The controversial Delaware Recyclable Products Inc. landfill near New Castle has gotten approval from state environmental regulators to expand vertically. The Delaware Recyclable Products Inc. (DRPI) landfill’s desire to expand in a residential area along Route 13 was the subject of heated debate last year before county- and state-level committees, boards and councils. Both New Castle County Council and the state’s General Assembly passed legislation limiting the height of landfills — and curtailing the DRPI landfill’s bid for expansion.
But within the bounds of zoning, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) holds the keys to the landfill’s growth. Earlier this month the agency granted the landfill operated by Waste Management a permit modification to expand from its current maximum height of 130 feet above sea level to 140 feet.