DOVER – As Delawareans go to their recycling carts and compost containers to celebrate America Recycles Day, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin today announced almost $400,000 in recycling grants from Delaware’s Universal Recycling Grant and Low Interest Loan program administered by DNREC’s Division of Waste & Hazardous Substances.

“In conjunction with America Recycles Day, I want to commend organizations, a city, schools, a school district, and businesses throughout the state who have committed to recycling with the awarding of more than $390,000 in Universal Recycling Grants,” Secretary Garvin said. “The projects supported by this program will continue to help Delawareans reduce their waste and to recycle toward a better environmental future for our state. While Delaware continues to see success with our Universal Recycling Program, America Recycles Day also is a good opportunity to challenge ourselves to do more.”

The latest cycle of DNREC recycling grant funding was awarded to nine different entities. The funding has three different priority areas, including food waste reduction; projects that support waste reduction/diversion; and a program that organizes student field trips to the DSWA Education Center in New Castle.

The Universal Recycling Grant and Low Interest Loan Program, which is coordinated through Delaware’s Recycling Public Advisory Council (RPAC), awarded the following grants:

Delaware Center for Horticulture ($23,400): The Center will work with stakeholders through a Food Waste Symposium to focus on ways to reduce this type of waste from being landfilled. The grant award also funds a three-year study of the results.

Caesar Rodney School District, Kent County ($13,550): The school district will procure and install water bottle-filling station fountains, and buy reusable bags for school meal distribution. Both efforts will directly reduce the amount of waste generated in the District. The school district also received funding to purchase more recycling containers to increase diversion.

Odyssey Charter School, Wilmington ($1,716): Odyssey will receive funding to purchase reusable utensils for use throughout the school’s food service operations. This will directly reduce the amount of material being disposed by the school. Additionally Odyssey Charter will receive funds to purchase additional recycling container lids to help increase diversion.

Holy Cross School, Dover ($380): Holy Cross School will receive funding to purchase recycling bins to increase the amount of material currently diverted from the school’s waste stream.

City of Newark/Recycle Coach ($5,900): The City of Newark and Recycle Coach, a recycling technology company, will receive funding to roll out an app and marketing campaign to reduce contamination in curbside recycling carts. The grant will also cover the costs associated with before and after waste audits to prove success.

Zerocycle, Washington, D.C. ($50,000): Zerocycle is a technology company that will team with the solid waste industry, State of Delaware, and other partners to analyze and identify trends and areas of concern throughout the State with regard to recycling success.

AllOver Media, Minneapolis, Minn. ($110,000): AllOver Media provides advertising services at gas stations throughout the nation. The company has proposed a Delaware Recycles ad campaign which will focus at key locations throughout Delaware to help ensure residents are aware of the Universal Recycling program.

Sussex County Habitat for Humanity ($40,442): In order to help support their ever growing reuse business, Habitat for Humanity will receive funding to acquire another truck to expand their fleet and increase the amount of reusable material diverted from landfills.

Cape Gazette Group, Lewes ($58,251): The media group will work with DNREC to create and distribute recycling education material to all students within Delaware as well as residents of the State. Additionally, this campaign will also provide electronic distribution of educational information via web and email advertising.

In addition, $86,600 has been set aside to reimburse schools throughout Delaware to cover the cost of a tour of the DSWA Education Center in New Castle. Schools should email recycle@delaware.gov for details about the reimbursement program.

On America Recycles Day, DNREC reminds residents that, as you celebrate, know what to throw in your recycling cart by going to Recycling.Delaware.gov. Delaware’s Universal Recycling Program makes it easier to recycle, delivers cost-effective recycling services, and promotes jobs and economic growth. Recycling conserves resources, preserves landfill space and strengthens our environment. Delawareans’ dedication to the cause means that the amount of recyclable material diverted from Delaware’s landfill has increased significantly since 2006, when DNREC, RPAC, and the Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA) started calculating recycling rates in Delaware.

But supporting recycling does not just mean putting the right items into the recycling cart. Other notable recycling actions that can be taken by residents, organizations and businesses are:

Buy Recycled: Purchase items with post-consumer recycled (PCR) content such as paper products, electronics, promotional materials, and other consumer goods. Post-consumer recycled paper has been generated by a recycling program so these purchases keep the “cycle” going.

Practice Yard Waste Best Management Practices: Yard waste management and backyard composting are two very easy ways to provide natural fertilizer to lawns and gardens throughout Delaware. Don’t spend time raking and bagging your material if you’re going to “waste” it.

Become a recycling leader at work: DNREC offers free waste and recycling assessments and recommendations on starting or expanding recycling programs. More information can be found at “Recycling for Business” on DNREC’s website.

To learn more about recycling in Delaware, please visit recycling.delaware.gov, email questions to recycle@delaware.gov, or call DNREC’s Universal Recycling Program, Compliance and Permitting Section, at 302-739-9403.

Media Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

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