Are you spending more on trash than you need to be? With the higher price of things today from gas to groceries, you want to spend your money wisely. The Orange Bag program of the Monroe County Solid Waste Management District (District) allows you to dispose of your trash and recyclables at the same time. Putting your trash in orange bags and taking the trash and your recyclables to a recycling and solid waste site nearest you reduces disposal costs.

So, if you have trash you need to dispose of and you don’t have City curbside pick-up service or you miss the collection day, the District’s Orange Bag Trash program can help you. Orange bags are available for purchase in most major grocery and hardware stores and they are available in two sizes: ten 33 gallon bags are $10, twenty 15 gallon bags are $10.

The Orange Bag program is for Monroe County residents who do not have the City’s curbside pick-up service. Residents may put their trash in the orange bags and drop it off at one of the four rural recycling and solid waste stations available: Dillman Road, (400 West Dillman Road), Oard Road, (North Oard Road), Ellettsville, (6200 North Matthews Drive), and New Unionville (East Bethel Lane). Dillman Road and Oard Road are open Wednesday and Saturday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm and Ellettsville and New Unionville are open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.

All materials that cannot be recycled (except electronics and other hazardous materials) may be put in orange bags. The District reminds residents there is no charge for recyclables. Low income residents have access to orange bags through the South Central Community Action Program. Proceeds from the sale of orange bags are used to finance the operations of the Monroe County Solid Waste Management District.

Call 349-2020 if you have questions or refer to the District’s web site at www.mcswmd.org. Remember, orange is the color that will save you money. Put your trash in orange bags, bring it to one of the rural sites of the Monroe County Solid Waste Management District and bring your recyclables with you!