Media Borough is pleased to announce that with the recent establishment of the Delaware County Health Department, Lori Devlin who has served as Media Borough Health Officer for the past seven years will now be assuming a new role with the Borough as our Environmental Recycling Inspector. Lori is pleased to continue working with the restaurants and businesses in our community.   

Media Borough recognizes that over the past few years businesses have gone through significant transition resulting in staff and business turnover. As a result, recycling practices may have been disrupted and, in some cases, discontinued.  Media Borough has asked Ms. Devlin to engage with business owners and their staff to ensure that businesses are recycling all required materials. 

Recycling – both residential and commercial – is required for municipalities over 5,000 in population by Pennsylvania state law — Act 101, 1988.  Media Borough Ordinance #241-37, requires all businesses to recycle paper, cardboard, glass, aluminum and plastics 1-7. 

Recycling protects our environment and helps our Borough in big ways.  When we increase the Borough’s recycling tonnage, we divert more material from the Chester incinerator, lowering our contribution to air pollution.  Diverting recyclable materials means that they will be made into new products, thus lowering the need to consume natural resources in manufacturing.  Recycling saves energy, as recycled materials usually require much less processing to become usable products.  Media Borough also receives a reimbursement based on our recycling tonnage from the state each year, which is an important support to our recycling program.

The following are suggestions to help jump start your commercial business recycling program.

• Evaluate the type of recyclables your business generates.  Your business may have more recycling than regular trash.  Speak to your Commercial Hauler and adjust your container size and pick up frequency accordingly.
• Set clear expectations during staff orientations and meetings. Employee engagement is key to any recycling program’s success. Consider electing an eager employee to lead the recycling program and train other employees. 
• Place appropriate signage throughout the establishment (like this one, which is available at Borough Hall). Visual signs with pictures of approved recycling should be placed not only near trash cans and refuse bays but also near printers, copiers, break rooms and workstations.
• Place a recycling bin next to trash cans for easy access for staff and check to make sure recyclables are separated from bulk trash.
• Order and use products that are easily recyclable and that come packaged in recyclable materials whenever possible.
• Get to know your Borough Recycling team – invite them out to help brainstorm and help to improve your recycling program.  

Once you have established the routine inside, taking out the recycling is important.  Make sure your staff breaks down boxes for extra room and make sure recycled material goes in the recycling bin!  All commercial haulers collect Single Stream recycling so all cardboard, paper, glass, aluminum and plastics can be placed in your recycling container together.  No need to separate items.  

Media businesses often have limited space for commercial dumpsters, so determining the refuse and recycling generated is critical.  Many haulers will work with 96 gallon “Toters” that fit into small alley spaces.  Make sure your vendor is providing competitive pricing and the best containers available to meet your business’s needs.   Consider sharing recycling dumpsters with a neighboring business if that would eliminate the need for multiple dumpsters. 

Media Borough is committed to partnering with businesses to help them towards the goal of reducing waste and handling recycling properly. We are glad to meet with you if you need additional information. Feel free to reach out to Lori Devlin or Karen Taussig-Lux, Recycling Coordinator, at the Borough: 610-566-5210.  PLEASE RECYCLE!