U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) today announced an award of $531,690 from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant program to Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC). Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this grant will help improve the First State’s recycling infrastructure and waste management systems.
“Recycling has been a lifelong passion for me and countless Delawareans,” said Senator Carper, Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Delaware will be receiving much-needed funding to improve our recycling programs and implement more sustainable waste-management practices. This investment will help DNREC perform studies on alternative materials, update community resources, and improve the recycling and composting programs, pushing the First State closer to a truly circular economy.”
“I’m thrilled to see this critical funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law coming into Delaware to help upgrade our recycling and waste management systems,” said Senator Coons. “This investment will help the First State implement more sustainable practices, and I look forward to seeing its positive impact up and down our state.”
“One of the federal government’s obligations is to be a good steward of our planet, and that includes investing in the ‘three Rs’ — reduce, reuse, and recycle,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “Today’s announcement from the EPA, which was made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is the largest investment in recycling in 30 years and will bring resources to Delaware to upgrade its recycling infrastructure and waste management systems with a focus on sustainability. This is great news for encouraging recycling and composting, combatting the climate crisis, and improving quality of life across the First State.”
“Recycling is an important part of the path to achieve a cleaner and healthier planet,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “It conserves our natural resources and energy, reduces greenhouse gases contributing to climate change, and it’s one way for Delawareans to contribute to a sustainable lifestyle. This historic investment made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will support a critical expansion of our recycling program to include greater research, education and resources for all our residents.”
BACKGROUND
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided a total of $275 million total over five years for the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grant program — the largest federal recycling investment in thirty years.
DNREC will use this SWIFR grant to evaluate potential recycling methods for re-usable bags, conduct an analysis on using recycled glass as an alternative to sand, update Recyclopedia, a search tool for residents to find out if and how they can recycle items, analyze recycling container sensor data to ensure more diversion from landfills, and create a map of food waste generation throughout Delaware. For more information on Delaware’s planned activities, click here.
