It has been reported that more than 25% of generated trash in Alabama in 2018 was recycled, setting a record.

It is said that Birmingham, Montgomery, and Huntsville are revamping their recycling programs this year, hoping to capture more material before it ends up in a landfill.

Does this mean Tuscaloosa is already operating at optimal ability?

One thing's for certain, those in Tuscaloosa County surely aren't recycling as much as they could.  If the curbside recycling program currently offered to city residents was offered in the county, there would probably be even less materials in the landfills.  Recycling for those outside the city is actually an inconvenience as they must gather their goods and transport them to the nearest recycling bins. Unless they have special containers to provide separation of the materials, the transport can seem to be more of a hassle than it's worth.

This is not to say Tuscaloosa isn't doing a good job with recycling in comparison to other cities in the state, but are we really doing the best we can?

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