Mount Prospect, IL Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Section 19.202.A.9 of the Mount Prospect Village Code puts the duty on every residential owner to maintain solid waste receptacles in good order and in accordance with the law. The definition of owner in § 19.201.A is broad: it covers an owner, co-owner, beneficial owner, tenant, renter, lessor, lessee or other occupant or manager of a property. The list of approved receptacles is closed, because the code says approved receptacles include only the listed types and may be used only for the purposes set out.

For recycling, subsection A.9.c names a Village owned and furnished wheeled cart, blue in color, in a thirty five, sixty five or ninety five gallon capacity. The Village supplies the cart, so a resident does not buy one. Garbage has its own separate green wheeled carts under A.9.a, and yard materials have their own receptacles under A.9.b, so the blue cart is reserved for recyclables. The definition of solid waste contractor in § 19.201.A lists recyclables alongside garbage, yard materials and bulk items as the materials the exclusive franchisee collects.

Multi-family buildings that lack curb service for individual units follow subsection A.9.d, which lets the exclusive residential franchisee furnish collection receptacles the Village approves. Separately, the zoning code at § 14.306.D.1.a requires every multi-family building using centralized solid waste services to provide a garbage dumpster and recycling container area that meets the minimum standards set by the solid waste coordinator.

Recyclables set out for collection are protected by § 23.405, which bars anyone not licensed under § 19.203 from picking up a recyclable item placed in front of a residence as part of the Village recycling program.