Some wastes at open dumpsites require special handling and disposal. Please follow these guidelines:
- Abandoned Vehicles
- Report an abandoned vehicle to the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the area where it’s located. The vehicle may have been stolen and law enforcement must review all abandoned vehicles. Provide the year, model, make, and license plate number, if possible.
- Appliances
- Contact your local solid waste management district for assistance with finding a recycler. For additional information, consult U.S. EPA’s Responsible Appliance Disposal page.
- Asbestos-Containing Materials
- Follow the asbestos disposal guidance on the Waste Disposal page of IDEM’s Asbestos portal and utilize these resources, as applicable:
- Asbestos Removal, Handling, and Disposal Guidance for Homeowners (available on the Asbestos portal’s Exemptions page)
- Regulatory guidance for businesses and asbestos professionals (available on the Asbestos portal’s What IDEM Regulates page)
- Asbestos Fact Sheet (available on the IDEM Fact Sheets page)
- Follow the asbestos disposal guidance on the Waste Disposal page of IDEM’s Asbestos portal and utilize these resources, as applicable:
- Construction and Demolition Waste (including household building debris)
- Follow IDEM’s disposal guidance on the Construction and Demolition Waste page. Sustainable management of construction and demolition materials is covered on U.S. EPA’s website.
- Electronic Waste (E-Waste)
- It is illegal for Indiana households, public (including charter) schools, and small businesses to dispose of many types of unwanted or broken electronics in the trash. Follow the guidance on IDEM’s Electronic Waste page.
- Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)
- Ask the local solid waste management district if a HHW collection site or tox-away day is available. Follow the guidelines for proper handling and disposal on IDEM’s Household Hazardous Waste page.
- Illegal Drug Lab Waste
- If illegal drug lab activity is suspected at an open dump, do not enter or try to clean up the site. Immediately call the Indiana State Police Meth Tip Line. The Indiana State Department of Health’s website lists components of a meth lab to watch for.
- Infectious Waste
- Follow the safe disposal guidelines for household-generated needles and sharps on IDEM’s Household Needles and Sharps page. Disposal locations can be found at safeneedledisposal.org.
- Mercury
- Never break or put mercury-containing items in the trash. Properly collect, package, label, and transport them to a mercury drop-off site for recycling or disposal in a permitted hazardous waste disposal facility. Follow the instructions on IDEM’s Mercury page.
- Tires
- Recycle or properly dispose of waste tires per IDEM’s Recycling and Proper Disposal of Waste Tires page.
- Unwanted Medicine
- Do not flush expired or unwanted medicine down the toilet. Follow the proper disposal guidelines on IDEM’s Unwanted Medicine: Proper Disposal page.
- Yard Waste
- Indiana law bans the disposal of yard wastes (greater than three feet in length) from landscaping maintenance or land clearing projects in solid waste landfills.
- Follow the yard waste management practices on IDEM’s Greening Our Backyards page.
- Contact your solid waste management district (SWMD) about yard waste collection programs. SWMDs are listed on the Indiana Association of Solid Waste Management Districts’ website.
- Take yard waste to a composting facility on IDEM’s Yard Waste Composting Facilities list.
- Indiana law bans the disposal of yard wastes (greater than three feet in length) from landscaping maintenance or land clearing projects in solid waste landfills.