Recycling is an essential part of reducing waste and preserving our environment. Knowing what plastics can be recycled in Indiana is key to making sure our resources are used efficiently. Plastic bags and films with numbers 1 or 2 on them can be recycled at many local supermarkets and grocery stores, including Kroger and Target. Cardboard and aluminum cans are also recyclable.
Hard-to-recycle plastics such as LDPE, PVC, and PS have negligible recycling rates in the US. Residents can place all recyclable materials in a 96-gallon rolling cart provided by Republic Waste Services of Indiana. The City of Indianapolis offers single-flow curbside recycling for single-family homes, allowing residents to conveniently recycle paper, plastic, metal and glass items in a single roll-up cart. Paper items such as newspapers and envelopes can also be recycled as long as they are flat. As consumers it is important to learn about which plastics are recyclable and purchase products with recycled content whenever possible. Books that cannot be donated can still be recycled by tearing off the binding and separating the pages for recycling in the blue bin.
Signs made of thin plastic similar to a bag may also be recyclable but should always be checked with local stores before being placed in the bin. Recycling facilities are designed to classify a specific set of materials so it is important to know what plastics can be recycled in Indiana before throwing them away. By understanding what materials can be recycled we can ensure that our resources are used efficiently and help preserve our environment for future generations.
