Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Mount Prospect
In Illinois, garbage and recycling services run on weekly zone-based routes. Exact pickup days vary by local municipality and private hauler.
State Mandate
Electronics and landscape waste are strictly banned from landfills.
Green Wheeled Cart Bin (Trash)
All standard garbage must fit inside the green cart with the lid completely closed. Carts must be placed at the curb with a 2-foot separation from other objects, with the handle facing away from the street.
Accepted Items
- ✓General household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Food wrappers
- ✓Small broken household items
Blue Wheeled Cart Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be empty, clean, and dry. Do not place items in plastic bags; leave them loose inside the blue cart. If your recycling capacity is insufficient, contact Public Works for a larger cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and mixed paper
- ✓Glass food and beverage containers
- ✓Steel, tin, and bimetal cans
- ✓Aluminum foil and formed foil
- ✓#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, and #7 plastics
- ✓Wax and polycoated cartons
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam (EPS)
- ✕Food waste or greasy pizza boxes
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses)
- ✕Electronics and batteries
Yard Waste Bin
Runs April to mid-December. Use rigid containers up to 32 gallons (max 50 lbs) or a rented yard waste cart for mixed food scraps. Kraft bags can only be used for plain yard waste. Brush must be bundled up to 5 ft and 50 lbs.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Twigs and brush
- ✓Fruits and vegetables
- ✓Bread, pasta, and cereals
- ✓Meat (no bones) and dairy (no liquids)
- ✓Coffee grounds
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on your regular collection day
Placement
Place bulk items on the parkway next to your green cart with at least a 2-foot clearance. Do not place items in the street.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Microwave ovens
- ✓ Bicycles and BBQ grills
- ✓ Lawn mowers and snowblowers (fluids drained)
- ✓ Furniture and plumbing fixtures (separated)
- ✓ Carpet rolls (cut to 5-foot lengths)
Not Accepted
- ✕ White goods (refrigerators, washers)
- ✕ Construction debris exceeding 1 cubic yard
- ✕ Tires and auto parts
- ✕ Hazardous household waste
Excessive construction debris over one cubic yard, large tree stumps, and white goods (appliances) require a special pickup arrangement directly with Republic Services (847-981-0091) and will incur an extra fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a holiday falls on a weekday on or before your scheduled pickup, service is delayed by one day that week (Friday routes collected on Saturday). If the holiday falls on a Sunday, it is observed on Monday, pushing all collections back one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and organics collection strictly follows the exact same holiday delay schedule as refuse and recycling.
There are no service delays for holidays not listed above, such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, or Columbus Day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Food Out of the Blue Cart
Even though Mount Prospect boasts an excellent food scrap composting program, never put food or greasy pizza boxes in your blue recycling cart. Food waste ruins entire batches of clean paper and cardboard. Put food scraps in your designated organics container instead.
Utilize Trex Bins for Plastic Film
Never bag your curbside recyclables or throw loose plastic grocery bags into the blue cart. Plastic film gets tangled in the mechanical sorting gears. Instead, gather your clean plastic grocery bags and take them to the Trex drop-off bins located at the Public Works Department or Village Hall.
Keep Styrofoam Off the Curb
Foam packaging, egg cartons, and EPS cups cannot go in your blue recycling cart. However, you don't have to throw them in the trash! Bring clean EPS foam blocks and food service foam to the Public Works facility on Tuesdays or Thursdays for specialized densification and recycling.
Seasonal Information
Spring
AprilEarly April marks the resumption of the Village's Organics and Yard Waste program. Begin placing your spring yard cleanup debris and kitchen scraps in rigid containers or rented carts on your normal collection day.
Autumn
Late October - Early DecemberThe Village provides a special Loose-Leaf Vacuum Collection program. Rake leaves onto the pavement exactly one foot from the curb line the day before your scheduled pickup. Do not bag them or mix them with grass clippings or sticks, as this will damage the vacuum machinery.
Winter
JanuaryLive Christmas trees are collected whole (completely stripped of lights, tinsel, wire, and ornaments) typically in early January. Do not place trees in plastic bags or chop them into pieces. Wreaths constructed with metal wire frames must go in the regular garbage.
About Mount Prospect Waste Management
Unified Cart System Managed by Public Works
Mount Prospect utilizes an exclusive single-family franchise agreement with Republic Services, overseen locally by the village's Public Works Department. All participating residential households are provided with designated green wheeled carts for standard refuse and blue carts for single-stream recycling. The cost for these standard sanitation services is conveniently integrated into your regular village utility bill. All carts, bundled brush, and approved bulk items must be placed at the curb by 6:30 AM on your scheduled collection day, but no earlier than 4:30 PM the evening prior.
Robust, Sticker-Free Organics Program
In a major leap forward for sustainability, Mount Prospect offers a comprehensive, sticker-free Organics Program from April through mid-December. Homeowners can mix typical yard debris—like grass clippings, leaves, and twigs—with food scraps such as pasta, bread, dairy (excluding liquids), and coffee grounds. To participate, residents must place organic materials in their own rigid containers (up to 32 gallons and 50 lbs) or in a rented 95-gallon yard waste cart. Note that kraft paper bags are only acceptable for yard waste, not for kitchen food scraps.
Unlimited Weekly Bulk Item Removal
Unlike many municipalities that require prepaid stickers for every large item, Mount Prospect residents enjoy unlimited weekly bulk item collection at no additional charge. Items like mattresses, microwaves, lawnmowers (with all fluids drained), and rolls of carpet (cut to 5-foot lengths) can simply be placed next to your green refuse cart on your regular service day. Large appliances, however, are considered 'white goods' and will require a special pickup arrangement directly with Republic Services.
Specialized SWANCC Recycling Drops
Through its active membership in the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC), the village offers robust drop-off options directly at the Public Works facility on West Central Road. Instead of throwing them in the trash, residents can safely dispose of CFL bulbs, household batteries, pharmaceuticals, and even block EPS Styrofoam during designated collection hours. E-waste is also handled via SWANCC, with local drop-offs available on Wednesday mornings from April through October.
Drop-off Facilities
Mount Prospect Public Works Facility
1700 W Central Rd, Mount Prospect, IL 60056
Materials Accepted
Glenview Transfer Station (SWANCC)
3 Providence Way, Des Plaines, IL
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I upgrade or replace a damaged trash cart in Mount Prospect?
Cart exchanges and replacements for damage are handled directly by the Mount Prospect Public Works Department, not Republic Services. Call 847-870-5640 to request a 35, 65, or 95-gallon cart swap. Republic will switch the cart on your next normal service day.
Can I recycle an old TV or computer at the curb?
No, electronics are banned from curbside refuse collection in Illinois. As a SWANCC member, Mount Prospect residents can drop off electronics for free at the Public Works facility on Wednesdays (10 AM - 12 PM) from April to October, or at the Glenview Transfer Station on Saturday mornings year-round.
Do I need to buy a sticker for yard waste or bulk items?
No! The village previously eliminated the sticker requirement for yard waste. Both organic/yard waste collection and weekly bulk item pickups are provided at no additional charge, as these costs are already covered under your standard utility bill.
How do I dispose of old clothing and textiles?
Mount Prospect partners with Simple Recycling for textile collection, but they no longer collect bags directly at the curb on your trash day. You must schedule a free front-door pickup by visiting their website or calling 866-835-5068. Items should be boxed or bagged and placed by your front door on the scheduled day.