10/15/2025
Dear customers, please look at the City of Athens new release.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Cnuwg3NZV/
UPDATED Oct. 16: Sanitation Supt. Terence Brown said that while the City seeks a resolution for recycling, residents can set out the recycling bin for trash pickup, if needed. Recycling is not charged on the sanitation bill, but is a service that has been provided to not only promote recycling but to help save on the cost of landfill tipping fees.
ORIGINAL POST
Athens Sanitation Superintendent Terence Brown said the City of Athens will suspend its curbside recycling service immediately because it cannot find a resource to accept the city’s recyclable materials.
Decatur was providing this service but notified the City of Athens it cannot obtain the state labor needed and can no longer accept the city’s materials. Florence looked at offering the service but said it cannot get the state labor needed to take on materials from Athens.
Brown said other entities he contacted cannot provide this service. Recycling will be suspended until further notice. Brown said he will continue to seek a solution.
Limestone County provides recycling but cannot take curbside recycling from Athens because the materials are not sorted.
Residents can take their own recycling to the Limestone County Recycling Center. Here is the information about hours of operation, location and materials that are accepted:
• Location - 1301 N. Jefferson St. (just south of Elm Street).
• Hours - 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday-Thursday. Gates are locked when it is closed. The area is monitored with cameras, and anyone dumping will be prosecuted.
• Guidelines - All materials must be sorted and placed in the appropriately marked recycling containers. Bring only materials that are specifically listed as being accepted. Leaving items like swimming pools, children's toys, any type of glass, trash, furniture, or other items currently not listed as being accepted will cause undue labor and expense, and will be treated as illegal dumping.
• Items Accepted
✔️Aluminum Cans (Call ahead if you have aluminum other than cans).
✔️Metal Cans (Call ahead if you have metal other than cans).
✔️Plastic Bottles and Jars #1 and #2. No other plastics are accepted.
✔️Mixed Paper.
✔️Cardboard and Paperboard (cereal boxes, drink cartons, etc.).
✔️No glass is accepted.