Boone County Solid Waste Management District
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  • Household Hazardous Waste/Electronics/Tires
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  • Special Collections
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  • FAQ
  • Contact
Boone County Solid Waste Management District

Special Collections

District facilitates collection programs for pharmaceuticals, sharps, plastic lids & shoes at various times throughout the year

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Why Dispose of Medications Properly?
 Don’t Rush to Flush!  Our residential septic systems and wastewater treatment plants are not designed to break down the chemicals that make up medications.  Therefore, if we flush expired or unused medications, we can contaminate the creeks, rivers, lakes, wells and groundwater. 
Accidental Poisonings!  Per the Poison Control Center, 55% of accidental poisonings occur with children 5 years old and younger.  The risk of a child or grandchild from accidentally ingesting medications increases when we store expired or unused medications in our homes!  
“Pharm” Parties!  This consists of the collection of a variety of medications and then being randomly ingested.  This leads to the misuse of prescription & over-the-counter medications and is a growing problem.  If medications are disposed of properly and regularly, the opportunity for medications to be taken from our homes and misused decreases.



Pharmaceutical Collections

Boone County residents can utilize free medicine collection bins located:
Boone County Jail  - 1905 Indianapolis Avenue, Lebanon
Zionsville Police Department - 1075 Parkway Drive, Zionsville          
Whitestown Police Department - 6210 Veterans Drive, Whitestown
Lebanon Police Department - ​201 East Main Street, Lebanon
Acceptable Items:
Unused or Expired Prescription Medications (including Controlled & Non-Controlled Pills, Liquids, & Patches)
Expired Over-the-Counter Medications
Vitamins & Supplements
Unused or Expired Pet Medications
Unacceptable Items:
Institutional, Industrial or Business Waste
Needles/Syringes/Sharps
Bloody or Infectious Waste
Thermometers
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Safe Sharps Disposal

It has been estimated that as many as three billion used sharps are generated in homes and other unregulated sites throughout the U.S.  Current sharp disposal regulations only apply in the health care settings such as doctors’ offices & hospitals.  This leaves family members, solid waste haulers & recycling workers exposed to the possibilities of injuries and/or exposure to infectious diseases. 
To help deter this issue, the District has sponsored a safe sharps disposal program in conjunction with the Boone County Health Department since 2001.
 
Boone County Health Dept.
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* If you find a needle in a public area, DO NOT PICK IT UP, contact your local law enforcement immediately.  They will pickup and dispose of the syringe appropriately!
                   Steps for Safe Sharps Disposal
                  1. Pick up a FREE sharps disposal container at the Boone County Health Department.
                  2. Fill the container with sharps only.
                  3. Return the Container back to the Boone Co. Health Dept.  They will dispose of it safely & properly.

REUSE Heart & Sole - Annual Shoe Collection

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The District sponsors an annual REUSE Heart & Sole program the week around Valentine’s Day.  REUSE Heart & Sole is a District wide shoe collection event where we can provide shoes to a new pair of feet! 
We typically don’t think much about our shoes.  We outgrow them, wear them out, or change styles without much thought as to what happens when we discard them.  The truth is that discarded shoes can take over 200 years to decompose in a landfill which is a shame when there are so many people in need of shoes locally and all over the world. 
In past collections, we have had schools, libraries & other organizations participate as collection locations.  If you are interested in hosting a collection spot, please contact the District office.  The District supports Changing Footprints, a Central Indiana non-profit that redistributes shoes to those in need all over Central Indiana.

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ABC - A Bench for Caps Program

To work towards the District's mission, the District is pleased to offer an opportunity for youth to learn about recycling and earn a recycled plastic bench for their school or other affiliated organization.  The District will sponsor the fee (up to $300) for a six foot colored bench with back.  All youth organizations and schools, from pre-school through college ages are eligible for the program.  The bench earned though the program must remain at an organization located in Boone County.  Each organization has the opportunity to earn one bench per calendar year on a first come, first serve basis.  The District has limited structured funds and reserves the right to not be able to sponsor a bench at the time it is requested.

ABC Application Packet
Current Groups Registered with our Program & Collecting Lids:
Lebanon High School Life Skills Class - Patty Bohannon (bohannonp@leb.k12.in.us)
The Arc of Greater of Boone County - Karlie Shaw (kshaw@thearcgbc.org)
Thorntown Christian Church "Friends of Desmond" - Becky LaGrange (ttownchurch@yahoo.com) 

Lebanon - the Cleanest City in Indiana Campaign

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The Lebanon - the Cleanest City in Indiana campaign began back in 2010 with an initiative from the Rotary Club of Lebanon.  They had a desire to see Lebanon be litter free and they wanted to lead by example.  This campaign is lead by a committee that meets on a monthly basis.  Main components of the campaign include, but are not limited to:  An annual spring clean-up event, monthly "Throwaway Thursday" clean-ups, an "Adopt-a-Spot" program and much more! 
If interested, contact the District for more information!

2019 Spring Cleanup Team Registration Form
Adopt-a-Spot Registration Form

Proper & Respectful Flag Disposal


Did you know that there is a Federal Law (U.S. Flag Code, Public Law 829 approved 12/22/42) in regards to the proper disposal of the American Flag?  The U.S. Flag Code states, “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”  A dignified manner requires the burning ceremony to be a respectful and private event.  To ensure a proper ceremony is held by a partnership with the local fire chiefs, please consider disposing of your flags in one of the collection bins throughout the County:
Boone County Veteran's Affairs Office (Main Street Lobby of Key Bank, Lebanon)
Boone County Courthouse
Lebanon Municipal Building
Both Lebanon Fire Stations
Zionsville Fire Station
Whitestown Municipal Building 
Jamestown Fire Department
Advance Fire Department
Thorntown Fire Department
Center Twp. Fire Department

In 2017 & 2018, the Veteran's Service Officer & Center Twp. Fire Chief, Mike Spidel, received community grants from the District to purchase the flag collection bins.  His goal was to have them placed throughout the County to ensure proper and respectful disposal was available to everyone!   
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