Changes in Recycling Industry Mean Changes in How We Recycle at Home

Recycling has become a way of life for many Americans. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 34% of garbage is recycled. However, recycling as we know it is at a critical crossroads. The current recycling model is no longer sustainable or viable.  Read More

What does this mean for you?  

Shifts in the waste management industry are resulting in a complete overhaul in recycling methods and collection that are hitting close to home. Republic Services will continue to collect recycling however, immediate actions will change how and what is recycled through the curbside collection service.

The biggest issue affecting consumer recycling today is contamination. Things like plastic bags, organic matter (food, liquid and yard waste), rubber hoses, wires and low-grade plastics can contaminate recycling and cause recyclable items to be landfilled.

Curbside recycling materials that are contaminated with items that cannot be processed or have not been properly cleaned cause havoc at recycling facilities by increasing sorting time, causing damage to recycling equipment and decreasing the value of commodities. It has become necessary to shift the recycling model to make recycling sustainable.

The main thing residents can do to help are: 

• Sort smarter – learn what can and cannot be recycled
• Do not place food waste in recycling containers – including pizza boxes!
• Do not use plastic bags for recyclables
• Make sure items are empty, clean and dry

VIEW RECYCLING QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

In the coming months, Republic Services’ route drivers will be checking the contents of recycling carts prior to collection. Any contamination will result in a tag with instructions. Residents will be required to remove all contaminated recycling prior to being serviced on their next collection day.

For more information, contact the Public Works Department at 847-870-5640.

Read More About Recycling Changes from Republic Services

Wishcycling what is it?

https://youtu.be/4CLwrKBpuFQ

Public Works is now accepting Styrofoam materials for recycling at the Public Works Facility (1700 W Central Rd)

Drop off is available

Tuesdays from 10am-12pm

Thursdays from 1pm-3pm

Please do not bring your styrofoam  material to Public Works outside of the collection hours.

Items Accepted:

Foam packaging materials from:

• Televisions, appliances, computers, furniture, foam coolers
• Food service foam like egg cartons, trays, takeout clamshells, cups, and plates

 Foam must be clean (no food particles attached),  dry,  and free of tape and labels.

Items Not Accepted:

• Blue or pink foam insulation
• Squishy or flexible foam (pool noodles) 
• Foam with excessive food, dirt or paint
• Foam packing peanuts, pieces or noodles
• Furniture cushions
• Construction foam insulation
• Liquid absorbing pads used in fish or meat trays
• Plastic cutlery
• Plastic strapping
• Shrink Wrap
• Cardboard

How is the material recycled? 

Our Styrofoam recycling process.

Styrofoam recycling machines, also known as foam densifiers, use a high volume extrusion technology. Plastic foam, or expanded polystyrene (EPS) waste is first placed into the hopper of the machine where it is crushed and shredded into small bits. The foam bits are then dropped into an auger/screw where the material is heated by thermochemical reaction. Finally the melted waste is extruded and ready for collection. The result of the process is a material known as an ingot, with up to 1/90th of the original volume of its EPS form. These plastic ingots can then be recycled into other products. This heat-induced densification process is quick, safe, and cleanly processed with no harmful emissions.

The Village of Mount Prospect is partnering with Trex Company to offer its residents two locations for plastic bag collection drop-off.  Bring bags to the Recycling Center located at the west end of the parking lot at Public Works Department  (1700 West Central Road) and Village Hall (50 S. Emerson Street).

When residents bring their unwanted plastic materials to Trex drop-off locations, not only are they helping to keep thousands of pounds of waste out of landfills, they are also helping Trex create beautiful and environmentally responsible outdoor products. 

This recycling option is especially important since these materials ARE NOT ACCEPTED in the Village’s curbside recycling program.

Plastic bags contaminate your recycling and if placed in your recycling bin, the entire contents of the bin will be routed to the landfill rather than being recycled.

