Once holiday celebrations wind down, Indianapolis residents often face a familiar winter puzzle: mountains of cardboard, piles of gift wrap, strings of burnt-out lights and a Christmas tree drying out in the corner.
Figuring out what can be recycled, what needs special drop-off and what must go to the landfill can be confusing, especially as rules have changed in recent years.
The Indianapolis Department of Public Works (DPW) manages residential waste collection for most Marion County neighborhoods, and officials say the weeks after Christmas produce some of the highest volumes of recyclable and nonrecyclable waste each year. Understanding where items actually belong helps keep the recycling stream clean and prevents contamination that can force entire batches of material into the landfill.
Boxes, packing materials and wrapping paper
One of the most common holiday items, cardboard, is recyclable, but DPW urges residents to break down boxes fully and remove tape or packing materials. Overfilled bins or unflattened boxes can lead to missed collection. DPW’s full recycling guide is available at indy.gov/activity/recycling.
For packaging materials, plastic air pillows, bubble wrap and foam cannot go into regular recycling, but some local shipping stores accept clean, unused packing materials for reuse. Residents can check local store participation through the “Store Drop-off” directory at plasticfilmrecycling.org.Wrapping paper is more complicated. Plain, nonmetallic wrapping paper can usually be recycled, but anything glossy, metallic, glittery or heavily dyed must go into the trash. Ribbon, bows and gift bags are not recyclable even if they appear to be paper-based. Residents unsure about an item can use the “Recycle Right” tool at recycleright.indy.gov.
Lights and electronics
Holiday lights, a major source of winter waste, cannot go in curbside recycling. However, several Indiana organizations run seasonal light-recycling programs. Recycle Force, one of the largest electronic waste recyclers in the region, accepts holiday lights year-round at its eastside facility. Details, hours and drop-off instructions are available at recycleforce.org/recycling-services. Lights collected through these programs are stripped for copper and other metals and repurposed rather than sent to landfill.
Residents purchasing new electronics during holiday sales should also dispose of old ones safely. Electronics contain hazardous materials and must be taken to proper e-waste drop sites. The Marion County ToxDrop program offers several sites a month where residents can bring old TVs, computers and small appliances. The schedule is posted at indy.gov/activity/toxdrop.Artificial trees
Artificial trees are not recyclable through curbside collection, but real Christmas trees are accepted at designated parks around the city. Indy Parks typically opens multiple drop-off sites for tree recycling from late December through mid-January. Trees must be bare — no ornaments, tinsel, nails or stands. Updated locations can be found at indy.gov/activity/christmas-tree-disposal.
Food and leftovers
Households hosting large gatherings may also see an increase in food waste. While food scraps cannot be placed in recycling bins, several compost organizations offer drop-off or subscription services. Green With Indy accepts compostable waste at its partner locations, which can be found at greenwithindy.com. Composting food scraps reduces methane production at landfills and gives residents an alternative for organic waste.
When in doubt, DPW encourages residents to remember the rule of “when unsure, throw it out,” since nonrecyclable items placed in bins can contaminate entire loads. Contamination is one of the major challenges Indianapolis faces because it reduces the value of recycled materials and increases processing costs.
A quick breakdown of holiday recycling rules
• Recycle plain cardboard by breaking down boxes
• Throw away metallic or glitter wrapping paper
• Bring holiday lights to Recycle Force: recycleforce.org/recycling-services
• Drop real trees at Indy Parks sites: indy.gov/activity/christmas-tree-disposal
• Take old electronics to ToxDrop: indy.gov/activity/toxdrop
• Check the DPW guide at indy.gov/activity/recycling
• Compost food waste with Green With Indy: greenwithindy.com
• Use Recycle Right tool at recycleright.indy.gov
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
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.
