After more than a decade, the drop-off recycling containers located at 2168 W. U.S. 30 in the parking lot of Strack & VanTil, will be removed Oct. 1.
As with many of its other locations, the grocery store will undergo renovations and a reconfiguration of its parking lot that will make access and maintenance to the current drop-off recycling boxes challenging.
The recycling drop-off containers are a service provided by the Recycling & Waste Reduction District of Porter County. In addition to many other recycling services and environmental education, the government agency provides six additional drop-off recycling locations around the county where residents without access to curbside recycling can bring their paper, cardboard, plastic and metal containers, and glass bottles to be recycled.
The other drop-off recycling locations include: Boone Grove, across from Boone Grove Middle School; Burns Harbor Street Department, 310 Navajo Trail; Chesterton Strack & VanTil, 1600 Pioneer Trail; Hebron Municipal Building, 125 N. Main St.; Kouts Town Garage, 406 S. Kouts St.; and Portage Willowcreek Middle School, 5962 Central Ave.
“The district would never stand in the way of progress,” said Therese Davis, district executive director. “We have really appreciated the cooperation of Strack & VanTil management and Weiss Entities for allowing us to keep our public service at the site for so long. We know the residents appreciated it, as those containers were always well used.”
Davis said district staff is working to identify a new Valparaiso location for the boxes, but has not yet confirmed a site.
A sign will be posted by the boxes forewarning recyclers of the impending removal.
“We will let the public know when a new site is up and running,” Davis said. “In the meantime, we encourage our residents to continue to recycle utilizing any of our other drop-off sites.”
Davis reminds residents who live in unincorporated Porter County that county ordinance mandates contracted waste haulers offer recycling as part of their curbside service.
“If you have trash collection but you don’t have recycling, contact your waste hauler,” Davis said. “Recycling is always easiest at the curb.”
For more information about recycling services, call the Recycling & Waste Reduction District of Porter County, 219-465-3694, or visit www.ItMeansTheWorld.org.
The Recycling & Waste Reduction District of Porter County is an agency dedicated to improving the environment and quality of life by providing services and educational programs which help residents reduce, reuse, and recycle.