The goal of universal recycling is to create an economy of scale wherein a dramatic increase in Delaware's diversion of recyclables occurs in the most cost effective manner achievable while simultaneously creating job opportunities and significantly reducing Delaware's rate of waste disposal.
Universal recycling shall be implemented in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) Effective no later than September 15, 2011, the Authority shall cease providing curbside recycling services, including yard waste collection, and all persons providing solid waste collection services in the State shall also provide:
a. Single-stream curbside recycling collection services to all of their Delaware single-family residential customers, including delivery of a container for the purpose of storage and collection of recyclables that is adequately sized for the customers use such that recycling is encouraged and disposal of recyclables is discouraged; and the recyclables collection service shall be provided at a frequency of not less than once every other week.
b. Source-separated recycling collection services to dealers who provide on-premise sales, including delivery of a recyclables container that is adequately sized for the premise being served and a frequency of recyclables collection that shall preclude the recycling containers from overflowing and otherwise causing a nuisance.
c. All single-family residential and on-premise sales customers with a single charge for the collection of waste and recyclables on their “waste services” bill that is inclusive of the combined waste and recycling collection service costs. Local governments that do not presently bill separately for the costs of waste collection are exempt from this requirement.
d. Notification to all customers that the single-stream recycling service will be provided and instructions on participation prior to September 15, 2011.
(2) Effective no later than January 1, 2013, all persons providing solid waste collection services in the State shall provide:
a. Single-stream recycling collection services to all of their Delaware multi-family residential customers, including providing the multi-family complex with an appropriately sized and centrally located recyclables collection container or containers for the complex being served and ideally in the same proximity as the complex's waste disposal containers. Local governments may require multi-family complex owners to provide their own recyclable collection containers consistent with local requirements.
b. Notification to the multi-family complex management that the single-stream recycling service, including instructions on participation, will be provided.
c. A frequency of recyclables collection that shall preclude the recycling containers from overflowing and otherwise causing a nuisance.
d. Written justification to the Department for not providing multi-family recycling collection services where the physical constraints of the site prevent the placement of both trash and recycling containers. Exclusion from multi-family recycling is subject to Department review and approval.
(3) Owners of multi-family complexes must, at least once per calendar year, provide residents with instructions on participating in the complex's recycling program.
(4) The Recycling Public Advisory Council shall issue a report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2012, with recommendations regarding the implementation of universal recycling in the commercial sector. It is the express requirement of this legislation that universal recycling be adopted by the commercial sector and that all commercial businesses actively participate in a comprehensive recycling program no later than January 1, 2014.
(5) Persons who choose to transport and deliver the solid waste and recyclables they generated on their own property for proper disposal or to a recycling facility of their choice respectively shall not be affected by this subchapter and may continue in this practice.
(6) Nothing shall impair the ownership of recyclable materials by the generator unless and until such materials are placed at curbside or similar location for collection and recycling, and nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent any person from collecting, transporting, processing, and marketing recyclable materials in competition with other persons in the same business, including the Authority, provided that the requirements of this subchapter are satisfied.
(7) Persons engaging in the collection, transportation, processing, or marketing of source separated recyclable materials shall conduct such activities in a manner that the source separated recyclable materials enter the marketplace and are otherwise not disposed via a landfill or by incineration.