Recycling does take some extra effort in Indy. For some reason this city has not made it a real priority, but they do have a curbside pick-up program. We pay $5 a month for a couple of blue bins to be picked up curbside with the other trash. They take glass, #1 & #2's, cans & paper: http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPW/Residential/Recycling/curb.htm

Otherwise, recycling seems to be very "DIY" here in Indy.

Cheers!

I think it has something to do with a superincinerator the city built during the Goldsmith mayoral adminstration. As I remember, it was cheaper for the city to burn everything to a crisp rather than mandate curbside recycling. (If I'm wrong about this, let me know.) Recycling, it was believed, would have meant less for the expensive superincinerator to burn, making it less cost-effective for the city.

In the '80s or early '90s, my wife and I used to pay Rumpke to pick up recyclables, but because we were the only ones in the neighborhood to request this service, we were dropped because it wasn't worth the time or money to service us.

That makes sense about the incinerator. Everyone always wants to do what's cheapest and/or easiest (esp. governments). I would def. sign up for a blue bin, but I don't know how that works for apt. living. I'll have to look it up on the website. We do have bins we keep in our apt. and when full, take to recycle.

Thanks for the info!

I prefer Indianapolis Recycled Fiber - 1775 S. West St., 317-634-7571; they take everything including #1-7 plastics.

There is also a location at Keystone & Kessler that will take #1-7 plastic as well.

kibi.org

I'm so glad you started this post! I recycle my useless advertising I receive in the mail, catalogs I don't want, and old magazines, as well as newspapers on Butler's campus, or any of the numerous other locations.

I'm definitely looking into the curbside recycling, I don't have much that much per month, but I'm willing to pay the $5 for convenience, and do my part to eliminate pollution and waste.

More than likely, all your recycled items will end up at the dump with the rest of the trash.

I'm also glad that I read this post!! I do the blue bin curbside recycling thing at home (starting a bin at work in the kitchen that I will then take home). I never knew there were places in Indy that took any sort of plastic besides 1 or 2. That's great to know!

That's so nice to know! I knew that Indy Recycled Fiber took styrofoam, but not the 1-7 plastics. V. good to know.

And I doubt that the stuff I recycle ends up in the trash. Those large bins they put everywhere cost a lot of money. Plus if you're going directly to the recycler, there's a v. low chance of that.

It's good to know that there are others that are environmentally conscious. It may not seem like much to recycle, but I think there's a def. impact there.

Thank God, I have found the other 15 people in Indy who actually care about recycling!!! The sad thing is, I am not joking. I really wish (Oor at least knew how to make) our city leaders care about recycling and our environment. Great posts and links thanks for the info!

Sounds like Indy Recycled Fiber (1775 S. West St) is one of the top places to go. And here's a site on where to take particular items (from paper to paint)

http://www.kibi.org/recycle/recyclingreuseoptions.htm

Hope that helps.

This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine living in Indy. I simply cannot believe that our garbage service here doesn't offer recycling as well. It is appauling to me in our day and age and quite irresponsible, if you ask me.

Luckily, I've found some recycling dumpsters down Rockville Road in the Kroger parking lot where I try to dump my recyclables, but I have to admit my human tendacies that sometimes I just get sick of the garbage, after not taking it for awhile and just pitch it into the regular garbage.