COMMON HOUSEHOLD RECYCLING

#1 PETE includes:

• Clear or transparent colored bottles such as two-liter soda bottles
• Clamshell fruit containers
• Remove all lids and place in separate container to recycle  
• Crush to save space

#2 HDPE includes:

• Opaque white or colored bottles, such as those used for milk, soap, or laundry detergent 
• Yogurt, sour cream and cottage cheese type containers

 #4 PD-LE includes:

• Squeezable bottles, honey/mustard containers, lids

#5 PP includes:

•  Yogurt containers, margarine tubs, microwave containers, lids

#6 PS includes:

•   Egg cartons, yogurt containers, disposable food containers

We do not accept: #3, #7 or unmarked plastics, packing Styrofoam or plastic grocery bags. Please return plastic grocery bags to stores that participate in bag recycling. These are Kroger, Meijer, Walmart and Lowes.

All Colored and Clear Glass Bottles 

• Must be food, beverage, or vitamin containers
• Separate the clear glass from the rest of the colored glass (colored glass includes containers such as wine bottles and soft drink bottles with that slightly green hue to it - looks clear but it's not)
• Remove all lids — recycle metal lids with metal. Throw away plastic lids in your household trash or use for art projects.
• Rinse all containers clean! If not free from food and odor, they will be thrown away, not recycled.

We do not accept: medical vials, ceramic dishes, drinking glasses, glass cookware (Pyrex), light bulbs, mirrors, blue glass, window glass, plate glass or empty candle jars.

Aluminum, Steel, Bi-metal,  and Tin food and drink cans

• Rinse all containers clean! If not free from food and odor, they will be thrown away, not recycled.
• Aluminum foil can be recycled

We do not accept: aerosol cans, dirty cans, paint cans, or rusty cans. Items such as appliances, cookie sheets, pots and pans, sheet metal and wire may be recycled as scrap metal.

Ink jet and toner printer/copier cartridges are accepted at the Recycling Center office during office hours only. 

Clothing in good repair may be donated to

• St. Vincent de Paul · 812-988-8821
• The Community Closet · 812-988-6003

Blankets and towels may be donated to:

• Brown County Humane Society · 812-988-7362

Healthy alternatives to disposing of yard waste should always be considered before burning. It is better to compost, recycle, and reuse yard waste rather than burn it.

Don’t leave yard waste for your trash hauler, unless he is properly disposing of the waste. According to Federal and State law, yard waste is no longer allowed in landfills, because it can decompose faster outside of a landfill, and won’t take up precious landfill space. Brown Countians have started using other innovative ways to deal with it including:

• Designate an area on your property as a branch or tree composting area and pile up branches in one location.
• Sprinkle limbs throughout unused wooded areas, on your own property, to promote natural decomposition.
• Submerge larger branches or parts of trees in your own pond to create fish habitats.
• Ask a neighbor to use their composting area if there isn’t any room on yours. Remember, it is illegal to dump anything on someone else’s property without permission.
• Chip branches and use the mulch on gardens.

These alternatives will keep Brown County safe and beautiful!