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Larger recycling carts coming to Decatur: Here’s what you need to know

Starting in January 2025, Decatur residents will get larger, 96-gallon recycling carts to help boost recycling efforts in the community.
Credit: photka - stock.adobe.com

DECATUR, Ala. — The City of Decatur is gearing up to roll out new, larger recycling carts to residents beginning in January 2025, as part of an initiative to enhance recycling efforts

The move aims to provide households with more space for recyclables, making it easier for residents to participate in the city’s expanded recycling program.

Starting in December 2024, households that don’t currently recycle—or those who use the smaller, 64-gallon carts—will receive an opt-in mailer. This mailer will give residents the option to receive a new 96-gallon recycling cart. 

The city plans to distribute the new carts in two phases, with the first batch arriving in January 2025 and the second in May 2025.

The effort is being funded in part by a grant from The Recycling Partnership, a national organization focused on improving recycling systems. The city was selected for this grant due to its commitment to advancing sustainable recycling practices. The project is also supported by the American Beverage Association’s “Every Bottle Back” initiative and the Alabama Beverage Association.

To ensure residents are prepared, they will receive a “Carts Are Coming” postcard about 2-4 weeks before the carts are delivered. If a household does not receive a postcard this year, their cart will be delivered during the second distribution in May 2025.

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Once the new carts arrive, residents are encouraged to continue placing only accepted recyclable materials in their carts, including aluminum and steel cans, paper products, and plastic bottles and containers. 

The city urges people to rinse food and drink containers before recycling them, as this will help reduce contamination. No sorting is required, making it easier than ever to recycle.

However, the city reminds residents that certain items cannot be recycled, including plastic bags, paper towels, pizza boxes, electronics, batteries, and clothing. These non-recyclable items often end up in carts due to “wish cycling,” the hopeful belief that they can be recycled. Non-recyclable items can cause serious problems in the recycling process.

For more information on the recycling program and a list of acceptable materials, residents can visit the City of Decatur’s official recycling page here or call 256-341-4770.

The new carts will be ready for use as soon as they arrive, with residents encouraged to begin using them on their regularly scheduled recycling day.

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