Times Staff Report

PORTAGE | Portage Street Superintendent Chuck Haskell would like to see recycling efforts increased in the city by 25 percent to 30 percent.

Haskell told residents at last week's Mayor's Night Out event the department is trying to get the word out about recycling.

The bottom line, he said, is that recycling saves the city money by not depositing recyclable materials in the landfill.

The curbside recycling program is offered to residents free of charge. Each home is provided with two recycling containers. Recyclables are picked up twice per month on regular garbage pick up days.

Residents interested in participating in the recycling program can call the department from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday to ask questions at (219) 762-4564. Bins will be dropped off at homes.

The city recycles the following:

* Newspaper and noncorrugated cardboard -- residents are asked to remove plastic sleeves from newspapers. They do not take magazines or telephone books.

* Corrugated cardboard -- residents are asked to break down boxes and place by recycling bins.

* Glass bottles -- the city accepts brown, green and clear glass with the lids removed. They do not take frosted or window glass, Pyrex, ceramics or painted glass.

* Plastic bottles -- the city accepts #1 and #2 plastics with caps and labels removed. #1 plastic can be clear, green and blue shiny bottles. #2 plastics include milk jugs, laundry detergent, fabric softener, liquid bleach, skin lotion or bubble bath bottles.

* Aluminum cans -- they accept all aluminum cans and clean aluminum such as pots, pans, frozen food containers and aluminum foil.

* Metal -- includes rinsed or washed vegetable, fruit and pet food cans.