Recycling Collection in Delaware is improving at a steady rate and the state’s landfills are being filled at a lower rate. The state’s 2013 recycling diversion rate hit 40% in 2013 and is only expected to improve due to the Universal Recycling Law signed by Gov. Jack Markell in 2010.
It is possible that Delaware will reach the recycling diversion goal of 50 percent by 2015. Back in 2006, the state’s recycling rate was about 23 percent, one of the lowest in the nation.
The Delaware Solid Waste Recycling Law required the commercial sector implement comprehensive recycling no later than January 1, 2014. This should help increase the recycling collection in Delaware, thus making the 50% recycling diversion rate an attainable goal.
The national rate was 34 percent as of 2009, according to the Keep American Beautiful campaign. Delaware’s rate was just a few percentage points lower.
New material recovery facilities and the expansion of recycling activities and operations have resulted in new investment and dozens of new jobs for Delaware.
The first implementation of the Universal Recycling law was single-family residential recycling that went into effect September 2011. The next stage was multi-family residential recycling that went into effect January 2013. The final component of this law went into effect this past January 2014 and required recycling compliance of the commercial sector – which includes Delaware businesses, non-profits, and institutions.
“Delawareans are recycling more, throwing out less and saving money in the process,” said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara. “All of this is reflected in our rising diversion rate. Over the next few years, we’ll be working with the commercial sector to help double the rate for commercial recycling in Delaware to help businesses, companies and institutions achieve the statewide goals of the Universal Recycling Law.. We want every Delawarean to have access to recycling at home, at work and everywhere in between – and the commercial sector opportunities will push us toward the statewide goal of 50 percent diversion.” – ‘Delaware recycling rate hits 40%’, by Doug Rainey, November 24, 2013
According to the article, – ‘Delaware recycling rate hits 40%’, “The recycling rate rose dramatically when single-stream recycling came into play, with haulers required to offer a separate container for recyclables under the legislation.”
While it is now the law for businesses to recycle, it is still up to the individual to carry through their recycling efforts at home. The DNREC has implemented many programs to make it easy to recycle.
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