The Board of Public Works authorized a new contract to bring universal curbside recycling to all Indianapolis residents in 2028.
The contract was negotiated with Lakeshore Recycling Systems, LLC (LRS) to be Indianapolis’s comprehensive solid waste collections vendor, which includes trash and recycling. Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, LRS will service residents in seven solid waste districts. The Indianapolis Department of Public Works (Indy DPW) will continue serving the remaining four.
Recyclables will be processed at a new recovery facility. LRS will work with Reworld and Southside Landfill to provide solid waste, heavy trash and leaf collection services.
“This is the culmination of a years-long process as Indy DPW and the Office of Sustainability sought out comprehensive services at a fair rate for Indianapolis taxpayers,” acting Indy DPW Director Todd Wilson said. “LRS has a breadth of experience, including in Chicago and throughout the Great Lakes Region, and we look forward to partnering with them and the three other selected vendors to bring enhanced services, including universal curbside recycling, to Indianapolis.”
Service to eligible residents will continue throughout the transition. Residents will receive new trash carts closer to the start of LRS’s contract. A second cart will be available for purchase for $65. Residents who have already purchased a second cart will receive instructions during the transition.
To learn more about Indy DPW, visit indy.gov/agency/department-of-public-works.
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Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
