DNREC announced Monday that a yard waste drop off point in Newark is now fully operational.
The drop point on South Chapel Road, operated by the private company Holland Mulch,is intended to replace the shuttered yard waste drop site near the DART maintenance yard in Delaware City that became the site of the new DMV facility there.
The diversion of leaves, lawn clippings and other outdoor refuse to designated areas is part of Delaware’s landfill ban on yard waste, which drew criticism from some in the First State when enacted more than five years ago.
Bill Miller, an environmental program manager with DNREC, says a landfill is no place for yard waste.
"Yard waste just doesn’t make sense to go into a landfill. It’s a natural material, it’s very easily recyclable," said Miller.
"Just really by mulching or composting what we’re doing is facilitating a natural process, the natural breakdown of that material. And mulch and compost are very useful products."
Miller says the agency continues to try to stress the benefits of these drop off points or commercial home pick-up.
"Usually we try and explain the benefits of it, that it really doesn’t make sense to do that. That material does not break down in a landfill like it does in a compost pile," said Miller. "Once we explain the benefits and the options for managing that material usually people understand are happy to get it managed outside of their trash stream."
Miller adds that the most recent data from 2012 shows that Delawareans brought more than 110,000 tons of yard waste to state-sponsored sites throughout the state.
Yard waste drop off sites are free for Delaware residents. Businesses and out-of-state residents must pay a fee to use the sites.