DSWA Programs - Drop Off Centers

recycling programs

Recycling Drop-Off Centers

LEARN HOW YOU CAN BECOME A DROP-OFF CENTER SITE SPONSOR

Click to download a Single-Stream Drop-Off Center Recycling Brochure

DSWA has expanded the single-stream recycling program to include over 180 drop-off centers across the state.

Since 1990, Delaware residents have used these drop-off centers at various locations to recycle their household items such as newspapers, plastic narrow-neck bottles, cans, junk mail, and brown, green, and clear glass. Each type of material was sorted into different colored containers then collected for recycling.

Sorting is now a thing of the past! The drop-off centers are now single-stream, which means that residents will no longer have to sort their recyclables prior to coming to the drop-off centers.

Listed below is accepted materials for the DSWA recycling program.

Newspapers/ Brown Paper Bags
Magazines/Catalogs
Telephone/Soft Cover Books
Junk Mail/Envelopes (all types)
Paper
Paperboard (cereal/tissue boxes)
Cardboard
Narrow-Neck Plastic Bottles (examples: Milk Jugs, Bleach/Detergent, Shampoo Bottles)
Plastic Grocery Bags
Glass Bottles/Jars (any color)
Metal Cans (tin/steel/aluminum)

The Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA) only collects narrow-neck plastic bottles in both its Curbside Recycling Program and Recycling Drop-Off Centers. Narrow-neck plastic bottles such as water or soda bottles, shampoo bottles, and detergent bottles are accepted regardless of the recycling number found on the bottle and usually contains liquid contents. A narrow-neck plastic bottle is one that has a neck smaller than the body of the bottle. DSWA does not accept wide-mouth plastic containers such as butter or yogurt containers because the manufacturing process differs from narrow-neck bottles. Narrow-neck bottles are what are referred to as blow-molded plastic while the butter tubs and yogurt containers are injection-molded plastics or a "punched" plastic. While the types of plastics for both blow-molded and injection-molded plastics is still the same, the manufacturing process is different. This results in each plastic having a different melt index, which means that they melt at different temperatures. There are not many markets for other types of plastics, which do not have a narrow-neck in the regions around Delaware. Without a market to accept the items, DSWA does not have a resource that will accept and process this type of plastic. For questions on a specific item, please contact the Citizens' Response Line at 1-800-404-7080.

Many drop-off centers also accept corrugated cardboard, household batteries, motor oil, oil filters, and textiles. These types of materials will continue to be collected in separate containers due to their size or special nature.

Another exciting addition to DSWA’s drop-off program is the collection of paperboard items such as cereal and tissue boxes. These items are now being accepted with the curbside recycling program and at DSWA Drop-Off Centers. Residents should look for new bright yellow decals on the containers at their local center to determine if it has been converted to single-stream.

If you have any questions about this program, please contact the CITIZENS’ RESPONSE LINE at 1-800-404-7080.

At no cost to taxpayers, DSWA operates the statewide program, which averages three million pounds of recyclables received each month.

Listed below are the items accepted for recycling through the drop-off centers, as well as items that are not accepted, how things should be prepared, and what new products are made by the recycled items.