INDIANAPOLIS — Once all of the holiday celebrations are over, you'll be looking at a huge pile of trash. While it may seem easier to put it all on one bin, Indianapolis DPW says there is a specific home for it all.
The department says they see more illegal dumping during the holidays than the rest of the year. You can be fined if you do not throw trash away properly. That's why they encourage everyone to go through their trash before putting it on the curb.
"We are really trying to focus on making people aware we have alternative methods of getting rid of your trash," Corey Ohlenkamp with DPW said. "There's proper ways to dispose of it so please be a good neighbor, please help out all of our neighborhoods across Indianapolis."
Many Christmas decorations like lights and tinsel are not recyclable, this also includes most gift bags and wrapping paper. There are various locations across the city to drop off the items that can be recycled.
When you have taken down your tree, you can drop it off to be mulched at these locations:
- Ellenberger Park: 5301 E. St. Clair St. (northeast corner by the pool)
- Garfield Park: 2432 Conservatory Dr. (in front of the MacAllister Amphitheater)
- Northwestway Park: 5253 W. 62nd St. (to the left of the entrance)
- Perry Park: 451 E. Stop 11 Rd. (to the left of the Stop 11 main entrance)
- Riverside Park: 2420 East Riverside Dr. (by the basketball court)
- Sahm Park: 6801 E. 91st St. (near the recycling bins)
- Riverwood Park | 7201 Crittenden Ave.
Instead of throwing away leftovers, they can be taken to a local compost. Electronics can be taken to any ToxDrop locations.
Since Christmas and New Year's fall on a Monday this year, trash pick-up will shift for the next couple of weeks. You can visit DPW's website on where to take extra trash or find out when your trash will be picked up.