MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) — The Alabama Department of Environmental Management distributed more than $2.5 million in recycling grants to cities, counties, solid waste authorities and other groups to strengthen recycling programs across the state.
The $2,529,388 in awards, announced this week at the Alabama Recycling Coalition’s Annual Conference and Expo in Huntsville, are funded through the Alabama Recycling Fund, which was created by the Legislature in 2008 under the Solid Wastes and Recyclable Materials Management Act.
“This is the 17th year of the grant program, and we can clearly see the impact this funding is having as recycling continues to grow in Alabama,” ADEM Director Edward Poolos said in a statement. “Every item that is recycled is one less item that ends up in a landfill or littered alongside our roads, on our land or in our water.”
In all, 20 entities were awarded grants for fiscal year 2026. Recipients include:
- Albertville-Boaz Recycling Center: $155,756
- Solid Waste Disposal Authority of Baldwin County: $123,832
- City of Birmingham: $137,837
- City of Florence Recycling Center: $145,585
- Shelby County Commission: $200,210
- Shoals Solid Waste Disposal Authority: $86,279
- Solid Waste Disposal Authority of Huntsville: $42,010
- City of Tuscaloosa West Alabama Recycling Partnership: $107,418
- Montgomery Clean City Commission: $30,000
- City of Decatur Recycling Facility: $375,000
- City of Fairhope: $156,000
- City of Gadsden Recycling Center: $52,782
- City of Guntersville Recycling Center: $92,718
- City of Northport: $89,472
- City of Phenix City: $150,000
- City of Rainbow City: $130,541
- City of Troy: $127,945
- Lawrence County Solid Waste: $22,119
- Scottsboro Solid Waste Authority: $103,632
Poolos said the program continues to foster partnerships with local governments and agencies that play a critical role in expanding recycling.
“We are constantly looking for opportunities to boost the reuse of materials not only because it reduces disposal costs and landfill use, but because it also saves natural resources,” Poolos said. “These local groups are where recycling and preserving our resources begin.”
The Alabama Recycling Coalition, a nonprofit that promotes waste reduction, reuse and composting, received $51,500 to maintain and expand the state recycling website, ALRecycles.org, and to launch a multimedia awareness campaign. The group also plans to distribute promotional items and host two ADEM grant workshops.
The post ADEM awards $2.5 million in recycling grants, some in North Alabama appeared first on WHNT.
