Birmingham, Ala. is getting a boost from the state to improve its recycling output as residential participation remains low.
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) is giving Birmingham $752,000 to help with the city’s recycling efforts. The big issue for the city is the total lack of participation. Alabama has been struggling with low recycling rates and the issue with participation is leading to missed pickups, hurting the city’s ongoing efforts to be more efficient about waste.
Councilman Hunter Williams has proposed that council will look into producing an opt-in program for residents where they can sign up for routine recycling pickups. However, recycling is just one of the few issues Birmingham has with waste.
