Owned and managed by the City of Valparaiso with operational assistance by Porter County Recycling. Loading handled by the City of Valparaiso. Visit the city’s website for more details.
Pickup and drop-off services are free for Porter County residents; fees and limitations may apply for non-residents, so please contact us to learn more before visiting. Read below to see what items are available for residents to pick up at our site.
2150 W. Lincolnway
Valparaiso, IN 46385
Mon – Sat / 8am – 5pm
Drop Off Composting & Recycling
The State of Indiana prohibits residents from knowingly placing vegetative matter from landscaping maintenance and land clearing projects in a landfill (IC 13-20-9-2). However, most of your yard waste CAN be recycled into compost or wood chips. We accept the following organic yard waste at the Valparaiso Compost Site:
Leaves
Straw
(not hay)
Garden & Household Plants
Limbs, Logs, Firewood, Brush and Branches
(must be no longer than six feet and no bigger than 48 inches in diameter)
Once live holiday home decorations
(including pumpkins, corn, gourds, mums and Christmas trees)
Grass*
*Only residents within the city limits of Valparaiso with a Grass Pass issued by Valpo Public Works may bring grass clippings to the Valparaiso Compost Site. We recommend grasscycling, or leaving your cut grass on the lawn to decompose and nourish the lawn.
You Can Also Recycle These Household Items at the Valparaiso Compost Site:
Household Batteries
Electronics
(computers, televisions, cell phones; anything with a cord or run by batteries)
Fluorescent Light Bulbs
(tubes and CFLs)
LED Light Bulbs
Toner Cartridges
Smoke Detectors
Clean and Dry Plastic Bags
Household Recyclables
Books
Important Notes
Fees apply for out-of-county residents. Only checks are accepted for payment at the compost sites; absolutely no cash accepted.
If it’s not listed above, we do not accept it
Plastic bags and other such containers must be removed from the site by residents
Rakes and shovels will not be available to the general public; please exercise caution and observe all social distancing guidelines
No treated wood or lumber of any kind is accepted at the site
Contractors and landscapers, click here
Fast Facts
In 2022, there were 34,606 visits to Porter County compost sites. The dollar amount is currently being determined for operating costs including staff and material management of non-public sites in Chesterton and Town of Pines.
Pick Up Mulch, Compost or Firewood
Porter County residents can bring their own buckets and shovels and take as much compost, mulch or firewood as they’d like. No power tools can be brought or operated onsite. While supplies last; contact Porter County Recycling for availability information.
Loading is also available for Porter County Residents; click here for more information.
We test our compost! View the lab results below:
Learn About Backyard Composting
When you visit the site, ask the attendant for a copy of Home Composting Made Easy. You can also visit this website, based on the book, for more information.
