Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control relaunches the recycling information database, Recyclopedia.
The Recyclopedia is a one-stop-shop for anyone in the state to learn how to dispose of items. It seeks to improve recycling in the First State by helping Delawareans and visitors know what is acceptable to recycle, and where they can do it.
Adam Schlachter is an Environmental Program manager with DNREC. He says like any recycling program, Delaware’s often sees contaminants come in through recycling bins. There are about 12 items that regularly come in that are impediments, or just can’t be recycled.
“A great example of an impediment is bags. So plastic bags and film can wrap around the automated equipment at the facility, and literally they have to shut down for 8-12 hours, if not longer, to clean that out,” explained Schlachter. “We have 500 tons a day of material coming through, so if we lose a day of processing it backs everything up.”
He says currently about 12-15 percent of what enters the recycling facility is not recyclable, but hopes the Recyclopedia can help change that.
The Recyclopedia lists what can be recycled in curbside recycling bins, what needs to be dropped off at a specialized facility, and what can go in the trash.
For items, such as plastic bags and hazardous materials, that can’t be recycled or thrown away at home, the Recyclopedia takes the user’s location to provide a list of drop-off locations for disposal.
Schlachter says any time Delawareans can divert waste from landfills, it helps both the economy and the environment.
“Recycling represents a significant diversion opportunity from the landfill. Landfill space is limited, it’s limited in any state, but it’s particularly limited in Delaware. We have 3 landfills currently, there really is no space for us to build any more, so the more that we can divert away from those landfills, the better it is, the longer they last,” said Schlachter.
The Recyclopedia can be found at de.gov/recyclopedia, and DNREC urges users to contact them if they think of any item that is not on the list so they can add it and expand the database.
