Increasing recycling in Indiana could help manufacturing businesses expand and create jobs in the state. That was one takeaway from the Indiana Recycling Coalition's annual conference this week.

An Indianapolis Commission on Environmental Sustainability wrapped up a year of study this week.

The state recently awarded $1 million in grant funding to eight Indiana organizations, including two in Marion County, for projects that increase recycling efforts.

A Commission on Environmental Sustainability heard presentations Tuesday night about the current and future state of recycling.

With many people continuing to work from home, recycling companies still see an increase in disposables.

The study aims to find out where the gaps are in the states recycling infrastructure -- everything from curbside bins to the facilities that process recycling.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management, or IDEM, is accepting proposals for a study to help its recycling board better understand how local recycling influences the state economy.

This years Indiana Recycling Coalition Conference focused less on recycling and more on the other two Rs reduce and reuse.

The grants are funded through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's Recycling Market Development Program.

Recycling advocates are urging leaders to re-evaluate Indiana's recycling system, which they say is plagued with issues including a lack of locally sourced recycling material for businesses and landfills filling with recyclable goods.