Posted on by Joy Scrogum

Cook County Solid Waste Management Plan 2024-2029

Project Title: Cook County Solid Waste Management Plan 2024-2029

Sector: Local Governments

Location: Cook County, IL

Services: Fostering Sustainable Behavior, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainability Planning, Waste Reduction/Management

Background: The Illinois Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Act (415 ILCS 15/) requires counties to develop an initial solid waste management plan (SWMP) and subsequent plan updates “that place substantial emphasis on recycling and other alternatives to landfills, to encourage municipal recycling and source reduction, and to promote composting of yard waste.” Having worked previously with TAP on a variety of projects and proposals, representatives of the Cook County Department of Environmental Sustainability (DES) reached out to TAP for assistance with writing their updated SWMP for 2024-2029.

Approach: DES and TAP staff reviewed the status of goals and recommendations included in the 2018 Cook County SWMP Update, and discussed the County’s current aspirations, challenges, priorities, and data needs to track progress and formulate recommendations. Data for this update was sourced from internal County program reports, waste haulers, municipal surveys, regional reports, state reports, census information, and research compiled by TAP. DES and TAP reviewed current research, analysis, and best practices from regional, state, and national programs to inform plan revision as well as potential new actions. DES also developed the Cook County Solid Waste Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives from local solid waste authorities, non-profits, institutions, corporations, recyclers, and the City of Chicago. This committee met regularly with DES and TAP to discuss ideas for preventing, reducing, and managing solid waste, to review waste generation data gathered by DES staff from covered municipalities, and to review plan drafts and suggested recommendations. Finally, DES staff held several meetings with other environmental advocacy organizations, municipal officials, non-profit organizations, recyclers, academic professionals, state and national organizations, and other related stakeholders to inform the plan update.

Cook County is committed to implementing, promoting, and expanding zero waste and circular economy best practices over the next five years and in line with the Illinois Materials Management Advisory Committee Report, which sets the goal of achieving a 45% suburban Cook County diversion rate by 2030.

Results: The updated “Cook County Solid Waste Management Plan 2024-2029: The Path Toward Zero Waste and A Circular Economy” plan recommends actions to reduce the climate impact of solid waste and provides direction for Cook County’s waste prevention, reduction, reassembly, remanufacturing, reuse, repair, repurpose, recycling, composting, collection, and other solid waste related investments, policies and practices over the next five years. The updated plan sets forth 43 recommendations for 16 major areas of focus that will help move the zero waste and circular economy systems in Cook County forward. 

The recommendations are based on the data presented in the updated plan and the feedback received from members of the Cook County Solid Waste Advisory Committee, local and state partners, environmental advocacy organizations, and members of the public. The recommendations represent programs and efforts the County can reasonably implement over the next five years that will help push the County towards achieving its new goal of 45% waste diversion rate by 2030.