NEW: $7.5M in recycling grants going to 37 Alabama recipients—see who they are

Alabama’s going green(er)! Last week, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) held the Alabama Recycling Fund (ARF) check presentation, and there were some big numbers involved. Here’s what you need to know.

The recipients of the Alabama Recycling Fund grants

In total, there are approximately $7.5M worth of grants in three different categories. There were 37 recipients across the categories, including several first-time recipients.

2023 Supplemental Grants

• Friends of Dunnavant Valley Greenway
• City of Atmore
• City of Alexander City
• City of Luverne
• City of Southside
• Calhoun County commission
• City of Troy
• City of Guntersville
• City of Dothan
• City of Gulf Shores

2024 Grant

• Montgomery Clean City Commission
• City of Rainbow City
• City of Fairhope
• City of Gadsden
• Fayette County Commission
• Shelby County Commission
• Keep Oxford Beautiful
• City of Eufaula
• Solid Waste Disposal Authority of the City of Huntsville
• City of Arab
• City of Irondale
• City of Scottsboro
• Baldwin County Commission
• Montgomery County Commission
• Limestone County Commission
• City of Birmingham

2023 Supplemental + 2024 Grants

• East Alabama Recycling Partnership
• City of Talladega
• City of Prattville
• Albertville-Boaz Recycling and Solid Waste Disposal Authority
• City of Brewton
• City of Northport
• Shoals Solid Waste Disposal Authority
• City of Montgomery
• City of Florence
• West Alabama Recycling Partnership
• City of Decatur/Morgan County Regional Landfill

The impact of the recycling grants in Alabama

So where is all this money going? What is it doing? We talked with Lynn Battle about the impact of these grants in Alabama.

“The grants will pay for collection equipment, educational materials, processing equipment, and other needs of local recycling programs.  The funding will benefit local communities and households throughout the state, and enable Alabama to continue to achieve Statewide waste reduction and recycling goals.”

Lynn Battle, Chief, Office of External Affairs

This certainly isn’t the first time that these recycling grants have made an impact in Alabama.

“Since 2008, ADEM has awarded over 250 grants totaling more than $30M to recipients to enhance recycling programs across the state.”

Lynn Battle, Chief, Office of External Affairs

This money is making a bigger, real difference. In Huntsville, they’re looking to use the money to build their own recycling processing facility.

“We’re actually having to take [collections] to Chattanooga to process. It makes no sense. So we’re looking at building one in Huntsville…this is the first step in starting that big process.”

Scott Story, Operations Compliance Manager, Solid Waste Disposal Authority of the City of Huntsville

The moral of the story? These grants are making a tangible, real difference in each community that receives the funds.

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