Solid Waste

Baldwin County AL Solid Waste services cover residential garbage collection, recycling, bulky and yard debris pickup, landfills, hard-to-recycle materials, transfer-station disposal, billing, and related service requests. The Solid Waste Disposal Authority of Baldwin County operates much of this system, but the provider and available services can vary by community and whether an address is inside or outside municipal limits. This article explains how to identify the correct service, set up an account, prepare carts and materials for collection, choose the right disposal facility, handle missed pickups, and avoid common problems that can delay service.

Solid Waste Authority Services

The Solid Waste Disposal Authority of Baldwin County, Inc. provides garbage, recycling, disposal, and waste-processing services throughout the county. According to the Solid Waste Authority of Baldwin County, its system includes residential collection, three landfills, the Bay Minette Transfer Station, recycling programs, Centers for Hard-to-Recycle Materials, a Materials Recovery Facility, bulky and yard debris collection, and renewable natural gas operations.

The authority serves more than 55,000 households through weekly waste collection. Its disposal facilities handle waste from residential and commercial customers, while recycling services include curbside pickup, unmanned drop-off locations, and staffed CHaRM facilities for materials that require different handling from ordinary curbside recyclables.

Residents should first determine which service applies to their address. Some municipalities provide or arrange their own garbage collection, while SWDA serves most unincorporated locations and certain participating municipalities. Recycling service can follow a different boundary from garbage collection, so the company collecting household trash is not necessarily the same organization providing curbside recycling.

Residential Garbage Collection

SWDA provides weekly residential garbage collection throughout unincorporated Baldwin County and in participating municipalities including Summerdale, Bay Minette, and Perdido Beach. The residential services information states that garbage collection operates Monday through Thursday.

There is no collection on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Year’s Day. Garbage service operates on its regular schedule for other holidays. Residents should place their garbage at the curb by 6:00 AM on their scheduled collection day because there is no guaranteed collection time during the day.

Each residence receiving SWDA household garbage service is provided a 95-gallon cart, and the cart cost is included in the customer’s bill. Cart placement matters because collection equipment needs adequate clearance to lift and empty the container.

Garbage Cart Placement

For regular collection, carts should be curbside by 6:00 AM and should have at least four feet of clearance. Vehicles, mailboxes, basketball goals, trees, fences, and other objects should not obstruct access to the cart.

A frequent mistake is assuming that setting the cart out sometime during the scheduled day is sufficient. Because the route does not provide a specific time of pickup, putting the cart out after the truck has passed can result in the household missing that week’s collection.

Mandatory Garbage Service

Baldwin County has mandatory garbage collection requirements. SWDA states that residents must either be enrolled in garbage service of some kind or have a haul-your-own permit obtained through the Health Department.

Residents seeking an exemption should not simply stop paying for or using collection service. SWDA has specific exemption and property-status processes for qualifying situations, and the applicable form may require documentation before a request is complete.

Service Areas and Monthly Rates

Garbage and recycling arrangements differ across Baldwin County. The SWDA rates and service-area page allows residents to locate their community and review the applicable garbage provider, recycling availability, rates, and application requirements.

Many unincorporated communities receive weekly SWDA garbage collection for $17 per month. Bay Minette service is listed at $18.50 per month and includes one cart. Optional SWDA curbside recycling is generally $10 per month in areas where the program is available.

Municipal boundaries can change which provider handles garbage. Examples from SWDA's service information include:

Daphne: garbage inside city limits is provided by the City of Daphne, while SWDA serves locations outside city limits.

Fairhope: the city provides garbage and recycling inside city limits, while SWDA serves eligible addresses outside city limits.

Foley: the City of Foley serves addresses inside city limits; SWDA garbage and recycling apply outside city limits.

Gulf Shores: Republic Services is identified for service inside city limits, while SWDA serves eligible areas outside city limits.

Elberta: garbage inside city limits is handled by Republic Services; SWDA serves addresses outside city limits.

Loxley: the City of Loxley provides garbage inside city limits, while SWDA serves outside city limits.

Orange Beach: Waste Pro is identified for garbage inside city limits; SWDA serves eligible addresses outside city limits.

Robertsdale: garbage inside city limits is provided by the City of Robertsdale, while SWDA serves outside city limits.

Silverhill: the Town of Silverhill handles garbage inside town limits; SWDA serves eligible locations outside town limits.

Spanish Fort: garbage is provided through Waste Pro, while SWDA offers curbside recycling for participating locations, including Stonebridge.

This distinction is especially useful when moving to a new address. A Baldwin County mailing address alone does not establish which garbage provider serves the property. Residents should determine the community and municipal status of the service address before completing an application or reporting a collection problem.

