WASTE & RECYCLING
The impact that waste has on our health and the environment is significantly minimized because we have found creative ways to reduce the amount of waste in products, limit how much we consume and increase recycling and reuse.
Waste & Recycling: (WR:1) Support a “reduce first” approach to waste, and actively promote waste minimization policies, programs and events.
| Action | Status | |
|---|---|---|
| WR:1A | Develop waste minimization strategies for all large-scale, public events by 2022. | Action Needed |
| WR:1B | Through the Thriving Schools Challenge, promote and support programs that reduce waste in schools by 2022. | Complete |
| WR:1C | Educate the public on single-use plastics and the direct impacts these types of products have on our natural resources. | Action Needed |
| WR:1D | Support businesses that divert waste by providing new life for used products. | Action Needed |
WR:1B - Indianapolis Thriving Schools Challenge
Indianapolis Thriving Schools Challenge is a green schools certification program in Marion County for grades K-12. Schools may reach certification either by starting new projects or demonstrating their existing initiatives. Participating schools are eligible for three levels of certification based on the number of new or existing sustainability projects: Thriving Schools Certified, Excelling, and Masters. For more information, please visit Indy Thriving Schools Challenge.
WR:1B - Complete
Project funding is available to schools in need of financial support, maximizing the opportunity for all schools in our community to become leaders on sustainability. Selected schools will be eligible for up to $5,000 in funding for implementing new projects and expanding or improving upon existing projects. The dedicated teachers and staff who champion the implementation of new projects at selected schools will receive a total stipend of up to $1,000. For the program’s third year, Earth Charter Indiana is taking over the Indianapolis Thriving Schools Challenge. Since program inception, the program has certified 82 green schools, granted 51 schools funding to complete 113 unique sustainability projects, and impacted 71, 843 from all corners of Marion County.
Recycling in Indianapolis
You can drop-off recyclable items free of charge at several different locations in Indianapolis and Marion County. The contents of each large green box is recycled at a Republic Services-owned facility and therefore follows Republic's local recycling guidelines:
All colors of glass
No. 1 & No. 2 plastic containers (no Styrofoam or plastic bags)
Aluminum, tin, and steel beverage and food cans
Newspapers, cardboard, paper, and magazines
For more information, visit Find A Recycling Location.
Waste & Recycling: (WR:2) Increase community-wide waste diversion rate by 40% by 2030.
| Action | Status | |
|---|---|---|
| WR:2A | Provide universal residential curbside recycling to all Indianapolis residents by 2025. | Action Needed |
| WR:2B | Offer subscription curbside composting to all Indianapolis residents by 2025. | Action Needed |
| WR:2C | Analyze construction and demolition waste generated and propose reduction and diversion measures by 2022. | Action Needed |
| WR:2D | Provide multi-lingual, multi-format recycling and composting educational materials at the local energy resource centers and resilience hubs. | In Progress |
Indianapolis Circular Economy Initiative
Initiated in early 2019 by the Indiana Recycling Coalition (IRC), the Indianapolis Circular Economy Initiative (ICEI) is a multi-stakeholder, multiyear collaborative effort, in partnership with the City of Indianapolis and many other stakeholders, to address Indianapolis’ recycling challenges, achieve the Thrive Indianapolis Plan goals, generate good and promising jobs, foster innovation, ideas, and investments, and capture the economic, social, and environmental benefits of a thriving circular economy in Indiana. For more information, visit Indianapolis Circular Economy Initiative.
Electronic Recycling Events
Office of Sustainability and RecycleForce hosted a special post-holiday electronics recycling event in January 2020. The holidays are a popular time for people to upgrade their electronics, and Marion County residents were encouraged to drop off unused, outdated, and/or broken electronics to be properly recycled.
