Prestige Feed Products could move out of Mount Prospect by end of year
Prestige Feed Products, the controversial Mount Prospect animal feed manufacturer, could cease operations by the end of the year.
A settlement opening the path for Prestige’s departure is scheduled to come up for a vote at Tuesday’s Mount Prospect village board meeting. Des Plaines is also expected to vote on the settlement at Monday’s meeting.
For several years, Prestige’s neighbors in Mount Prospect and Des Plaines have complained about the stench coming from the plant at 431 Lakeview Court.
Those complaints have been at the center of legal battles involving Prestige, the two towns, neighbors and even the attorney general’s office.
Under the proposed settlement agreement, Prestige would close by Dec. 31, 2025.
Mount Prospect staff recommends approval of the agreement. Staff cites potential savings of approximately $400,000 in legal and consulting fees incurred if the matter went to trial.
The settlement’s terms call for Prestige Feed to restrict its operations, beginning June 27, reducing its current operating hours of 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The new schedule will limit operations to between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. between Monday evening and Friday morning, between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Sunday night and Monday morning and no production between Friday morning and Sunday evening.
Operation must halt on major holidays, with the company prohibited to increase production at other times to compensate.
The settlement provides for continued odor monitoring through an independent third-party testing service. Testing will occur twice weekly through the facility's closure date — Prestige will cease production for the following shift if odor levels exceed the agreed-upon levels in the testing protocol.
Village officials said a public statement will be issued upon approval of this settlement agreement.
“Other than directing inquiries to the Public Information Page and the Press Releases, and Prestige’s own Public Information Page the Parties agree to not substantively comment on issues related to this Agreement,” the agreement states.