Baldwin County, Alabama, opens $25M recycling facility, RNG plant

The Solid Waste Disposal Authority (SWDA) of Baldwin County, Alabama, has opened its new $25 million, 62,000-square-foot material recovery facility (MRF) and commissioned its renewable natural gas (RNG) plant. 

Local, state and federal elected officials gathered to celebrate the facilities’ opening March 20, Gulf Coast Media reports, which included a ribbon cutting and a tour of the MRF, RNG plant and education center. 

“The state of Alabama has been a proud partner in making this project a reality. By processing and supplying high-quality recyclable materials, we are keeping resources and business here in Alabama,” Gov. Kay Ivey said in a video message played during the event. “Baldwin County is one of Alabama’s fastest-growing areas attracting more and more tourists each year, and this project means [better]-paying jobs, more economic growth and a forward-thinking solution to keeping this region beautiful.”

Established in 1996 as the county commission’s solid waste department, SWDA manages waste and recycling services throughout Baldwin County and serves 55,000 households with weekly garbage collection and 24 recycling drop-off locations. The authority also processes more than 7,600 tons of waste each week at the county’s Municipal Solid Waste Landfill, Magnolia Landfill, two construction and demolition landfills and a transfer station.

Additionally, six future centers for hard-to-recycle materials (CHARMS) will allow the authority to expand its services into new areas and markets.

Terri Graham, CEO of SWDA, said at the event that the investments will be a driver to enhance and grow recycling in Baldwin County and its 14 participating municipalities, as well as Mobile, Washington, Clarke, Monroe, Escambia and Conecuh counties, serving as a regional hub in southern Alabama.

According to data from the county’s Solid Waste Management Plan and the U.S. Census, the impact of cans the authority will collect from the southwest region—including Baldwin, Mobile, Washington, Clarke, Monroe Escambia and Conecuh counties—is more than 117.4 million aluminum cans each year, which is more than 3.6 million pounds, or 1,834 tons.

The MRF will process up to 40,000 tons of recyclables annually, reports Gulf Coast Media, using advanced sorting technology to separate plastics, paper, metals and cardboard to be baled and sold to recycling markets.

The 7,000-square-foot Waste & Recycling Adventure Center will provide a firsthand learning experience for students and visitors of all ages. Visitors can explore recycling through interactive games, a sorting challenge and exhibits showing the recycling process and how landfill gas becomes energy. Comprised of 20 stations on two floors with an overlook of the MRF in operation, tours can be scheduled for a wide range of ages, school groups and interests, SWDA says. 

The RNG plant, adjacent to the Magnolia Landfill, was constructed by Viridi Energy, a Wilmington, Delaware-based RNG platform. The facility will capture and clean methane gases emitted from the landfill and convert them into natural gas, which will then be piped through a 2-mile pipeline to Riviera Utilities to fuel Baldwin County. The landfill gas-to-energy plant will produce more than 1 million British Thermal Units of natural gas annually, enough energy to heat more than 2,500 homes.

Funding for equipment and facilities was provided through grants from the state of Alabama. Baldwin County Commission allocated $4.6 million of Alabama Recreation and Park Association funds to be used toward the design and construction of the Magnolia MRF. Funding for the MRF also was provided by the Can Manufacturers Institute and The Recycling Partnership, both based in Washington. 

Grants from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management helped fund the education facility and equipment within the MRF, and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs provided $2 million in grant funding through the Alabama Saves program for the RNG operations.