Lake Co. Solid Waste District offers free bench program

CROWN POINT | The Lake County Solid Waste Management District has a new program in which local schools and communities can obtain a colored bench made of recycled plastic in return for collecting 400 pounds of plastic caps.

New Lake Co. solid waste chair: No more unproven trash proposals

The Lake County solid waste board should steer clear of commercially unproven processes when considering future plans for consolidating the county's trash disposal, the board's chairman said.

Powers warns of possible lawsuit following cancellation of trash-to-ethanol deal

Potential lawsuits are brewing in Lake County's trash-to-ethanol saga, according to a motion by solid waste officials and statements from the developer who had contracted to build and operate the plant.

EDITORIAL: Put tighter controls on grants for recycling

The Lake County Solid Waste Management District's enormous budget includes grants to communities for recycling. But that's not necessarily how the recipients use that money.

More accountability of recycle grants sought

Lake County Solid Waste Management District distributes about $2.8 million -- about 55 percent of its 2013 budget -- to all county municipalities based on population.

County recycling districts offer different service levels

With vastly differing budgets, the Lake County Solid Waste Management District and the Porter County Recycling and Waste Reduction District are worlds apart in what they can offer people who recycle.

Wasteful endeavors?

Some officials throughout the country say they have learned the grass isn't always greener when it comes to alternative methods of disposing of municipal garbage.

More communities finding the cash value of recycling

Recycling is good for the ecology and a community's economy, but efforts at recycling vary greatly across the region.

Region legislators seek tighter leash on Lake County solid waste district

INDIANAPOLIS | Two former Lake County solid waste officials are using their newly acquired legislative pulpit to pursue reforms of their former waste management district board.

EDITORIAL: Trash-to-ethanol is a too-distant dream

The proposed trash-to-ethanol plant has produced little but speculation since the contract between developer Earl Powers and the Lake County Solid Waste Management District board was signed four years ago. Don't expect any jobs to be created in the near future, either.

Can trash-to-ethanol facility make it?

With yet another collapsed land deal, a fresh set of delays on financing decisions and a contract in limbo, some Lake County solid waste officials wonder if they are hearing the end of trash-to-ethanol.

Hazardous waste drop-off takes place Sept. 22 in Hobart

HOBART | The Lake County Solid Waste Management District is sponsoring a hazardous waste disposal day at the Hobart City Barn.

EDITORIAL: Back to square one on solid waste disposal

As the Lake County Solid Waste Management District tries to determine which direction to turn next, the board members should recognize first where they are and how they got there.

Trash-to-ethanol saga marked by constant change, missed deadlines

With new owners possibly on the horizon for the proposed Schneider trash-to-ethanol plant, some Lake County waste officials say it is the perpetuation of a four-year-old game of musical chairs.

EDITORIAL: Scrap the trash-to-ethanol project

Lake County Solid Waste Management District officials plan to meet behind closed doors Aug. 30 to discuss the possible legal ramification of terminating the agency's trash-to-ethanol contract with Powers Energy. Earl Powers' failure to show up at Thursday's meeting, even as he knew he was on…

Lake County waste officials to mull termination of Powers contract in executive session

What had been billed as the moment when financiers would potentially endorse Lake County's trash-to-ethanol plan became another in a long line of failures of a would-be developer to produce, some county officials said Thursday.

Trash and fashion meet at annual Trashion exhibit

Rita Mazza challenges visitors to the annual "Trashion" exhibit at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond to a little game.

Powers passes 1st benchmark

Lake County's trash-to-ethanol saga will continue — at least another 30 days — after solid waste district officials decided developer Earl Powers satisfied two benchmarks toward filling a perceived breach in his contract.

EDITORIAL: Recognize trash-to-ethanol as the flop it is

As the next deadline nears for developer Earl Powers to prove he's making progress on the proposed trash-to-ethanol plant, it's now clear that Powers hasn't made much progress in the years since he signed the contract with the Lake County Solid Waste Management District.

Powers has up to 90 more days to show trash-to-ethanol viability

Lake County's more than 3-year trash-to-ethanol saga was extended for at least another 30 and as many as 90 days Thursday after waste officials gave a developer more time to prove the venture viable.