Starting Residential Service

New residents may apply for garbage or recycling service through SWDA's application process. SWDA states that a garbage-service deposit has not been required since August 7, 2019.

The online Trash Service Request Form states that new service requests require the applicable completed application and a driver's license attachment. Depending on the type of request, the form can collect the service name, physical and mailing addresses, first and last name, phone number, email, and other account-related details.

Information to Prepare

Before beginning a new-service request, it is useful to have the required information and files ready. For applicable new service requests, the form specifically calls for:

A completed garbage or curbside service application.
A driver's license image.
The physical service address.
A mailing address when different from the physical address.
The applicant's name and phone number.
An email address when provided as part of the request.

Customers applying for garbage or recycling can also submit completed applications using the submission methods provided by SWDA, including email, fax, mail, or applicable online options.

Billing and Account Payments

Residential customers can pay SWDA bills online, by phone, by mail, at a drive-through payment window, or at designated in-person facilities. Online account access also allows customers to view payment history, enroll in paperless billing, and request services.

In-person payment locations include the Baldwin County Central Annex drive-through in Robertsdale, the Magnolia recycling facility in Summerdale, and the Bay Minette Transfer Station. The Robertsdale drive-through operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Customers using that location are instructed to remain in the vehicle rather than walking to the rear door.

Residents should separate billing issues from collection requests. A payment or account-history question belongs with customer service, while a missed collection should be submitted as a missed-pickup service request with information about the affected address and service.

Missed Garbage or Recycling

Customers whose scheduled garbage or recycling was missed can submit a service request. SWDA asks residents to provide the service address, contact information, the type of missed service, and any additional details that may help the collection team.

The service request form also asks when the garbage was placed curbside and whether the cart is currently at the right-of-way for pickup. If the customer indicates that the cart is not at the right-of-way, an SWDA team member may contact the customer for additional information or instructions.

Before filing a missed-pickup request, residents should consider whether the cart was curbside by 6:00 AM and accessible to the truck. The form recognizes that a missed pickup can involve either the cart not being out when the route was serviced or the driver missing a cart that had been placed out.

Bulky and Yard Waste

Regular garbage carts are not intended for every household item. SWDA provides scheduled collection for qualifying bulky waste, yard debris, and white goods. Details are provided on the bulky and yard waste pickup page.

Residents may request one free bulky and yard waste pickup each month. If the amount exceeds the approved service limit, additional material is billed at $100 per half truckload or $200 per full truckload, with payment required before the additional service is provided.

Yard Debris Limits

Qualifying yard waste includes materials generated through routine landscape maintenance, such as leaves, grass clippings, mulch, small branches, and twigs. Grass clippings, leaves, and mulch must be bagged.

Yard waste is limited to four cubic yards per household per pickup. SWDA describes this volume as approximately 3 feet by 6 feet by 6 feet. Tree trunks and limbs larger than six inches in diameter or longer than six feet do not qualify as yard waste for this collection service.

Smaller limbs should be secured, bundled, or arranged into a manageable pile so the knuckle-boom truck can collect them. Vegetation generated by a tree company, lawn service, or other contractor is not eligible for SWDA residential yard-debris collection.

Bulky Household Items

Bulky waste may include furniture, mattresses, small appliances, rolled or bundled carpet or linoleum, pool liners, toys, automobile tires, and light construction material resulting from homeowner self-repairs. Construction material consisting primarily of glass cannot be collected curbside.

Contractor-generated construction and demolition debris is excluded. Residents hiring a contractor should not assume that the county bulky collection program will remove debris created by that contractor.

Up to four automobile tires can be included in a pickup, and the tires must be 20 inches or smaller in diameter.

White Goods Collection

White goods include large household appliances and similar items such as refrigerators, ranges, water heaters, air conditioners, console televisions, exercise equipment, toilets, and dismantled swing sets.

Refrigerators and freezers must be completely emptied and cleaned before collection. Appliances containing food cannot be accepted. Swing sets must be taken down and broken apart before being placed for pickup.

Where Items Should Go

Bulky items and yard debris should be placed neatly at the edge of the right-of-way. Different categories should be kept in separate piles because different collection trucks may be used.

Materials must remain at least four feet from mailboxes, hydrants, fences, trees, and similar obstacles. Items should not be placed under power lines or tree limbs, behind fences, in ditches, or in locations that collection equipment cannot safely reach.

SWDA does not provide this bulky-item pickup service to customers inside city limits. The service is available in unincorporated areas and certain communities served by SWDA, including Magnolia Springs, Lillian, and Perdido Beach.

