MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Department of Environmental Management has awarded more than $2.5 million in grants from the Alabama Recycling Fund to cities, counties, agencies and nonprofits across the state to boost recycling efforts.
The cities of Florence, Fort Payne, Gadsden and Guntersville were among the cities to receive grants along with the Lawrence County Commission and Shoals Solid Waste Authority.
The grants, which are for fiscal year 2025, were awarded at the first day of the Alabama Recycling Coalition’s Annual Conference and Expo this week at the Lodge at Gulf State Park.
The coalition, a statewide nonprofit organization that promotes waste reduction, material reuse, recycling and composting activities, is one of the grant recipients.
“These grants will have a tremendous impact on recycling in Alabama,” ADEM Director Lance LeFleur said in a statement. “ADEM has emphasized working with our local communities, including those with less means, to develop a robust recycling infrastructure.
“This will increase the reuse of discarded materials, decrease the amount of waste entering our landfills, and contribute to a more sustainable future.”
The grants, totaling $2,581,070, are made possible by the Solid Wastes and Recyclable Materials Management Act, passed by the Alabama Legislature in 2008. It imposes a $1-per-ton fee on all solid wastes disposed of in state landfills. A quarter of the proceeds generated by the fee goes to the Alabama Recycling Fund, which provides the foundation for ADEM to award the recycling grants on an annual basis.
ADEM awarded $164,500 to the Alabama Recycling Coalition to help increase recycling in the state through education. The money will be used to design and build a statewide recycling website, create and implement a multimedia awareness campaign and host ADEM grant workshops.
The coalition is one of 18 entities awarded recycling grants. Recipients include county and city governments, solid waste authorities and a recycling partnership.
In presenting the grants Monday at the ARC conference, LeFleur praised the cooperation of multiple entities that worked to boost recycling in their communities.
“We’ll be recognizing a lot of folks in here for the work they’ve done, but I do want to give a shoutout to Baldwin County and their MRF (materials recovery facility),” LeFleur said. “That is a wonderful example of how partnerships can stretch these dollars; partnerships that make the economy more realistic.”
The cities of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Foley are partnering with Baldwin County in support of the county’s facility.
North Alabama recipients are:
- Shoals Solid Waste Authority – $158,593
- City of Guntersville – $137,779
- City of Florence – $95,797
- City of Gadsden – $67,323
- City of Fort Payne – $43,329
- Lawrence County Commission Solid Waste – $5,582
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