Delaware Reuse Guide: Reuse Directory
Page Contents
Delaware Recycling Info Household Hazardous Waste Junkmail
Delaware Recycling Information
The 'RECYCLE DELAWARE' Program is a voluntary source-separation recycling program. The first 'Recycle Delaware' Center was placed at the Southern Solid Waste Management Center in 1990. The program has grown to over 120 brightly-colored centers throughout the State. Most centers are located within a five-mile radius of most households so residents can easily drop off recyclables on the way to work or shopping.
Listed below are the items accepted for recycling through 'RECYCLE DELAWARE', as well as items that are not accepted, how things should be prepared and what new products are made by the recycled items.
PAPER - BLUE CONTAINERS
Newspapers, magazines, phone books, newspaper inserts and paperback books
Preparation: Place in paper bag or drop in loose. Inserts may stay in.
Not Accepted: Junk mail, office paper, hard cover books, plastic bags or wrappers, cereal boxes, cardboard, or tissue boxes.
New Recycled Product: New newsprint, box board liners and egg cartons.
PLASTIC - RED CONTAINERS
Narrow-neck plastic bottles only (milk jugs, soda bottles, laundry detergent, salad dressing, cooking oil, shampoo, cleaning bottles)
Preparation: Rinse lightly. Remove lids and crush. Labels and rings can
stay on.
Not Accepted: Plastic bags, margarine or yogurt containers, plastic trays, cups, Styrofoam, motor oil bottles, pesticide or solvent containers.
New Product: New plastic containers, carpet fiber backing.
METAL CANS - YELLOW CONTAINERS
Aluminum, steel and empty aerosol cans (drink and food cans, pet food, hair and bug spray)
Preparation: Rinse lightly. Crush if possible. Labels can stay on. Remove plastic spray knob from aerosols.
Not Accepted: Foil or pie trays, paint cans, propane cylinders, siding, beach or lawn chairs.
New Product: New steel products and aluminum cans.
GLASS - WHITE/GREEN/BROWN CONTAINERS
Food and beverage containers, and jars.
Preparation: Rinse lightly. Remove lids. Label and ring can stay on.
Not Accepted: Window glass, drinking glasses, mirrors, ceramics, crystal,
fluorescent and incandescent bulbs, Corning Ware, and Pyrex.
New Recycled Product: New glass containers of the same color.
Specified Locations Only
Corrugated cardboard
Used motor oil, hydraulic or diesel oil.
Used car and truck oil filters.
Small household batteries and button type (As, Cs, Ds, watch, hearing aide and camera).
For More Information,
Call the Citizens' Response Line at:
1-800-404-7080
Household Hazardous Waste
The Delaware Solid Waste Authority handles Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) at different sites statewide on Saturdays each month, but only from March through November. HHW includes products like cleaning agents, herbicides, paints, and automobile fluids. When these products are disposed of improperly, they can be harmful to humans and animals, as well as becoming a pollution nightmare. Remember not to put HHW into drains, toilets, septic systems, storm drains, onto soils, or in the regular trash. Take them to a designated site.
For more information, call (800) 404-7080
Here's what you can bring to a collection site:
Product containers marked with the words:
"Warning: Hazardous"
"Flammable"
"Poisonous"
"Corrosive"
"Explosive"
Automotive
antifreeze
auto batteries
degreasers
waste fuels - gasoline, kerosene, used motor oil mixed with other fuels
House
full aerosol cans
bleach
chemistry kits
nail polish, polish removers
perfumes
disinfectants
drain cleaners
floor wax
mercury thermometers
moth balls
oven cleaner
prescription medications
smoke detectors
spot remover
toilet cleaner
used syringes
Explosives
ammunition
firecrackers
gunpowder
Workshop/Garage
corrosives
paints (other than latex)
small compressed-gas cylinders
solvents
stains
strippers
thinners
varnish
wood preservatives
fluorescent bulbs
Garden/Yard
fungicides
herbicides
pesticides
pool chemicals
What Will Not Be Accepted?
Friable Asbestos - Accepted by appointment at the Cherry Island Landfill, for a fee, call (302) 764-2732.
Non-Friable Asbestos - Accepted by appointment at all DSWA
landfills for a fee.
Unknown substances - greater than 1 gallon or eight pounds.
Radioactive wastes.
Things you don't need to take to an HHW collection site:
Latex paint - can be taken to a landfill. Containers with less than
an inch of material, can go in the regular trash.
Used motor oil - if it has not been mixed with other automobile fluids, it can be recycled at "Recycle Delaware" facilities specifically designated for used oil.
For information on when and where to take Household
Hazardous Waste (HHW), call (800) 404-7080 or go on-line to: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/hhw.htm
Junk Mail
According to the EPA's Municipal Solid Waste Factbook, Americans received about 4.6 million tons of third class mail during 1995, and nearly one half of that mail was thrown away unopened. Unwanted mail or "junk mail" is more than just a nuisance...it quickly becomes a waste.
