What are the opening hours?

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Recycle Porter County

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Recycle Porter County

Official Facebook account of the Porter County Recycling (Commenting Guidelines --> http://ow.ly/yHo

The Recycling & Waste Reduction District of Porter County is a government agency dedicated to improving the environment and quality of life by providing services and educational programs which help residents reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Operating as usual

01/04/2023

REUSE FAIR 2023: Calling all organizations 🌎💚♻️

01/03/2023

Reminder: CAC Applications Due Friday
Registration is still open for the Citizen’s Advisory Committee via https://portercountyrecycling.org/application-for-citizens-advisory-committee/
Applicants will complete a short form with their educational and work background. Minimum of one applicant must be a solid waste industry representative. Applications are due January 6, 2023.

01/01/2023

Here’s to another year of reducing, reusing and recycling! Wishing you a wonderful, sustainable new year, from all of us at Porter County Recycling.

12/31/2022

Join us for an end of year recap of the programs we offered and the all the recycling we accomplished in 2022!

12/29/2022

Can you believe it is almost 2023?! Make your resolutions count by following our recycling guidelines or visiting one of our many drop off locations. 🎉
https://portercountyrecycling.org/

12/28/2022

A new year is on its way, so what do you do with your old calendar? You can repurpose it! Here are some ideas to inspire your creativity:

-Frame the calendar pages to make art
-Make a refrigerator magnet
-DIY bookmarks
-Repurpose into drink coasters
-Save it to use for bonfire kindling

Do you have any fun ideas on how to repurpose old calendars? Drop them in the comments below!

12/27/2022

Ready to take down your Christmas tree? Compost it at the Valparaiso compost site!

Find the hours, locations and other items that are acceptable at the Valparaiso compost site here: https://portercountyrecycling.org/valparaiso-compost-site/

12/22/2022

ATTENTION: Due to the unexpected weather conditions, Porter County has announced updates regarding district offices and sites closures.

Valparaiso Compost Site is closing at noon today, December 22, 2022 and will reopen on Monday, December 26, 2022 at 10am.
Our District office will be closing at noon today, December 22rd through the 26th, reopening Tuesday, December 27th, 2022 at 8:30am.

For more information, contact the Recycling and Waste Reduction District of Porter County at [email protected] or visit www.portercountyrecycling.org.

12/22/2022

Just a friendly reminder of our hours for the holiday weekend!

12/22/2022

All Porter County Government Offices & Courts Will Be Closed As Of Noon Today, December 22nd because of the forecasted blizzard conditions. FYI...County government offices will also be closed on Friday, December 23 and Monday, December 26 for Christmas.

12/21/2022

Forecasts are calling for widespread blizzard conditions this Thursday into Friday. Due to projected weather and for the safety of our staff, Valparaiso Compost Site will be closed Friday, December 23, 2022 and will reopen at 10am Monday, December 26, 2022.
Our District office will be closed December 23rd through the 26th, reopening Tuesday, December 27th, 2022 at 8:30am.

12/21/2022

Did you know we offer electronics drop-off recycling at our compost sites? Watch this video with Ellen to learn more about our most frequently asked about electronic items that ARE RECYCLABLE!

12/20/2022

Amazon padded shipping envelopes - are they recyclable? YES! However, the blue and white padded envelopes are considered plastic film. They must be recycled at designated local plastic film recycling locations, which includes the Valparaiso Compost Site located at 2150 W. Lincolnway.

If you need directions, click here: https://portercountyrecycling.org/valparaiso-compost-site/

12/16/2022

What can you recycle this holiday season? Watch the video and play along for some Christmas recycling trivia! Did you learn anything new?

12/14/2022

Q: Can I recycle my Christmas lights?

A: YES! Bring them to the Valparaiso Compost Site where we will accept them with electronics recycling! You can also check with your local Lowe's Home Improvement, The Home Depot, and Ace Hardware stores that may have seasonal light recycling programs!

12/13/2022

Glass ornaments are prone to breaking every once in a while, so what do you do with the pieces? If the ornament holds sentimental value, consider upcycling it by placing the broken pieces inside a transparent glass ball ornament!

Unfortunately, most broken glass or plastic ornaments cannot be recycled and must be discarded in the trash. Broken glass, like shattered light bulbs or a broken vase, should be placed INSIDE of a paper bag or cardboard box (like a cereal box or snack box) prior to placing in your garbage bags. By doing this, there is less risk of broken glass slicing through your plastic garbage bag and injuring our team members!

