Indiana Statewide Rule

Indiana Recycling Law: Statewide 50% Goal and Recycler Reporting

Light RestrictionsApplies statewide across Indiana (2026)

Key Facts

State recycling goal: At least 50% of municipal waste
Governing statute: IC 13-20-25 (added P.L.126-2014)
Who must report: Recyclers, landfills, MRFs, waste districts
Annual report deadline: Before March 1 each year
Enforcing agency: IDEM commissioner

Last verified: July 31, 2026

Summary

Indiana sets a statutory goal of recycling at least 50% of its municipal waste (IC 13-20-25-1) but does not require households or businesses to recycle. The enforceable duty falls on recyclers, who must report their recycling activity to IDEM.

Sec. 9. (a) A recycler shall report the recycler's recycling activities under this section. A recycler may elect to report the recycler's recycling activities on an annual basis under subsection (b) or on a quarterly basis under subsection (c). (b) A recycler that elects to report on an annual basis shall, in 2016 and each succeeding calendar year, before March 1, submit to the commissioner a completed recycling activity report concerning the recycling activities conducted by the recycler during the calendar year that ended on the most recent December 31.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Under IC 13-20-25-9, a recycler must report its recycling activities to the commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), electing either annual or quarterly reporting. Annual filers submit a completed recycling activity report before March 1 each year covering the prior calendar year; quarterly filers submit within 30 days after each quarter's end. 'Recycler' reaches landfills, incinerators, material recovery facilities, solid waste management districts, and recyclable-materials brokers (IC 13-20-25-7). Indiana's 50% recycling goal (IC 13-20-25-1) is aspirational: no statute compels residents or businesses to separate recyclables. IDEM aggregates the reported tonnage in its annual Recycling Index Report.

Violations & Penalties

There is no fine for a household or business that fails to recycle. A recycler that skips its required IC 13-20-25-9 report is subject to IDEM enforcement under Title 13, Article 30.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Indiana require residents to recycle?

No. Indiana sets a statewide goal of recycling at least 50% of municipal waste (IC 13-20-25-1), but no statute requires households or businesses to separate or recycle materials. Any mandate comes from local ordinances.

Who has to report recycling to the state?

Under IC 13-20-25-9, recyclers must report annually or quarterly to IDEM. The term covers landfills, incinerators, material recovery facilities, solid waste management districts, and recyclable-materials brokers.

Sources

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.