4.6 million tons is a huge heap of garbage, especially when you consider that the entire state of Delaware generated less than 0.8 million tons of waste during 1995 (waste handled by the Delaware Solid Waste Authority).
Based on per capita averages, Delaware's share of that 4.6 million tons of third class mail would have been about 12,000 tons or 35 pounds for each and every resident.
As a comparison, during 1995, the statewide Recycle Delaware Program, collected a total of only 17,826 tons of solid materials for recycling.
The EPA warns that even more junk mail will be coming our way in the near future. Early in the 21st century, more than 5.3 million tons of third class mail is projected to become solid waste, and by 2010 that amount will increase to over 7 million tons per year.
Eight Steps to Junk Mail Prevention
Delaware's statewide recycling program, "Recycle Delaware," can't process most junk mail, but there are some steps you can take to prevent a lot of this kind of mail from making its way into your mailbox in the first place.
1. Credit Bureaus: Recent changes to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act require credit bureaus to maintain toll-free numbers for consumers to call to have their names removed from credit card mailing lists. Since these same lists are used by the insurance industry for solicitation mailings, calling just one of the numbers listed below will reduce credit card and insurance mailing to your address. The bureaus share their lists, so by notifying just one credit bureau, all will eventually know that you don't want to hear from them.
Equifax 1-800-556-4711
Experian 1-800-353-0809
Trans Union 1-800-680-7293
When you call one of these numbers, ask to have your name removed from their direct marketing files. Be prepared to give them your social security number (which they already have anyway). They will remove your name for a period of two years unless you specifically ask for permanent removal. For permanent removal from their marketing files, they may ask you for a written request.
2. Specific Credit Cards: Your credit card company may also be selling your name and address so it may be wise to write to the customer service center of each and request them not to sell, trade, or lend your name or address to any organization for its mailing lists.
3. General Advertisements: Write to the Direct Marketing Association and tell them to remove your name and address from their mailing lists. You should include your name and address in all the versions that have appeared on your junk mail (i.e. Bob Smith, Robert Smith, R. Smith). Write the DMA at:
Direct Marketing Association
Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008
The DMA will remove your name from their mailing lists for 5 years, so be prepared to contact them again before your name is relisted.
4. Coupons, Samples, and Ad Packets: If you don't want more offers for "collectibles", address labels, can openers, or free samples of non-aspirin pain reliever, call or write these mass mailers:
Carol Wright Gifts
Customer Services
P.O. Box 8502
Lincoln, NE 68544
(402) 474-5174
Harte Hanks Direct Marketing
List Maintenance
100 Alco Place
Baltimore, MD 21227-2090
5. Weekly Mailings to "Resident": These mailings include a bundle of advertising flyers from local supermarkets and other businesses and are always accompanied by an address card....usually with the picture of a missing child on the front. One company, ADVO, Inc. says that they mail to 60 Million households each week and are the largest commercial customer of the U.S. Post Office. You may write ADVO, Inc. (Mailbox Values) at:
ADVO, Inc.
239 W. Service Road
Hartford, CT 06120
Ask them to remove your address from their mailing lists and for them not to sell, lend, or trade your address to any other organizations. Watch your mailbox each week because these ads may continue to show up under another address (i.e. your next-door neighbor's address). If this happens, you may want to speak with your letter carrier....they deliver so many of these that it is unusual for an address not to get one. You may be getting a neighbor's by mistake.
6. Magazines, Newspapers, Newsletters, Charities, and Others: Whenever you subscribe or donate, tell them that you do not wish your name or address to be added to a mailing list, or sold, traded, or lent to any other organization for their mailing lists. Send a post card (less expensive) to current subscriptions telling them the same thing.
7. Free Weekly Papers: Publishers are generally helpful when you want to cancel your subscription to these free weekly publications. Although not really junk mail, if you are not using them, you should consider canceling them. Simply call the subscription department and request that papers not be delivered to your address. If you do enjoy these publications, please remember that the Recycle Delaware collection bins do accept newspapers for recycling.
8. Unsolicited First Class Mail: Any first class mail you receive or any mail where "return postage is guaranteed" or "address correction requested" may be returned (unopened) to the sender. You should write "Refused by (your name); Return to Sender" on the envelope of this type of junk mail. Circle the "return postage guaranteed" or "address correction requested" phrase on the envelope. By including your name, you make it clear to your letter carrier that the piece of mail was not delivered to the wrong address (we do like to be considerate).
(adapted from the DNREC Solid Waste Management Branch website: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/newpages/junkmail.htm )
Return to the Delaware Reuse Guide contents page.
