DNREC awards recycling grants as Delaware celebrates Nov. 15 as America Recycles Day

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

-End-


Delaware’s Recycling Public Advisory Council to meet Wednesday, July 25 in Newark

DOVER – Delaware’s Recycling Public Advisory Council (RPAC) will meet at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 25 at the University of Delaware’s Perkins Student Center, 325 Academy St. Newark, DE 19716. The RPAC meeting agenda can be found on the state’s Public Meeting Calendar.

The Recycling Public Advisory Council was enacted into law by Senate Bill 234 in May 2010, and charged with advising the Governor’s Office, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and the Delaware Solid Waste Authority on all aspects of recycling, including: development of grant criteria and selection of applications; a methodology for measuring recycling rates; and possible outreach activities designed to achieve higher recycling rates.

For more information about RPAC, please visit https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/waste-hazardous/recycling/recycling-public-advisory-council/, or contact Jackie Howard, DNREC Solid & Hazardous Waste Management Section, at 302-739-9403.

For more information about the monthly RPAC meeting, please go to https://publicmeetings.delaware.gov/Meeting/60140.

Vol. 48, No. 189

-30-


Delaware and DNREC observe America Recycles Day, with state’s recycling exceeding the national average

DOVER – Today is America Recycles Day, and Delaware has a lot to celebrate, including the state’s 44.5 percent recycling diversion rate – 10 percent above the national average – for keeping recyclable materials out of landfills. The diversion rate has almost doubled since 2006, when the Recycling Public Advisory Council (RPAC), Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA) and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) started calculating recycling rates in Delaware.

The increase in recycling throughout the state is due, in large part, to significant advances in policy and participation – and it was achieved through a single-stream recycling plan. Delaware’s Universal Recycling Program maximizes recycling benefits and makes it easier to recycle. The system also provides universal recycling services that are cost-effective and convenient, and that promote jobs and economic growth.

“Since Delaware’s Universal Recycling Law was established in 2010, the state has become a national leader in recycling. While we are progressing toward higher recycling rates, more can be done,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “In recognition of America Recycles Day, I challenge Delawareans to make the recycling pledge – to learn about what materials are recyclable, to reduce the amount of waste going into landfills by recycling more, and to encourage a family member or friend to become a more active recycler.”

To further recycling in the state, Delawareans are encouraged to:

  • Purchase items with post-consumer recycled (PCR) content such as paper products, electronics, promotional materials, and other consumer goods.
  • Compost food waste for a boost to your lawn or garden by following DNREC’s backyard composting guide which makes it easy to get started.
  • Become a recycling leader at work. DNREC offers the How to Recycle Guide and posters, free waste and recycling assessments and recommendations on starting or expanding recycling programs.

To learn more about recycling, please visit recycling.delaware.gov or contact Jackie Howard or Don Long in DNREC’s Recycling Program, Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Section, at 302-739-9403, ext. 4.

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

Vol. 47, No. 245

-30-


Recycling Public Advisory Committee to meet Wednesday, Jan. 25 in Dover

DOVER – Delaware’s Recycling Public Advisory Council (RPAC) will meet at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, in the Sussex Conference Room, Department of Insurance, 841 Silver Lake Blvd., Dover, DE 19904.

RPAC agenda topics include:

  • Call to order, introductions
  • Public comments (20-minute cap, priority given to written comments)
  • Approval of minutes from Nov. 16 meeting
  • Cycle 8 Marketing Firm recipient introduction
  • DSM Environmental – Presentation on Waste Characterization and Recovery Rate Reports
  • RPAC Annual Report presentation
  • Universal Recycling Regulations update
  • Recycling market update
  • Old/new business
  • Additional public comments

The Recycling Public Advisory Council was enacted into law by Senate Bill 234 in May, 2010, and charged with advising the Governor’s Office, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and the Delaware Solid Waste Authority on all aspects of recycling, including: development of grant criteria and selection of applications; a methodology for measuring recycling rates; and possible outreach activities designed to achieve higher recycling rates.

