Portions of a recent recycling grant from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management will soon be used to expand the City of Cullman’s recycling programs for residents and businesses.

Through the Solid Wastes and Recyclable Materials Management Act of 2008, ADEM has awarded more than $23 million in community grants for the purchase of collection and processing equipment, educational material and other projects.

The City of Cullman is set to receive $154,000 of 2023’s $2.3 million round of funding.

“These grants will have an unprecedented effect on recycling efforts in Alabama,” ADEM Director Lance LeFleur said in a release sent to The Times .

“ADEM has had a consistent focus on working with our local communities, including those that are disadvantaged, to develop robust recycling infrastructure. This will increase the reuse of discarded materials, decrease the amount of wast entering our landfills, and contribute to a more sustainable future.”

City Sanitation Superintendent Sam Dillender said that the bulk of these funds will be used to complete construction on a 100×120 foot facility that will be used to clean recyclables collected by the sanitation department. This will ultimately lower the operating costs associated with recycling efforts.

“For instance, if we have to take the materials to the Birmingham processing facility it costs $65 per ton, but if they are contaminated that costs jumps up to $115 per ton,” Dillender said.

Lowering these costs will enable the department to extend its program to commercial business. Dillender said that he his hopeful that by the fall they will be able to add a commercial route that will enable local business to add a cardboard specific dumpster for a small fee.

Residents who find their recycling bins overflowing with cardboard will also benefit from the new facility. Dillender said that the two bay doors will be open to the public during operating hours, where they will be able to come and drop off cardboard items free of charge. The cardboard collected from both residents and businesses will be compacted and baled in house to be transported to Huntsville where it will be purchased by the West Rock recycling facility.

“We are definitely grateful, these kinds of grants are a huge benefit not just to the City but for the residents of Cullman as well,” Dillender said.