Indiana Recycling Infrastructure & Economic Study
IDEM’s Office of Program Support (OPS) has released the Indiana Recycling Infrastructure and Economic Impact Study. The Study was commissioned by the Recycling Market Development Board (RMDB) and prepared by GT Environmental. It provides a comprehensive review and analysis of Indiana’s recycling infrastructure and the significant economic impact of recycling in the state. The Study also includes specific recommendations to improve statewide recycling to maximize its impact in the circular economy.
The Study demonstrates that Indiana’s waste and recycling infrastructure for municipal solid waste collected approximately 8.8 million tons in 2019, of which 19% was diverted from landfills through recycling and composting. The Study details that although only 19% of MSW is currently diverted (the state has a goal of 50%), the impact in total jobs in the recycling industry, the economic impact, and the tax impacts are significant.
Indiana Municipal Solid Waste Characterization Study
The Indiana Recycling Market Development Board commissioned a municipal solid waste characterization study to determine the types of recyclable materials still going into Indiana landfills. The study completed by Purdue University—Calumet allowed college students to discover first-hand the challenges in measuring Indiana’s waste stream.