The following materials will be accepted at both drop-off locations:

• newspaper sleeves
• bread bags
• product wrap
• cereal liners
• food storage bags 
• ice bags
• pellet bags
• produce bags 
• dry cleaning bags 
• plastic grocery bags
• case overwrap
• air pillows used in packaging
• salt bags

All material brought to the drop-off locations must be clean and dry.

Locations and Hours of Operation for Collection Sites:

The Recycling Center is open 24-hours a day and is located at the west end of the parking lot at Public Works Department  (1700 West Central Road). 

Village Hall
50 S. Emerson St
Mount Prospect, IL 60056
M-F 8:30am-5:00pm

For more information,  contact the Public Works Department at 847-870-5640.

Beginning, April 1, 2022, Simple Recycling, will no longer provide curbside collection for textiles. Residents will be required to schedule a pick-up online at https://simplerecycling.com/schedule-pickup/?ds_zip=60056#main or by calling 866/835-5068. Additionally, residents will no longer be required to use orange bags. Textiles and other items can be placed in clean box or paper/plastic bags and placed by the front door for pick-up.

 In January of 2018, The Village of Mount Prospect partnered with Simple Recycling to offer residents an effective and innovative way to choose textile recycling over throwing away.  Simple Recycling exists to provide communities with a scalable and convenient solution to help dramatically reduce the harmful impact of textile waste. The free textile collection service aims to forge long-lasting benefits for the environment, people, and communities alike. 

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 85% of all clothing ends up in landfills with only 15% being donated. Proactive efforts to recycle clothing, shoes, and accessories today can have the same impact as removing millions of cars from the nation's roads. In addition, when recycled or reused, these items help reduce greenhouse gasses more than recycling glass, plastics, and yard trimmings. 

Adam Winfield, President for Simple Recycling says:  “We focus on convenience and simplicity. Our goal is to offer residents the simplest way to let your clothing be loved again.” 

For those residents that traditionally donate clothing to charities, the Village and Simple Recycling encourages them to continue to do so.  

How Do I Participate

• Visit https://simplerecycling.com/#main or call 866/835-5068 to schedule your future pick-up.
• Place your items in a clean box, paper, or plastic bag and place it by the front door on your scheduled pick-up day.

What Items Can be Collected

• Men's Clothing
• Women's Clothing
• Children's Clothing
• Coats and Jackets
• Jewelry
• Shoes
• Purses
• Hats
• Toys
• Blankets
• Drapes/Curtains
• Pillows
• Sleeping Bags
• Tools
• Silverware
• Dishes

For more detailed information regarding textile recycling, please visit the village’s website or contact the Public Works Department at 847-870-5640 or email publicworksdept@mountprospect.org .

The Village with the sponsorship of the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County is pleased to offer a new battery recycling program.  The purpose of the program is to provide a convenient method for recycling of household alkaline and rechargeable batteries and prevent disposal in landfills.  The program is provided at no cost to the resident, Village or SWANCC.

• Who is allowed to participate?  The program is open to all Mount Prospect residents and SWANCC community residents.
• What type of batteries will be accepted?  The program is only designed to accept household alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D, 9V and button cells ) and rechargeable batteries (NiCad, NiMh, lithium ion, and lithium polymer)
• We will not accept Nickel Iron, Mercury, Silver Oxide, or Lead Acid batteries.  These battery types would include car, marine, sump pump.
• What type of Preparation is needed?  For all rechargeable batteries (Lithium, NiMh, and NiCad), residents must cover the contact points of each rechargeable battery with masking tape or place each rechargeable battery in an individual self-locking plastic bag so that the contact points on batteries do not touch each other during collection or transportation, which can cause a fire hazard.  Batteries that are not prepared properly will not be accepted.  This is not necessary with household or alkaline batteries.
• Where do I drop off my batteries?  Batteries can be brought to the Recycling Center located at the west end of the parking lot at Public Works Department  (1700 West Central Road).

