The recycling center at Lantana Square has two months to find a new location.
The shopping center at the corner of Limestone and Valley roads has been home to the center for 15 years, and its full to-the-brim colorful bins are a testament to the site's popularity. But Limestone Valley Enterprises LLC has begun to develop the parcel, and sent a letter to DSWA informing it of the need to relocate. The Simeone family owns Limestone Valley Enterprises and Unity Construction. Michael Simeone, president of Unity was not immediately available for comment.
It is the DSWA's number one center, according to Rich Von Stetten, senior manager of statewide recycling for DSWA, and losing it will hurt, he said. But he cannot blame the developers for progress.
“Limestone Valley Enterprises has been wonderful,” he said. “I’ve got to give kudos to the folks here who did help us with this center, as far as sponsoring it."
The popular drop-off site collects 200,000 pounds of recyclables per month , which is pretty incredible, given the number of people already taking advantage of DSWA's curbside program, he said. “We have 36,000 customers there. So, why do people still like the drop offs? Well, a lot of people like the idea of not having to pay.”
Newark resident Shelly Todd, dumping her recyclables Monday afternoon with her son Caleb, 11, and daughter Grace, 13, said she was disappointed to hear news of the closing, but she understands things change.
“I am going to miss this particular site. This is so convenient,” said Todd, who lives near North Star. “We come here, [then] go to the grocery store.”
The closest remaining sites are at Ashland Nature Center off Brackenville Road to the east and at Skyline Middle School further south, off Limestone Road.
Von Stetten hopes DSWA can find a new site in Hockessin to alleviate the loss. A few sites in Brandywine Hundred have had to close since the drop off centers were created in 1990, but anyone who thinks this means DSWA doesn’t really care about recycling is off the mark, he said.
“You can’t just plop a center down anywhere," he said, but people don’t always understand that, and from previous experience, he knows calls will come in about it.
There is no charge for hosting a site; the property owner must just be willing to give up an area, he said. A shopping center, church or other location with ample parking would be an ideal replacement. Anyone interested should call (302) 739-5361.
