We ask, you answer! Last week, we asked a question: What is the most difficult item to recycle in Indianapolis? We received more than 20 responses from people letting us know that they don’t know what to do with those annoying products, or about the frustrating features of the city’s recycling program-or that many people think they lack these features. 

Indy is one of the few major cities in the United States that currently does not offer a universal recycling program, which was the subject of an IndyStar survey a few years ago. 

Therefore, to commemorate today’s U.S. Recycling Day, November 15th, we highlight some of your comments. We want you to know that we are listening and trying to provide feedback where possible to help you more easily recycle in Indy. 

Scrub Hub: How can I recycle better?

Read on to find out what your fellow Indiana said, maybe you can learn a piece or two about how to deal with these difficult issues. 

Michael C. said: "The cost and trouble of recycling old TVs. We need a better and simpler way to recycle large and heavy TVs. I have always seen them being discarded on the road. Not only is it an eyebrow, but there is no recycling. Use to help protect the environment."

Response: According to Circular Indiana (formerly known as the Indiana Recycling Alliance), TVs are actually difficult to recycle-and the recycling process is very expensive, which is why there is a charge. Electronic waste, such as old TVs, may contain toxic substances that are harmful to human health. In addition, these items are mixed materials that need to be separated. Indiana prohibits throwing e-waste into trash cans, and people may be fined for not recycling e-waste. 

The best way to dispose of these items is to send them to one of the city's electronic recycling stations. For a small fee, people can deliver electronic products to RecycleForce’s Windsor Park facility during normal working hours from Monday to Friday, or at Technology Recyclers on the east side from 9 am to 3 pm on weekdays

Chris I. said: "I'm curious about the plastic lids on beverage containers (milk lids, Gatorade lids, spice lids on glass spice containers). And the shampoo pump or sprayer on household cleaners?"

Response: The basic lid should be left on the empty container, Calvin Davidson and Ray's Trash said. That's because loose lids are usually too small for sorting equipment and can be lost in the process. Despite this, the lid is almost always made of a different plastic from the bottle, and may or may not be recycled, he added. According to Davidson, as for pumps and sprayers, they should always be disposed of with garbage. These mechanisms almost always contain metal in the form of springs or ball bearings, and are usually made of a different plastic than the bottle-so they are unlikely to be recycled. Please throw these away, Davidson said.

Taylor F. said: "Textiles that cannot be donated (such as old/worn clothes, worn-out shoes, etc.)."

Response: Circular Indiana agrees that textiles are another item that is difficult to recycle, and not many places do so in Indiana. However, there are some reusable options, even for textiles that seem unusable. The non-profit organization said that large or bulky items such as towels, bed sheets and even T-shirts can usually be donated to local animal shelters—even if they are worn out. Just make sure there are no big holes. The organization said residents can also find more ways to reuse textiles on the Circular Indiana website.

Gregory F. said: "Almost everything today is co-formed, multi-layered or multi-component materials. Does this only mean that it is more likely to be buried, burnt, or risk contaminating the value stream? Like Rays and Republic Can the company develop an application that allows you to take pictures of items to be recycled and give the answer yes/no before putting them in the trash can?"

Response: Davidson and Ray's Trash said that customers should only include plastics clearly marked with acceptable numbers-namely #1, #2, etc. in the chase arrow. He said he often gets this question from well-meaning recyclers, but unfortunately there are too many unknown "other" plastics. "If in doubt," Davidson said, "throw it away." 

As for the app, Davidson said they have discussed it. He said that a local college student tried to create a version, but found that there were many more types of recyclable materials than he expected, and all procedures were different-which made things very complicated. Davidson said: "Even near Indianapolis, most communities are served by Ray's or Republic, and each project is different."

Emily M. said: "Where and how do people recycle VHS tapes, not only commercial tapes, but also tapes used to record TV shows in the 90s?"

Response: Unfortunately, VHS tapes are made of multiple materials and are difficult to recycle, Circular Indiana said. Currently, Indiana does not have a recycling option for VHS tapes.

Alice R. said: "We tried to recycle as much as possible, but filled a recycling container (which we bought), then dragged it to the recycling bin (there is only one nearby), and then found that the bin was completely full. It’s really frustrating. Indianapolis does not provide free curbside recycling services, which is unreasonable."

Response: The city’s Sustainability Office stated that it is “clear that Indy’s lack of a universal roadside recycling program, from now until our current solid waste contract expires in 2025, our employees’ civil servants are working every day , In order to promote our city to a cleaner, more environmentally friendly, less wasteful, more accessible location."

