Delaware announces $714,000 in grants to boost recycling activity

By Carolina Curiel

SPOKANE (Scrap Monster): A total of $714,076 has been awarded as grants through the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Recycling Assistance Grant Program. The grants for the year were awarded to 13 schools, 9 businesses and 2 municipalities. The announcement to this effect was made by Delaware Governor Jack Markell, along with DNREC Secretary David Small and Delaware Recycling Public Advisory Council (RPAC) Chair B.J. Vinton.

According to Governor Markell, the grants have played a prominent role in promoting the recycling efforts across the state. As a result, Delaware has been able to achieve a challenging 43% landfill diversion rate. This is the sixth year of grants, he noted. Since the inception of the grant program, 112 grants valued at nearly $8.5 million have been granted. These grants have helped to bolster recycling activities in the state, Markell noted. He expressed the hope that the grants to be announced in the forthcoming years will enable the state to increase its diversion rates even more.

Meantime, DNREC Secretary David Small thanked the Governor, whose leadership in implementing innovative recycling policies has helped the region to reduce landfill waste. As a result, Delaware has been able to conserve natural resources, save money and reduce green house gas emissions, thereby contributing to improvement of health of its residents. As per record, Delaware’s curbside recycling services cover nearly 347,000 households. Also, 20,000 multi-family households have access to recycling collection programmes, Small added.

Thirteen schools received grants totaling $293,906. The recipients of the grant are H.O. Brittingham Elementary, Cape Henlopen School District; W.T. Chipman Middle School, Lake Forest School District; Fifer Middle School, Caesar Rodney School District; Postlethwait Middle School, Caesar Rodney School District; Talley Middle School, Brandywine School District; Mt. Pleasant High School, Brandywine School District; MOT Charter School, Middletown School District; William Penn High School, Colonial School District; Capital School District; Smyrna School District; Red Clay Consolidated School District; Delaware State University and University of Delaware.

The nine businesses to receive the 2016 grant are: Republic Services, Wilmington; Econo-Haul, Newark; Responsive Management; Waste Industries, Townsend; Evergreen Waste Services, Hockessin; Evergreen Waste Services, Hockessin; Mountaire Farms of Delaware, Millsboro; Perdue Farms, Milford and Blue Hen Dispose-All, Newark. The business grants totaled $269,350.

In addition, $150,820 is awarded to communities as grants. The two communities selected as recipients of the grant are City of Milford and City of Rehoboth Beach.

State officials hoped that the grants would spur recycling efforts across Delaware. The grants are intended to help Delaware’s schools, businesses and institutions start recycling programs or expand programs that are already in place. Established by the Delaware Solid Waste Recycling Law, the grants are designed to help implement recycling programs and initiatives across all sectors which can result in improved recycling rates for the state.