Curbside recycling has never been available in Mobile — with just two drop-off sites in the city limits, residents who want to recycle have to sort and haul their own materials. A new study, funded by a state grant and approved by the Mobile City Council, will examine whether that can change.
Looking Beyond City Limits
The study goes beyond Mobile’s borders, taking stock of recycling infrastructure across all of Mobile County and exploring whether municipalities such as Saraland and Satsuma could partner with the city to share costs.
“How much would curbside recycling cost if we brought it to the city of Mobile or the city of Mobile, Saraland, Satsuma — how many of us could do it, and if we did it together would that bring the cost down?” asked Casi Callaway, the city’s Chief Resilience Officer.
A survey released earlier in the year found most Mobilians consider recycling important — and many said they would be willing to pay for curbside service. Local recyclers welcomed the idea: “It would save me a trip, save some gas and I think it would get more people to recycle,” said Josh Crowley.
The Pensacola Question
Another open issue is where Mobile’s recyclables should be processed. The city currently trucks them to the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority facility in Pensacola, an arrangement that carries shipping costs and forces Mobile’s recycling program to shut down whenever ECUA closes. Findings from the study are expected around mid-2023.