CAP-A-THON is BACK!
Bring your community together and get a free table or bench made entirely from recycled plastic caps for your school or organization!
The Lake County Solid Waste Management District is bringing back CAP-A-THON! This program empowers schools, groups, and organizations to run their own plastic cap collection drives, with guidance, resources, and best-practice support provided by our team. In the past, CAP-A-THON has helped recycle over 100,000 pounds of plastic caps, transforming them into durable, recycled-plastic benches and tables found all over Lake County — in schools, along bike paths and trails, and at municipal buildings, churches, and parks.
Not only are these plastic caps diverted from landfill space, but they are also upcycled into long-lasting benches and tables that can be used and enjoyed for years to come.
Participating groups take the lead by organizing and promoting their own collection efforts, while we support you every step of the way. Once your collection is complete, the District covers the cost and coordination of transporting the collected caps, as well as the delivery of the finished bench or table back to your school or organization.
How It Works
- Register your group
- Groups can register beginning Wednesday, January 21 at 8:00 a.m. on our this page.
- Registration closes Friday, January 30 at 3:00 p.m., or once all available spots are filled.
- Attend the required kick-off meeting
- After registering, your group will receive an invitation to a mandatory, in-person kick-off information session on Thursday, February 5 from 5:00–6:00 p.m. at the Environmental Education Center - 8695 Broadway Ave Merrillville, IN 46410
- This session provides the tools, best practices, and program details needed to successfully run your own plastic cap collection, including eligible materials, timelines, and key logistics.
- Run your own cap collection drive
- Participating schools and organizations will organize and promote their own plastic cap collection within their community, with a goal of collecting 200 pounds of eligible plastic caps.
- Deliver collected caps to the District
- Once the collection timeframe ends, your group will bring the collected caps to the Lake County Solid Waste Management District at the designated time.
- We Coordinate Recycling & Transport
- The District covers the cost of recycling and coordinates transportation of the caps to the recycling facility. Once completed, finished benches or tables will be transported back to the District, and pickup times will be scheduled for participating groups.
- Pick up and enjoy your finished product!
- Once complete, your group will pick up your new bench or table and put it to use — a long-lasting reminder of your commitment to waste reduction and sustainability!