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Elkhart County, IN Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

State Mandate
None
County Drop-offs
Consolidated / closed
Elkhart City
Biweekly curbside recycling
Accepts
Paper, plastics, metal, glass

Summary

Indiana has no residential recycling mandate, and unincorporated Elkhart County requires nothing separated. The county's staffed drop-off sites were consolidated and closed, though it keeps a recycling incentive program. Elkhart city provides curbside recycling every other week.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Elkhart County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Pursuant to I.C. 13-21-15-4, the county will continue collecting all fees previously collected by the Solid Waste Management District and use said fees exclusively for services previously provided by the Solid Waste Management District.

Source: Indiana CodeView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-23: Supplement contains: Current through local legislation passed on or before July 31, 2025; and State Legislation current through 2025 Indiana Legislative Service, Pamphlet #3).

Full Breakdown

No Indiana statute forces households to recycle, and the unincorporated county imposes no separation rule. The county consolidated and closed its neighborhood recycling drop-off sites in recent years but continues a County Recycling Incentive Program under Chapter 50 and hosts monthly household hazardous waste drop-offs. When the county dissolved its Solid Waste Management District in 2020 it kept the district's fees to fund these services. Inside Elkhart, curbside recycling is part of city service: Borden collects a 48- or 96-gallon recycling cart every other week, taking paper, cardboard, plastics, aluminum, tin and glass. Contaminated carts may be skipped.

Violations & Fines

There is no penalty for not recycling in the unincorporated county, where no state or county mandate applies. City recycling carts contaminated with trash may be tagged and left uncollected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to recycle in Elkhart County?
No. Indiana has no recycling mandate and the unincorporated county requires nothing separated. Recycling is voluntary; Elkhart city residents get a curbside cart collected every other week.
Where can I recycle outside the city?
The county's staffed drop-off sites were consolidated and closed. Ask your private hauler about a recycling cart, and use the county's monthly household hazardous waste drop-off for those items.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Elkhart County

Recycling RulesFew RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Quiet HoursSome RestrictionsBin Placement RulesSome RestrictionsPickup Rules & SchedulesFew RestrictionsIllegal DumpingSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Decibel LimitsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Vehicle NoiseSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Breed RestrictionsSignificant Restrictions

All Elkhart County rules

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