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Delaware's Pollution Prevention Program
The Pollution Prevention Program was established in the Department of
Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) by the General Assembly
in 1990 as a non-regulatory program to provide assistance to businesses and
industrial facilities in identifying and implementing waste reduction
opportunities. For information on any of the services offered by the Pollution
Prevention Program, or to order publications, call (302) 739-9000.
Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA)
Subscription Curbside Recycling -- In 2003, DSWA began a pilot subscription
curbside recycling program in a portion of New Castle County, which is home to
approximately two-thirds of Delaware¹s population. For a fee of $6 per month,
residents can have their recyclables picked up at the curb. For an additional $3 per
month, DSWA will also pick up their yard waste. In 2004, the program was expanded
to include all of New Castle County; and DSWA plans to offer the service in Kent
County beginning in September 2005
Information about DSWA's programs and services can be found on their website
at http://www.dswa.com
Recycling Public Advisory Council (RPAC)
The RPAC was established by an Executive Order of the Governor in 2000. The RPAC's charge is to advise the state on how to increase recycling, with a goal of diverting 30% of the residential solid waste generated in Delaware. Each year the RPAC issues a report describing its activities during the year and outlining its recommendations for increasing the diversion rate.
In 2004, the RPAC entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Delaware Solid Waste Authority and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to conduct and evaluate assessments leading to recommendations for a statewide, largely curbside, mandatory recycling program. Draft legislation resulting from that effort did not attract any sponsors in the legislature. However, the Governor voiced her support for the waste diversion goal, and her staff subsequently developed a bill that would establish a fund to help pay the costs of implementing curbside recycling programs and would also ban yard waste from disposal in the state’s landfills. That bill was introduced in June 2005 and is still pending.
The RPAC's annual reports and meeting minutes are available on the website of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov.
Recycling in Wilmington
Delaware’s largest city has contracted with RecycleBank to provide single-stream curbside recycling to approximately 7,200 households, on a trial basis. If the trial is successful, the City plans to expand the program to include all residents served by City trash collection. The trial is scheduled to start June 1, 2006.
Delaware's Pollution Prevention Program
The Pollution Prevention Program was established in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) by the General Assembly in 1990 as a non-regulatory program to provide assistance to businesses and industrial facilities in identifying and implementing waste reduction opportunities. For information on any of the services offered by the Pollution Prevention Program, or to order publications, call (302) 739-9909.
Delaware Solid Waste Authority
Subscription Curbside Recycling -- In 2003, DSWA began a pilot subscription curbside recycling program in a portion of New Castle County, which is home to approximately two-thirds of Delaware’s population. For a fee of $6 per month, residents can have their recyclables (sorted by material) picked up at the curb. For an additional $3 per month, DSWA will also pick up their yard waste. Many private haulers offer a discount on trash collection for those households that subscribe to the curbside recycling program.
DSWA now offers the program to all residents of New Castle and Kent Counties and will begin to offer the service in Sussex County by July 1, 2006. Some municipalities, which have a population density that allows for greater collection efficiency, are partnering with DSWA to offer the program at a lower cost. In addition, some private haulers, in cooperation with DSWA, are experimenting with single-stream collection (excluding glass).
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