12/13/2022

Porter County Holiday Recycling Guide 🎁🎄

EDIT: TISSUE PAPER IS NOT RECYCLABLE IN PORTER COUNTY

12/12/2022

You are invited to attend Recycling and Waste Reduction's next board meeting, Tuesday, December 13th at 1:30pm. This meeting will be held at Porter County Administration Center, Room 205. Please mark your calendar and join us there.

12/08/2022

CLOSED FOR THE SEASON! Starting December 10th, the Boone Grove and Portage compost sites will be closed until March 2023. Our Valparaiso compost site will remain open through the winter.

12/06/2022

Are plastic toys recyclable? ♻️ 🤔 The short answer is no. Many toys contain small and mixed plastic components that are difficult to separate for recycling. When your child outgrows their plastic toys, consider donating them to extend their life and keep them out of growing landfills!

12/06/2022

Porter County Recycling & Waste Reduction has partnered with Porter County Public Library System to host our first Fix-It Fair, an event that highlights reuse, inviting the community to get items repaired at no cost. Volunteers and professionals provide repair at these events and educate attendees on how to make their own repairs.

Services are available for a variety of repairs such as simple sewing repair, jewelry, small appliances, IT: Computer and electronic, clocks, small furniture assembly/repair, and glasses.

Attend our next event January 28th at Valparaiso Public Library (103 Jefferson St.) to get your items fixed.
PLEASE SIGN UP NOW TO VOLUNTEER AS A FIXER OR RSVP AS AN ATTENDEE:
portercountyrecycling.org/fix-it-fair/

11/24/2022

Happy Thanksgiving, from all of us at Porter County Recycling!

We are so thankful for our Porter County communities that are making an effort to recycle right! Thank you for doing your part to make our corner of the world a better place.

11/23/2022

Plastic Film Recycling

One of the most common questions we get is "what do I do with plastic film?" So, we made a video! Watch to learn more!

11/21/2022

Just a friendly reminder for the holiday weekend! 🦃

Our office will be closed Thursday - Sunday. See below for compost site openings.

11/18/2022

Are you handy? Put your skills to use January 28th, 2023, at our FIRST Fix-It Fair! 🔧

*More details to come once Fixers are confirmed*

11/15/2022

Say hello to Gabby and Ellen today at Strack and Van Til stores across Porter County! They are handing out reusable bags to celebrate America Recycles Day! They’re at the Valpo North location until 10am then will be in Portage from 10:30-11:30am and Chesterton from 12-1pm!

11/15/2022

November 15th is America Recycles Day! We'll be handing out reusable grocery bags to help our communities reduce plastic waste. Come find us at TOMORROW at the Strack's grocery stores in Portage, Valpo (North Location) and Chesterton!

11/10/2022

Happy early Veterans Day! Thank you to all veterans for serving our nation. A special shoutout to our staff vets, Jim and Chuck.

On 11/11, ALL COMPOST SITES WILL BE OPEN from 8am-4pm, our district office will be closed.

11/08/2022

Did you know Strack & Van Til offers 5 cents off for each reusable shopping bag you use to package your groceries?!

Be on the lookout for Ellen and Gabrielle on America Recycles Day, November 15th at the Strack's grocery stores in Portage, Valpo (North Location) and Chesterton! They'll be handing out these reusable grocery bags to help our communities reduce plastic bag waste!

11/08/2022

Don't forget to vote AND properly dispose of your campaign signs! 🇺🇸♻️
If you cannot find political groups to take the signs back or will not reuse them, these are the steps you can take.
Step 1: Dismantle the sign
Step 2: Place board portion in the trash
Step 3: Take metal frames to a scrap recycler for some cold, hard cash
(Note: Campaign flyers and mailers CAN go in your recycle bin)

11/07/2022

Are you participating in No-Shave November? Joining in this cause will help save on plastic waste by not purchasing and using razors, save water, and raise cancer awareness.

If you resume shaving, consider investing in an electric razor, which have a lower carbon footprint. Americans toss out 2 billion disposable razors every year (according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), and unfortunately most of them can't be recycled. Drop us a note in the comments if you're participating in !

11/07/2022

After a windy weekend, you probably want to 🍂LEAF 🍂some things at our compost site! All compost sites are open Monday through Saturday, 8am to 4pm.

