The Recycling Department oversees all recycling programs and household chemical collection in the City of Decatur.

Decatur residents receive one recycling cart for curbside pickup; the service fee is included in monthly utility bills. In September, 2026, the Decatur City Council approved Ordinance No. 26-4666, which amends the fee schedule for processing recyclable materials. The Ordinance and Fee Schedule are published below.

ORDINANCE NO. 26- 4666

BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Decatur, Alabama, as follows:

Section 1. That Section 19-43 of the Code of Decatur, Alabama, is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 19-43. - Recycling fees.

(a) Definitions: The following words and terms, when used in this section, shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

Recyclable materials means those materials which are capable of being recycled, whether or not the materials have been diverted or removed from the solid waste stream

Recycling means any process by which materials are collected, separated, stored, recovered, or processed and reused or returned to use in the form of raw materials or products, but does not include the use of materials as a fuel, or for any use which constitutes disposal.

Responsible party means the individual or entity responsible for the generator's management of solid waste and/or recycling at the generator's commercial facility, business, nonresidential property, or special event.

(b) In order to recover a portion of the cost of operating the recycling facility at the Decatur Morgan County Landfill, there is hereby established a recycling processing fee per load effective October 1, 2026, as follows:

(1) Recycling loads from municipal entities, Morgan County, City of Decatur, AL, City of Hartselle, AL, and City of Trinity, AL... No charge

(2) Recycling loads minimum cost $30.00

(3) Recycling loads per ton $35.00

(c) Recycling processing fee for loads originating from outside Morgan County, Alabama

(1) Recycling loads minimum cost $34.00

(2) Recycling loads per ton $39.00

(d) The determination of whether recyclable materials are authorized to be received and processed is in the discretion of the landfill director or their designee. In addition, it is understood that recyclable materials may be rejected at times by the landfill when consequences beyond the control of the city and its personnel prevent the processing of recyclable materials at the recycling facility.

Section 2. This Ordinance shall become effective October 1, 2026.