At the February 5, 2026, meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, the Cook County Department of Environmental Sustainability’s Businesses Reducing Impact on the Environment (BRITE) program formally received its 2025 P2 Multimedia Award. BRITE was bestowed this honor as part of the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) Most Valuable Pollution Prevention (MVP2) Awards program.
Since 1995, the MVP2 Awards have recognized the pollution prevention efforts of local, state, and federal government, tribes, not-for-profit organizations, private industry, educators, and students. The P2 Multimedia Award celebrates work that most effectively reduces harmful impacts to all environmental media (land, air, and water) and reduces impacts to workers and consumers.
The BRITE program offers free technical assistance assessments and grant opportunities to help small businesses in suburban Cook County representing heavily polluting industries, such as dry cleaners, auto body and repair shops, food and beverage manufacturers, and metal finishers and fabricators. As of July 2025, the program had conducted over 65 assessments and offered $3,831,843.12 in grants to small businesses, achieving estimated reductions of 5,576,252 kWh of electrical energy use, 600,526 therms of heat energy, 6,906 metric tons of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 17,312 pounds of hazardous materials, and 6,664 gallons of fuel. These reductions translate to an estimated $1,075,337.42 of cost savings as well as reduced health and environmental risks in these workplaces and the neighborhoods where they are located.
By offering grant funding and training businesses on the upcoming federal regulations banning common chemicals like PERC and TCE, the BRITE program helped small businesses stay ahead of the regulatory curve while increasing safety. Because replacement can be a high-capital investment, the provision of grant money with the appropriate training and consultation helped overcome the often-insurmountable obstacles that such businesses face when considering transitioning to safer chemistries and practices. Much of the program is easy to replicate. The BRITE program works with the Green Business Engagement National Network (GBENN), the Midwest Climate Collaborative, the Chicago Sustainability Task Force, local governments, and private companies to foster similar activities. There are plans to expand the program to additional industries, such as large event facilities, grocery stores, medical facilities, and chemical manufacturers.
The BRITE program is an example of how local government can improve environmental sustainability and the local economy through technical assistance. ISTC’s technical assistance providers extend sincere congratulations to our colleagues in Cook County for this recognition and for their excellent work!
