MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) announced
Monday it is awarding more than $2.5 million in grants from the Alabama Recycling Fund (ARF) to
cities, counties, agencies and nonprofits across the state to boost recycling efforts.
The grants, which are for fiscal year 2025, were awarded at the first day of the Alabama Recycling
Coalition’s Annual Conference and Expo, Aug. 26-28, 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.
In addition to the Alabama Recycling Coalition, recipients are:
• City of Birmingham – $438,105
• Baldwin County – $419,977
• City of Irondale – $300,4476
• Shoals Solid Waste Authority – $158,593
• City of Gulf Shores — $148,135
• City of Guntersville – $137,779
• Mobile County Commission – $126,872
• City of Alexander City – $104,110
• City of Troy – $104,070
• City of Florence – $95,797
• Calhoun County Commission – $93,410
• West Alabama Recycling Partnership (City of Tuscaloosa, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
County Parks and Recreation Authority and Shelton State Community College) – $72,683
• City of Gadsden – $67,323
• City of Southside – $52,578
• City of Northport – $47,780
• City of Fort Payne – $43,329
• Lawrence County Solid Waste – $5,582
Media Release/A. Dylan Hurst
Aug. 28, 2024 Office of External Affairs/ADEM
