FAQ

• The previous waste collection company (Republic Services) chose to not renew the contract with Shelby County. Therefore, the county had to re-bid the contract for service after October 1, 2022.
• This resulted in two re-bids in order to be the most cost effective for residents (see link below for bid results). The first bid received on May 5, 2022, was near triple the current rates. Discussion with contractors after the bid suggested that curbside recycling and fuel costs were the primary reason for the significant increase in prices.
• The County chose to re-bid the service again and bid documents were adjusted and results were more favorable with curbside recycling will no longer be an option in the June 21, 2022, bid. Waste Management has been awarded the contract and will take effect on October 1, 2022.
• The market for recycling materials has diminished to the point that we must pay significantly higher costs for the recycling facility to take the materials. China and other foreign countries no longer take materials that they did in the past.
• The cost of off-loading Recyclables to the facility in Birmingham has increased from $5/ton in 2013 at the time of the last bid to $75/ton Avg in 2022.
• Recycling is not free. The material has to be relocated and managed prior to being used in new products.
• Recycling is labor and energy intensive and materials are more expensive than the manufacturing costs of producing virgin materials.
• It costs approximately ¼ of the recycling cost to dispose of materials. REDUCTION of waste streams are key to reduction in environmental impacts!

The above information was sourced from www.shelbyal.com