New Castle County, DE Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Container standard
- Leakproof, covered, outdoor-storage containers required
- Who supplies containers
- Dwelling owner, not tenant
- First citation fine
- $50, rising to $100
- Scope
- Unincorporated County plus opt-in municipalities
- Hauler duty
- Retrieve containers within 14 business days
Summary
Property Maintenance Code section 7.01.002 requires occupants to dispose of rubbish, garbage, and recycling in leakproof, covered containers, with the dwelling owner responsible for supplying them, enforced by the Code Official.
308.2.1 Rubbish, garbage and recycling - disposal, containers. Every occupant of a dwelling shall dispose of rubbish, garbage and recycling in a clean and sanitary manner by placing the rubbish, garbage and recycling in approved containers that are leakproof, covered, and designed for outside garbage storage and disposal. The owner of the dwelling shall be responsible for providing the requisite rubbish, garbage and recycling containers.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
New Castle County's Property Maintenance Code (Sec. 7.01.002, amending IPMC section 308.2.1) requires every occupant to dispose of rubbish, garbage, and recycling in clean, leakproof, covered containers designed for outdoor storage; the dwelling owner must supply those containers. Landlords of residential rental property must also ensure tenants have regular removal service (Chapter 19), and haulers must retrieve issued containers within 14 business days after service ends. This code applies in unincorporated New Castle County and in incorporated municipalities that opt to have the County provide property maintenance enforcement -- it does not cover Wilmington or Newark, which enforce their own municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
Violating container, disposal, or accumulation requirements is citable: $50 for a first citation, up to $75 for a second within a year, up to $100 for later citations, doubling if unpaid after 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does New Castle County run curbside recycling pickup?
Does this rule apply inside Wilmington or Newark?
What happens if I don't have a recycling container?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Castle County
Compare New Castle County to another location·View the Delaware trash & recycling overview
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