For more information about RPAC, please visit www.dnrec.delaware.gov/whs/awm/Info/Pages/RPAC.aspx.

For more information or for directions to the meeting location, please contact Bill Miller, DNREC Solid & Hazardous Waste Management Section, at 302-739-9403.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 47, No. 19

-30-


DNREC offers second round of 2016 recycling grant opportunities to help Delaware’s schools, businesses

Recycling-magnetNOTE: Application deadline for grants and loans has been moved up to Friday, Sept. 30

DOVER – To help Delaware’s schools, businesses and institutions start recycling programs or expand programs that are already in place, DNREC is offering the second round of 2016 Universal Recycling Grants and Low Interest Loan Program funding. Applications are due by 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30 – please note that the deadline for applications has been moved forward by DNREC’s Recycling Team from the original due date of Nov. 2.

DNREC, in collaboration with the Recycling Public Advisory Council (RPAC), is again placing emphasis on:

  • Distribution of preapproved recycling instructional information to influence positive recycling behaviors at the point where recyclable material is generated and disposed of (e.g. kitchen, office, workplace, recycling bin, cart, dumpster);
  • Recycling outreach – which covers recycling advertising, education, and related initiatives;
  • School or university recycling programs;
  • Source-separated food waste recycling infrastructure development, and
  • Business, non-profit, community organization, or local government recycling programs

Other proposed activities that fall outside of priorities listed above are also considered. Creativity is encouraged and all eligible applications will be given consideration to the extent that program resources allow. RPAC and DNREC’s Recycling Program emphasize that applicants for grants and low-interest loans do not need to be a recycling expert to put forward a recycling grant proposal.

“DNREC’s grant and loan program is again geared toward helping schools and businesses save money and reduce their environmental footprint by recycling in Delaware,” said DNREC Secretary David Small. “We want the grants to help businesses and organizations double the recycling rate across the commercial sector and achieve statewide goals for Universal Recycling championed by Governor Markell. We’re now closer to another goal – of every Delawarean having access to recycling at home, at work, at school and at play – making recycling a way of life in the First State.”

Although this is the second application offering this year, it is the eighth grant cycle since the grant and loan program began in 2011. DNREC is anticipating a strong interest in Cycle 8 and has slated the acceptance of applications for this round through Sept. 30.  Again, please note that the deadline for applicants to submit proposals has changed to Sept. 30 after originally having been announced as Nov. 2.

Application forms and the guidance document for the grants and low interest loans are available at: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/dwhs/Pages/RecyclingGrants.aspx, or via Delaware’s recycling website at www.recycling.delaware.gov. Applicants are advised to read the guidance document prior to submitting their proposals. Though most applicants request grant funding, low-interest loans are also available. Grant applicants who may be partially awarded are also eligible for loans to supplement their project costs.

The Universal Recycling Grant and Low Interest Loan Program was created by the state’s Universal Recycling Law. The law provides a framework to ensure recycling services in Delaware are effective and easily accessible. Commercial sector entities are expected to be actively participating in recycling programs. The commercial sector includes any for-profit or not-for profit retail or wholesale stores, offices, food service establishments, warehouses, and other manufacturing, industrial or processing activities, and institutions such as social, charitable, educational, health care, professional and government services.

Schools, business owners, and institution managers are encouraged to learn about the growing recycling opportunities in Delaware. Recycling can be economically beneficial when organizations reduce their disposal costs. To learn more about requirements, grant funding, commercial recycling toolkits, recycling grant opportunities and more, please visit www.recycling.delaware.gov or call 302-739-9403, ext. 8. Also: If you or your business would like assistance with waste reduction and recycling, please call the number above to set up a no-cost, onsite waste assessment by DNREC’s Recycling team, who can offer suggestions on how to implement or expand your recycling program.

CONTACT: Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902. 

Vol. 46, No. 304

-30-