Part of the preparation involves becoming a partner in the Indianapolis Circular Economy Initiative, which aims to meet Indy's recycling challenges. SustainIndy spokesperson Lindsay Trameri said that the implementation of universal curbside recycling in Marion County is also the goal of Thrive Indianapolis, the city’s sustainability and resilience plan, "This reaffirms our commitment to this work."

Ruby O. said: "Household batteries?"

Response: Although it is difficult to recycle, household batteries such as AA and AAA can be recycled at the Indianapolis Toxic Waste Recycling Station, which is held in rotation locations three times a month. Technology Recyclers can also accept batteries free of charge at their factories on the east side on weekdays.

Waste: How Indianapolis became one of America's most wasteful big cities

Jeff B. said: "I hate seeing so many food companies still using non-recyclable styrofoam containers and plastic straws. I know these items are purchased in bulk and are cheaper than recyclable items, but Wouldn’t it be great if you could somehow incentivize companies to switch? I’m not opposed to spending a few cents on my meals to use recyclable containers/straws."

Response: An effective way to stimulate change is through policy. Circular Indiana said that currently, most of the responsibility is borne by consumers at the end of the process. However, the goal of the circular economy is to redistribute this responsibility, encourage manufacturers to make products that are easier and more consistent to recycle, and encourage companies to use and distribute these products. 

This non-profit organization, supported by donors and members, said it will continue to follow them for more information on advancing Indiana's policies in 2022. Nonetheless, the organization said to remember that consumers also have the right to encourage sustainable practices where they patronize and support these businesses.

Ryan M. said: "The garbage in the yard!!!! In the town I moved to, there are yard garbage and compost collection every week. It really reduces the amount of our garbage. Branches, leaves, small piles of dirt , Almost everything from the weekend gardening project, except for larger diameter rocks and logs. In addition, almost all the organic matter in the kitchen has entered."

Response: The City of Indianapolis does provide leaf collection and composting in the fall. There are also subscription curbside composting options from local companies such as Earth Mama and Green with Indy. The Sustainability Office stated that outside of autumn, yard waste is considered a heavy waste project, so people can use the heavy waste day every month to achieve this goal.

At the same time, as part of the Thrive Indianapolis plan, the city is seeking to significantly increase organic recycling options for its residents. People can also compost directly at home and in the backyard, and the city encourages this if possible. They can learn more about how to do this in the previous Scrub Hub.

Tim B. said: "Recycling paint, old TVs and other electronic products is almost impossible because of the limited opportunities available. Three hours every Saturday? It's hard to track."

Response: The city’s Sustainable Development Office stated that there are multiple ways to recycle these items. SustainIndy’s Trameri stated that all of these items can be recycled for free on the ToxDrop website, three Saturdays a month, and five hours a Saturday. 

For a small fee, people can also send electronic products to RecycleForce's Windsor Park facility during normal working hours from Monday to Friday. Technology Recyclers also accepts many electronic products for free at its site in eastern Indianapolis, although some require a small fee during the working day. A list of each accepted item can be found on their website.

Trameri said she also likes to introduce Best Buy's electronic recycling program to residents: They take away most electrical appliances, no matter where they are purchased from, she said. Finally, she said please continue to pay attention to more information about the special ECycle events that the city plans to hold in 2022. These activities are always provided to Marion County residents free of charge.

Response: Circular Indiana stated that the entire tire cannot actually be disposed of in a landfill. Indiana law requires companies that sell new tires to accept used tires for proper disposal. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has more information on how to dispose of used tires and has a list of registered processors that cut, shred or grind tires.

Dave B. said: "Everything is fine, because you have to pay an additional annual fee to have a household recycling bin."

Response: Circular Indiana acknowledged that “Indianapolis definitely faces many recycling challenges!” They stated that Circular Indiana is leading efforts to improve recycling through the Indianapolis Circular Economy Initiative, which is a multi-stakeholder and multi-year effort , Designed to meet these challenges, create jobs, and reap economic and environmental benefits from a thriving recycling program.

Please call 317-444-6129 or email sarah.bowman@indystar.com to contact IndyStar reporter Sarah Bowman. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @IndyStarSarah. Connect with IndyStar's environmental reporter: Join The Scrub on Facebook.

IndyStar's environmental reporting project has been generously supported by the non-profit organization Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.