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Recycling Activity Reporting

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Electronic Waste & Indiana E-Cycle Program

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Indiana Community Recycling Grant Program

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The IDEM 2024 Recycling Index Report [PDF] reports the state recycling data and evaluates Indiana’s progress in achieving a 50% recycling goal.

  • In 2024, the state recycling rate was 17.8%, slightly up from last year, but the 5-year average remained at 19%. Shipments of commodity recyclables (glass, metals, paper, plastics) from municipal solid waste (MSW) were 840,265 tons consisting mainly of paper/cardboard (fiber).
  • 2021 Recycling Activity Reporting Handout [PDF] is available for reference.
Measurement Standard

MSW Generation gives a baseline of annual tonnages from Indiana origins for disposal, recycling and composting to determine a state recycling rate. This includes:

  • Shipments of commodity recyclables to end markets from Indiana’s regional MRFsheds, the areas around a material recovery facility (MRF) that funnels recyclables to a particular MRF.
  • Recycling pathways for organics such as composting and anaerobic digestion.
  • Tonnage received at MSW landfills and for waste-to-energy.

The recycling infrastructure includes activities by private waste management companies, solid waste management districts (SWMDs), and cities & towns to service drop-offs, curbside, and commercial accounts. It covers the residential sector as well as the industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) sectors for shipments of recyclables from MSW by material type and market destination.

Reporting Requirements

Indiana tracks the amount of waste and recycling in the state. Reports are submitted online through the Re-TRAC, IDEM Solid Waste and Recycling Data Reporting Program. Data references are listed below.

  • Recycling Activity Report Database [XLSX] gives information from registered facilities on the amount and type of recyclables collected from Indiana’s MSW for shipment by destination category (recycler facility, broker, manufacturer/end user). This includes reporting from material recovery facilities (MRF), solid waste management districts (SWMD), transfer stations, and recycling hubs.
  • Complete Solid Waste Quarterly Report Database contains reports that summarize the information about waste received and sent by disposal facilities and processing facilities. This includes reporting from MSW landfills, transfer stations, and waste-to-energy.
  • Registered Composting Facility Annual Report gives information about the amount and type of materials received at Indiana compost facilities.
  • Electronic Waste and Indiana E-Cycle Program includes information about reporting by E-waste collectors and recyclers.

Annual Reports

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is responsible for providing a summary of the information collected from municipal solid waste recyclers, which are mandated to report their recycling activity by the legislature. Annual reports are listed below.

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