Leaves can be brought in bags or on trailers and need to be emptied by the resident upon arrival.

11/03/2022

🚨 ATTENTION! 🚨 Effective NOVEMBER 7TH, the hours at our compost sites (Boone Grove, Valparaiso, and Portage) will be reduced to Monday – Saturday, 8am – 4pm due to daylight savings!

https://portercountyrecycling.org/where-to-recycle/

11/02/2022

REMINDER: Leaves can be dropped off at our compost sites. 🍂🍁

11/01/2022

Don't forget! You can recycle your traditional jack-o-lantern pumpkins, gourds, straw and corn stalks at our compost sites!

NOTE: if they are decorated with paint or glitter, they CANNOT be composted. ♻️🎃

Click here to find a location near you! https://portercountyrecycling.org/where-to-recycle/

10/28/2022

Don't forget, pumpkins free of glitter, paint and glue can be dropped off at our compost sites!

10/28/2022

Raise a can or bottle to National American Beer Day! …and when you're finished make sure you recycle them either curbside or at one of our drop-off recycling locations. Here are some tips to remember when recycling these items!

Here's a link to our drop-off locations: https://portercountyrecycling.org/drop-off-recycling-locations/

10/27/2022

Our Executive Director joined other Porter County staff and elected officials for the Shared Ethics workplace training this morning.

10/26/2022

Do you know what you CAN and CAN'T put in a recycling bin? Watch our short video to learn more!

10/24/2022

Happy National Food Day! This day was created to raise awareness about nutrition and take a step towards eradicating hunger. Wholesome food that is currently wasted could help feed families in need. Most people don't realize how often they waste food and the negative impacts it can have for food security, the environment, and climate change.

Tips for how you help reduce food loss and waste:
👉 avoid buying too much
👉 make a shopping list
👉 organize your kitchen with FIFO (first in, first out)
👉 freeze extras
👉 compost your scraps

What are some ways you help reduce food waste?

Address

Admin. Office: Porter County Government Center, 155 Indiana Avenue Ste. 314
Valparaiso, IN
46383

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday	8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+12194653694

Website

http://www.PorterCountyRecycling.org/

Alerts

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Videos

After a windy weekend, you probably want to 🍂LEAF 🍂some things at our compost site! All compost sites are open Monday through Saturday, 8am to 4pm. Leaves can be brought in bags or on trailers and need to be emptied by the resident upon arrival.

Do you know what you CAN and CAN'T put in a recycling bin? Watch our short video to learn more! #recycling #recycleright #nwi #portercounty

Some tips from our Director about next week's HHW collection! Join us at Porter County Expo Center October 8th 9am-2pm Gate 3.

Wondering what it's like to visit one of our compost sites? Ride along with Ellen to learn more about what Porter County residents can recycle or pick-up!

All the plants that line the entrance to the Valpo Compost Site – WE UPCYCLED! Site attendant Cyndi gives TLC to some plants dropped off at our site, creating the natural colorful display you see as you drive in!

#plasticfreejuly Just a friendly reminder: clean and dry plastic bags (shopping bags, Ziplock bags, plastic wrapping) can be recycled at the Valparaiso Compost site! ♻️🚯

Do you compost? Scraps of food obviously can't get thrown in with the recycling, but they can be composted. Decomposed food waste results in a mixture that is rich in nutrients and can be used as a fertilizer in your garden. Share your composting tips in the comments below!

Hey Porter County Residents! We are here on site at the Porter County Expo Center until 2pm today with our first household hazardous waste collection event of the season! Want to do something nice fir Mom this weekend? Recycle right! Bring us your pool chemicals, aerosol cans, non-narcotic medicines, medical sharps and more! We can’t wait to see you!

International Compost Awareness week continues at Portage Compost Site, 6451 US HWY 12. Free loading of Compost and mulch through the week ending May 7 to Porter County residents. Mon-Fri from 8-11 and 12-2 on Sat 5/7 10 am - 2 pm. Thanks to City of Portage Streets and Sanitation for loading.

Two days left for our Earth Day Celebration! 💚♻️🌍 Join us this Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm at the Porter County Expo Center in observing a day of action to change human behavior and create global, national and local policy changes. The climate is changing - so should we!

Household Hazardous Waste Kick Off May 7th, 2022!

