Michigan City council hears Recycle Smart presentation from La Porte County Solid Waste District

Sasha G. Burns, an environmental educator with the La Porte County Solid Waste District, told the Michigan City Common Council on Tuesday that correctly sorted recycling is going to the sorting facility and then to an end market where it is turned into new material.

“...our recycling, as long as it's on our accepted recycling list, is going exactly to the recycling sorting facility and then going to an end market where it's turned into something new,” Burns said.

The presentation, introduced by Councilwoman Moldenhauer, emphasized several practical rules for residents: keep lids on plastic bottles, avoid plastic bags, do not put items smaller than a credit card in curbside bins, and rinse food containers where possible. Burns said La Porte’s contract accepts plastics No. 1 through No. 7 and noted that some formerly nonaccepted items — including certain polystyrene products — are now processed at the district’s facility.

Burns described contamination at the sorting plant — items that damage conveyor machinery or cause whole loads to be diverted — and urged residents to avoid “wish‑cycling,” where uncertain items get tossed into recycling bins. She also described specialty collections that handle hazardous aerosols, electronic waste and Styrofoam, and said the district runs monthly hazardous‑waste collections May through October; the next scheduled collection mentioned in the presentation is June 16 at the La Porte County Fairgrounds.

Council members asked about expanding recycling drop‑off options in Michigan City, including a local Styrofoam trailer; Burns said the district can look into adding a trailer and securing it for weather. Burns also listed a district contact for questions and spelled an email for attendees: sgburns@solidwastedistrict.com. She said the district posts contact details on curbside carts and on its website.

The district publicizes workshops and volunteer opportunities: Burns said the district will run a recycling workshop later in the summer and holds weekly beach cleanups. She encouraged residents to use the district’s electronic‑waste trailer on Kentucky Street and other services to reduce landfill disposal.

Council members thanked Burns and discussed follow‑up options, including exploring a Michigan City Styrofoam collection point and sharing the district’s contact information with residents.

The presentation was informational; no formal council action was taken at the meeting.