrel

All Cook County residents can purchase a rain barrel (55 gallon plastic HDPE) for $45.78 (including tax) and this includes a flexible connecting elbow to attach your barrel to your downspout, a linking hose to connect it to a second barrel, detailed instructions, and free delivery to your home.  

https://mwrd.org/rain-barrels

 Restore the Canopy - Plant a Tree

The Restore the Canopy program offers FREE Bur, Pin, Red, and Swamp White Oak saplings. As a form of green infrastructure, a medium-sized oak tree can help prevent flooding and improve water quality by absorbing 2,800 gallons of rainfall per year.

https://mwrd.org/restore-canopy

For more information on any of the below programs or to learn about additional recycling programs, please visit the Public Works Department's recycling programs webpage or contact the Public Works Department at (847) 870-5640.

The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) executed a recycling cart-tagging pilot in May 2022 and the Village of Mount Prospect participated in the program. The Program Report identified shipping packaging was the most prevalent contaminant in the sampled recycling carts in Mount Prospect’s study area. The shipping packaging contamination dropped by half by the end of the four-week program period. Public Works redesigned its recycling cart stickers as a result and the new stickers provide more guidance to residents on acceptable items for recycling. Updated cart stickers may be picked up at Public Works and will be available at the Public Works Open House.

For recyclable materials to have a second life, they must be clean and free from contaminants. What can you do to help prevent recycling contamination?

• Check what you can put in your cart. Always look for a recycling label.
• Only include acceptable items in your recycling cart.
• Clean, empty and dry all your recyclable containers.
• Keep your recyclables loose. No Plastic Bags!
• Call (847-870-5640) or email (publicworksdept@mountprospect.org) Public Works if you have any questions.

The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) sponsors the follow programs to assist residential recycling.

Electronics Recycling 

SWANCC provides environmentally-responsible recycling programs for end-of-life computers and electronics for residents of its member communities and Mount Prospect is a member! There is a limit of seven items per household and no electronics can be accepted from municipalities, schools, businesses or institutions. 

Mount Prospect residents are able to participant in any SWANCC drop-off location with no fee.  Drop-off your computers and electrons at:

For additional drop-off locations and recycling information visit: https://www.swancc.org/recycling

Pharmaceutical/Sharps Disposal

The Cook County Sherriff's Prescription Drug Take Back Program is to assist residents throughout Cook County with proper disposal of unused and unexpired prescription drugs. No prescription drugs or sharps from businesses, schools or hospitals are accepted.     Residents can bring medications and sharps for disposal to the Public Works Department. IDs will be checked for verification of residency.

Mount Prospect Public Works
1700 W Central Road
(847) 870-5640
M-F: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm

For additional drop-off locations and recycling information visit: https://swancc.org/recycling/recycle-directory

Fluorescent Bulb Recycling

Compact fluorescent light bulbs, known as CFLs, are quickly replacing incandescent bulbs due to their energy efficiency, reduction and cool-to-the-touch qualities. Mount Prospect though the SWANCC offers residents a recycling program for mercury-containing light bulbs.  This program is for residential generated CFLs and is not for commercial or industrial businesses.  A limit of 12 lights will be accept from a resident per visit. The Mount Prospect Public Works is a drop-off location.

Mount Prospect Public Works
1700 W Central Road
(847) 870-5640
M-F: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
Will take 4' fluorescent lights.

For additional drop-off locations and recycling information visit:

SWANCC sponsors even more recycling programs for Mount Prospect residents  such as Mercury Containing Thermometers.

For more information on any of these program or to learn about additional recycling programs, please visit the Public Works Department's recycling programs webpage or contact the Public Works Department at (847) 870-5640.