Did you know... The average household disposes one pound of hazardous waste each year?! Join us for our first Household Hazardous Waste Collection, kicking off 2022! Pack up your hazardous waste and responsibly recycle it on Saturday, May 7th from 9 am to 2 pm at the Porter County Expo Center located at 215 E. Division Rd in Valparaiso. Please, enter Gate 3. Visit portercountyrecycling.org for the full schedule and see what you can bring to this collection event!

Watch this video to see which types of plastics can be recycled at the Valparaiso compost site!

We’re at the Portage Compost Site with Mayor Sue Lynch talking about our reopening for the summer season! Come see what the Portage Compost Site has to offer Monday thru Saturday 8 am to 4 pm!

Reminder: Spring forward an hour on Sunday, March 13th, 2022 AND check out where you can recycle batteries, lightbulbs and smoke detectors: https://portercountyrecycling.org/where-to-recycle/

Shopping for the big games this March Madness? Think about how you could reduce single-use plastic waste and reuse items you already have on hand, like reusing plastic bags or bringing in a reusable grocery bag.

Our new and improved website is LIVE! You can find locations to recycle batteries, lightbulbs, electronics, plastic bags, latex paint and more, plus meet our team, browse our educational programs for students and adults, and get involved. Visit portercountyrecycling.org to learn more about what we do for you.

Season’s greetings from the entire crew at Porter County Recycling! We appreciate your efforts in recycling right, reducing waste, and reusing items. May we continue to rethink in the coming year.

Wrapping up your holiday presents? Rethink how you use your bows and wrapping paper! Join our Public Relations Coordinator as she shares what can and cannot be recycled in your curbside bin and alternatives to items that are not recyclable.

Winners To Our Last Two Giveaways!

Congratulations, Deborah Wilson and Dave Tincher! This wraps up our giveaways. We appreciate all of participants in the Zero Waste Challenge and Fire Prevention Giveaway. Winners, please stop by our office to claim your prize! We are located in the Porter County Administration Center at 155 Indiana Avenue Suite 314 in Valparaiso, Indiana, and are open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.

Happy Friday! We're bringing you a helpful tip about laundry detergent bottles. Opt to use threaded caps instead of loose caps so they can be recycled. Help us reach more people by sharing this post and together, we can reduce waste in Porter County.

It's International Day of Awareness of Food Loss & Waste! This is a great time to spotlight difficulties with food packaging. Sometimes, due to larger sizes of retail packaging, consumers purchase more food than what's necessary. This can contribute to waste as discarded food items often end up being pitched in the trash. Refillable packaging, such as boxes offer consumers opportunities to purchase bulk food items loosely.

Congratulations, Christina Marie and Kimberly Jacobs! Stop by at our office during normal business hours to pick up your prize! We are located at 155 Indiana Ave. Suite 314 in Valparaiso, Indiana and are open Monday through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Masks are mandated while in the County building. Stay tuned for the next challenge!

Hungry for Berries? Did you know that plastic berry containers are recyclable? Locally, berry containers are accepted in curbside recycling. Be sure to rinse and dry berry containers prior to recycling. Currently in the U.S. there's growing shift with production on clamshell packaging that is eco-friendly. It's suggested that by 2025, the yummy fruit containers will be wholly recyclable across markets. https://bioplasticsnews.com/2020/02/24/us-berry-growers-commit-to-recyclable-packaging/

Today we are on site at Hebron Elementary School with our fourth Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event! We encourage all Porter County residents to venture out and dispose of harmful household chemicals including pesticides, deck stains, diesel fuel and more! We are here until 2pm! Lines are open!

Porter County Recycling & Waste Reduction is live today at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event! Come check us out! Drop off you household chemicals! We are at Westchester Intermediate School in Chesterton until 2pm today. Lines are open!

Live with Mayor Lynch.

Compost awareness week. Free loading at Portage compost site from 8:30 - 10:30 today. Come out

Q&A on Facebook Live

Learn more about tricky recycling item

SMOKE DETECTOR TIPS! 🔋 Change the batteries every 6 months 🔥 Replace your detector every 10 years ♻️ Recycle both at one of our drop-off locations Find a location near you: https://www.portercountyrecycling.org/recycling

Have a Wormy Wednesday in your classroom! We understand that some schools are remote because of the coronavirus pandemic. To continue educating young learners, our educator is able to deliver some programs, like "Wonderful Worms", via Google Meets. Learn more and sign up to have our educator virtually engage your class: https://www.portercountyrecycling.org/education/k-12-programs