$412K+ in recycling grants awarded to Birmingham, Jefferson + Shelby counties

Three local Birmingham-metro governments were awarded recycling grants totaling $412,359 from the Alabama Recycling Fund.

Monday, Aug. 24, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) awarded 20 cities, counties, solid waste authorities and other groups nearly $2.5 million in grants from the Alabama Recycling Fund (ARF) to boost state recycling efforts. 

The local Birmingham governments receiving grants included:

• City of Birmingham — $198,000
• Jefferson County Commission — $169,080
• Shelby County Commission — $55,279

“Jefferson County plans to use the grant from ADEM to purchase five ‘drop-off’ containers to be stationed throughout the County to allow citizens to dispose of cardboard and paper items.

“We plan to brand the containers to promote proper recycling and waste management and hope these will be used in addition to the Household Drop-Off days we hold throughout the year. Our goal is to divert between 75 to 100 tons a year from our landfills.”

Chris Nicholson, Director of Jefferson County Roads and Transportation

The City of Birmingham’s grant is going to study ways to improve ways to recycle across the Magic City and provide glass recycling for a year through the company “Glass Half Full.” 

“The City of Birmingham is grateful to receive $198,000 through the Alabama Recycling Fund. This award will support a $153,000 Waste Characterization and Hub-and-Spoke Study and a $45,000 one-year Glass Half Full glass recycling initiative.

The waste characterization and hub-and-spoke study will help us better understand what is in our waste stream, identify opportunities to recover more recyclable material, and evaluate how Birmingham can strengthen recycling infrastructure not only within the city, but potentially across the greater Birmingham and Central Alabama region.”

Sa’de McClaney-Hammond, Executive Coordinator, Keep Birmingham Beautiful

Who else received 2026 Alabama recycling grants?

In additon to the three Birmingham-area recipients here are the other 17 grantees from across Alabama:

• City of Alexander City: $30,844
• City of Auburn: $214,957
• City of Birmingham: $198,000
• City of Florence Recycle Center: $85,003
• City of Gadsden: $45,000
• City of Guntersville: $66,050
• City of Hartselle: $12,490
• City of Moundville: $113,387
• City of Northport: $243,911
• City of Rainbow City: $117,740
• City of Southside: $38,950
• City of Troy: $24,583
• Calhoun County Commission: $136,500
• Limestone County Commission: $71,590
• Jefferson County Commission: $169,080
• Shelby County Commission: $55,279
• Shoals Solid Waste Disposal Authority: $89,500
• Solid Waste Disposal Authority of Baldwin County: $350,580
• West Alabama Recycling Partnership: $331,658
• Alabama Recycling Coalition: $102,500

ADEM Director Edward Poolos said this about this year’s Birmingham and statewide recipients:

“What they have in common is they are taking materials that would otherwise go in landfills, or littered along roads, city streets and even our waterways, and making those materials available for productive reuse. That is preserving our land and water and protecting our environment.”

Want to learn more about recycling and the Alabama grant program? Visit ADEM’s website for details.