Birmingham recycling center re-opens after fire, but city can’t resume curbside pick-up yet

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Birmingham Recycling and Recovery is back open after a fire caused it to close for nearly two weeks.

While the doors are open again, the City of Birmingham isn’t going to be able to pick up your recycling curbside this week.

Birmingham Recycling and Recovery is open again for commercial haulers and businesses, but it’s not accepting mixed residential recycling from municipalities right now, which means no curbside pickup on Wednesday, May 17.

The City of Birmingham usually does curbside recycling every two weeks on Wednesdays. But now, there is no word on when they will be able to resume pick up.

You can still use the BRR facility for your household items. You just have to bring the recycling yourself and drop it off in the community bins.

They accept paper, cardboard, cans, and plastics, but only ones with a #1 or #2 recycling symbol. Items need to be empty, clean, and dry.

“You do have to sort it yourself,” Birmingham City Councilor Darrell O’Quinn said. “You can’t just take a big bin and dump paper and metals and plastics in one bin, you do have to self sort.”

O’Quinn says while it’s less convenient to self sort than curbside pick-up, it’s important to continue your recycling habits. He said it also saves the city from fines and fees.

“It’s not just an environmental thing to do, it also reduces costs of city operating facilities in terms of our landfills,” he said.

City officials said you can text BHAM READY to 88777 to get updates on when curbside pick up will resume.

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