City of Mobile releases recycling survey, backup plan for services
Feb 8th, 2022
Posted in: Recycling
- February 8, 2021 -
For Immediate Release:
City of Mobile releases recycling survey, a backup plan for services
Mobile, Ala. — In order to make sure its recycling service is adequate and uninterrupted, the City of Mobile is seeking grant funding to explore additional resources and provide greater public outreach based on data collected from citizens during a survey conducted by the University of South Alabama last fall.
The goal of last year’s survey was to gauge residents’ knowledge, usage, and expectations regarding recycling options and services in the City of Mobile. The findings showed that a strong majority of Mobilians (around 70 percent) find it very important to recycle. More than half of those surveyed are already recycling common household products and many said they’d be interested in additional options.
The survey also provided valuable information about Mobilians who do not recycle and why. Two of the most common reasons given were the lack of convenient locations and a lack of information about how and where citizens can bring recycled materials. To address these challenges, the City is seeking funding from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to explore the viability of adding a third recycling drop-off location in the City limits, expand outreach about existing recycling options in Mobile and determine what more could be done across Mobile County.
“We want to work with citizens and stakeholders to see what additional services and resources the City of Mobile can bring to the table to incentivize recycling among all residents and make it as easy as possible for those who are already recycling to continue doing so,” Mayor Stimpson said. “Promoting and expanding recycling can result in less litter and a brighter, cleaner future for our families. It’s also imperative that our facilities can remain operational despite any external circumstances.”
To ensure that, the City of Mobile recently established a backup contract with Republic Services to pick up, store and transport materials collected through the recycling drop-off locations at 4851 Museum Drive and at 308 Pinehill Drive. This contract will only be engaged when the City’s regular provider, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, cannot operate its facility in Pensacola. This became an important stopgap after ECUA’s facility was closed for nearly three months last year due to a significant fire.
The agreement with Republic Services was finalized just in time, as ECUA recently announced it will be closing for two, one-week periods over the next month for facility upgrades. According to its board, ECUS will be closed February 11-14 and then again from March 11-16. Recycling services for City of Mobile residents will be uninterrupted during those temporary closures.
Click here to view the survey results.