Delaware issues recycling grants

Recycling Today, June, 2004

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control(DNREC) and the Governor's Recycling Public Advisory Council have awarded $50,000 in Recycling Assistance Grants for Fiscal Year 2004. Seven proposals were approved for funding.

The city of New Castle and the town of Newport received the largest grant, which was $25,300. The two municipalities are working cooperatively to establish programs to handle residential yard waste, and Newport is also planning to implement curbside recycling for its residents.

Other projects receiving grants are the University of Delaware, which will conduct composting education in schools and other group settings; the city of Wilmington, which will conduct an assessment of the costs of implementing curbside recycling for all residents that receive trash pickup from the city; Delaware City, which will expand its subscription curbside recycling program to all interested residents of the city; Rehoboth Beach, which will make improvements to its existing beach and boardwalk recycling program; and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences, which will expand paper recycling at Delaware State University and conduct an environmental education campaign for students there.

"In keeping with the intent of the grant program, we tried to fund projects that will be sustainable over the long term and that have the potential to divert a lot of material from the waste stream," Paul Wilkinson, chairman of the Recycling Public Advisory Council, says.

Funds for the Recycling Assistance Grant program are subject to annual authorization by the General Assembly.