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) have been in the media spotlight lately focusing on their environmental benefits. They do however contain mercury vapor, which makes disposing of the bulbs a concern. 

In response to this issue the Village in cooperation with the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) offers a free recycling program to Mount Prospect residents. Residents can bring their CFLs and four foot (limit of 12 4' fluorescent tubes per visit)  fluorescent to the Recycling Center located at the west end of the parking lot at Public Works Department  (1700 West Central Road). CFLs should be brought to Public Works unbroken and in a zip lock bag for proper recycling.

This program is for residentially generated CFLs and is not for commercial or industrial businesses. Please do not bring incandescent bulbs in for recycling. Incandescent bulbs are not hazardous and can be disposed of with your regular solid waste.

For more information on the program, please visit the Village website or contact the Public Works Department at (847) 870-5640.

To assist residents with collecting old electronics and to ensure environmentally safe recycling of these materials, the Village, in partnership with the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) , has established an Electronics Recycling Drop-off site at the Mount Prospect Public Works Facility. 

Not all electronic items will be accepted. Residents are limited to 7 items each week. Please review the Acceptable Electronic Material list to see if your electronics item will be accepted.  If you do not find your electronic listed as an acceptable item please consult the SWANCC recycling directory for a complete list of alternative recycling options for your electronic item. 
 
Beginning, the April 10, Village and SWANCC member community residents can drop-off electronics at the Mount Prospect Public Works Facility. Items for recycling will only be accepted on Wednesdays between the hours of 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.. Items brought to the Public Works Facility outside of designated hours will not be collected.

Drop off location: 1700 W. Central Rd.

Dates: April 10  and runs through the last Wednesday in October 30. The drop-off is only open on Wednesdays between the hours of 10am and 12pm.

In addition to the Mount Prospect location SWANCC sponsors several other Weekly Drop-off Locations. The locations listed below are open to all Mount Prospect residents. Collection locations will be closed on national holidays.

Glenview Transfer Station (Drop off available all year)
1151 N River Road
Across from the Maryville Academy
Saturdays: 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

 For details on alternate collection sites visit https://swancc.org/recycling/electronics-recycling

The Village, in partnership with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, is now offering 24/7 disposal of medications at the Public Works Recycling Center (West end of the Public Works parking lot). 

General tips

Acceptable Items:
Unused/Expired prescription medications
Prescription cough syrup
Prescription ear drops and eye drops
Expired over-the-counter medications
Pharmaceutical Controlled Substances

Unacceptable Items:
Institutional or business waste
Non-prescription liquids
Household Chemical Waste
Residential sharps

Additional Medication Disposal Locations
CVS Pharmacy
1002 S Busse Rd Mount Prospect, IL 60056
Call the pharmacy for hours
Walgreens
1028 S Elmhurst Rd Mount Prospect, IL 60056 
Call the pharmacy for hours
Arlington Heights Police Department
200 E Sigwalt St
Open 24/7

This program is for residents that live one of SWANCC’s 23 member communities. No sharps from businesses, schools or hospitals will be accepted. Residents can bring sharps for disposal to the Public Works Department during normal business hours (Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.).

As of August 5, 2024 the Village is no longer operating a recycling drop-off for thermostats or thermometers that contain mercury. 

Thermostats and thermometers containing mercury will still be accepted at the Village's household hazardous waste collection (HHW) events.  For more information on HHW events visit Household Hazardous Waste Collection.

Mount Prospect residents can now access Recycle Coach, free of charge, from their desktop computers, mobile devices, or through digital assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home. This free platform makes it easy and provides the following:

• Garbage and Recycling Schedule
• Receive weekly reminders for garbage and recycling collections
• Boost your recycling knowledge
• Detailed information on where and how to recycle thousands of items.

For further inquiries regarding your garbage, recycling schedule or questions if your address is not currently listed under the collection schedule, please  email.