Unique Trash Items

  • Air conditioners, dehumidifiers, refrigerators, or freezers have Freon that must be removed by a certified technician to prevent damage to the environment. Call Tippecanoe County Solid Waste Management at 765-423-2858 for a list of vendors who will come and get a CFC appliance, take out the freon and recycle the metal for a hauling fee.
  • Appliances will be taken during weekly trash pickup. Please note that anything that has or ever had freon, such as refrigerators, freezers, de-humidifiers or air conditioners, will not be picked up.
  • Brush and yard waste will be picked up by a separate truck, usually on your regular trash day. Tree branches should be no more than 20 inches in diameter and 3 feet long. Disposal of large trees is the responsibility of the property owner; call a tree trimmer from the yellow pages to handle large trees.
  • Car batteries can be recycled at Oscar Winski Company, AutoZone, Wal-Mart Automotive, or Pep Boys.
  • Car Donation Program: Consider donating your car to the Wheels for Wishes Charity Car Donation Program benefiting your local Make-A-Wish®. You can make a local child's wish come true with a simple car donation. Donate that rusty old vehicle sitting in the driveway, and stop paying insurance and registration. Eliminate the costs for a car that rarely if ever gets used and get a tax donation by supporting Make-A-Wish®. Your donation helps not only the children, but the environment as well by recycling your car. Learn more at the Wheels for Wishes website.
  • Electronics (TVs, stereos, computers, CRT monitors, LCD or LED monitors, microwaves, video game consoles, cell phones, printers, etc.) It is a violation of Indiana State Code to dispose of e-waste in your normal trash, IC-13-20.5. E-waste must be recycled properly. Contact Oscar Winski Company at 765-421-6005 or visit their website to learn more. 
  • Grass clippings should be left where they lay. Turf grass experts at Purdue found grass clippings return nitrogen and build healthy soil in lawns. Grass clippings contain over 20 nutrients your lawn needs to fight disease and grow properly. Leaving clippings reduces the amount of fertilizer your lawn needs, saving time and money. If you choose to have your grass clippings removed, they must be bagged in paper bags and set curbside! Grass clipping shall not be placed in the City-issued toter.
  • Hazardous items such as gasoline, motor oil, mercury, paint thinner, acids, antifreeze, pool chemicals, and pesticides should never be put in the trash! They can spill & injure sanitation workers, start fires in the truck, and pollute our land, air, and water. The Transfer Station located at 2770 N 9th St. has a household hazardous waste drop-off that is free for Tippecanoe County residents! Make sure your hazardous materials are in a container with a lid so they will not spill and are labeled. 
  • Holiday trees will be picked up curbside on your trash day.  Remove ornaments, tinsel, plastic bags and tree stands.
  • Large items, such as carpet, sinks, sofas, toilets, and mattresses, will be taken during weekly trash pickup. Items should be set out beside your toter on your normal collection day. Large items will be picked up by a separate truck than the 1 that picks up your normal trash, so it will not be picked up at the same time. Please note, the city cannot pick up anything with refrigerant such as window a/c units, refrigerators, and chest freezers. In addition, if you are paying a contractor for remodeling, they are responsible for removal of debris. If you can't wait until your weekly pickup, items can be brought to the Tippecanoe Trash Transfer Station at 2770 North 9th Street for a fee. Please call the Transfer Station at 765-742-7131 for more details.
  • Leaves: From May through September leaves must be bagged in paper bags and set curbside to be picked up on your trash day.  (Please note that leaves raked in the spring can be used as mulch in flower beds and gardens.  You can also mow your leaves and mulch them right into your lawn.)  The City sends out leaf vacuums from October through April.  During this time, loose leaves may be left curbside.  
  • Motor oil can be recycled at Wal-Mart Automotive, and AutoZone. After you change your oil, pour used oil into a sturdy container and take it to be recycled.
  • Paint that can be cleaned with soap and water is latex. It can be dried out by mixing as much floor dry or kitty litter as there is paint in the can. It will dry out in 24 hours and can be set out for the regular trash with the lid off. This way the sanitation workers can see it is dry and they can pick it up. Oil-based paint is considered toxic and can be taken to the household hazardous waste drop-off at the Transfer Station at 2770 N 9th St. 
  • Scrap metal such as old fencing, hot water heaters, ovens, washers, dryers, and metal lawn chairs can be recycled. Set it out in a separate pile at your property line on your normal trash collection day. It will be picked up separately from your toter and recyclables. Or you may take it to Oscar Winski Company. Call them at 765-742-1102 for details.
  • Tires cannot be accepted by the City. Tires can be taken to and recycled by Mr. and Mrs. Tire or Pomp's Tire for a fee.