Landfill Disposal Options

Residents and commercial users should choose a landfill according to the type of material being discarded. The SWDA landfill information distinguishes the Magnolia Landfill from the Eastfork and MacBride construction and demolition landfills.

Magnolia Municipal Landfill

Magnolia is Baldwin County's municipal solid waste landfill. It accepts everyday household garbage and commercial waste along with qualifying construction and demolition material, yard waste, tree limbs and stumps, furniture, bulky waste, tires, and approved special waste.

This is an important distinction for residents transporting ordinary household garbage themselves. Eastfork and MacBride are construction and demolition facilities and are not intended for routine household trash.

Construction and Demolition Landfills

Eastfork and MacBride are designated construction and demolition landfills. They accept yard debris, rubbish, construction and demolition material, and electronics. Electronics must be separated from other debris when arriving at the facility.

Materials the two C&D landfills do not accept include:

Household garbage.
Hazardous materials or liquids.
Oil.
Paint.
Batteries.
Asbestos.
Barrels capable of holding liquids.
Containers that have held food products.
Debris originating outside Baldwin County.

Choosing the wrong disposal site can create an unnecessary trip. Household garbage should be directed to a facility that accepts municipal solid waste rather than a C&D-only landfill.

Bay Minette Transfer Station

The Bay Minette Transfer Station serves residents and approved users in the northern portion of Baldwin County. It accepts non-hazardous solid waste including household garbage, industrial waste, construction and demolition material, tires, tree limbs, stumps, paper products, putrescible and non-putrescible waste, and special wastes approved by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

The station is permitted to process an average of up to 200 tons of material per day. SWDA reports that it typically serves about 50 customers and processes more than 125 tons on a normal day.

Facility improvements include a second scale intended to reduce waiting time and improve traffic flow, along with a new building designed to improve the loading of waste and recyclables into transfer trucks.

Curbside Recycling Service

SWDA's recycling program includes curbside collection, drop-off facilities, CHaRM locations, and processing through the Materials Recovery Facility.

Curbside recycling costs $10 per month with weekly collection in participating areas. Residents do not have to be SWDA garbage customers to subscribe to curbside recycling where the standalone service is available.

After enrollment, SWDA contacts customers to confirm the recycling pickup day and provide service instructions. Cart delivery typically takes one to two weeks, depending on whether curbside recycling is already active in that neighborhood.

Accepted Curbside Materials

Curbside recycling accepts common household recyclables including:

Newspapers, magazines, mail, and office paper.
Flattened cardboard boxes and packaging.
Plastic containers numbered 1 through 7.
Aluminum cans and lids.
Tin and steel cans.

Recyclables should be empty and rinsed. Labels and caps may remain on containers, and cardboard should be flattened. Styrofoam is not accepted for recycling.

Waxed paper products, certain food packaging such as milk and ice cream cartons, thick plastics such as tarps, and electronic products do not belong in the curbside cart. Items requiring special handling should be directed to a CHaRM facility when they fall within the accepted categories there.

Hard-to-Recycle Materials

SWDA operates Centers for Hard-to-Recycle Materials for Baldwin County residents. The CHaRM program information explains which materials are accepted, which require handling fees, and which should be taken somewhere else within the SWDA disposal system.

No appointment is required for the listed CHaRM facilities. Residents are generally responsible for unloading their own materials, although staff can provide assistance as needed.

Free CHaRM Drop-Offs

The following materials are accepted without a handling charge:

Aluminum cans.
Shipping cardboard.
Glass bottles and jars.
Mixed paper and paperboard.
Small household batteries such as AA, AAA, and button cells.
Plastics numbered 1 through 7.
Incandescent, CFL, and LED light bulbs.

Materials With Handling Fees

Some hard-to-recycle materials carry a fee because they require special processing. Residential paint and household hazardous waste are listed at $2 per gallon. Car batteries are $2 each, tanks such as propane cylinders and fire extinguishers are $4 each, and electronics such as televisions, phones, and laptops are $5 per unit.

CHaRM locations accept cash, cards, local checks, and money orders.

Items CHaRM Does Not Take

CHaRM facilities do not accept tires, mattresses, furniture, white goods such as refrigerators and washers, construction debris, or medical and biohazardous waste.

Residents should keep liquids and hazardous materials sealed and, when possible, clearly labeled. Leaking material should not simply be transported to the facility without guidance because SWDA instructs residents to contact its team before bringing leaking items.

Recycling Drop-Off Locations

In addition to staffed CHaRM facilities, SWDA maintains unmanned recycling drop-off sites across Baldwin County. These locations are intended for the same ordinary recyclable materials accepted through curbside collection rather than hard-to-recycle materials that require special handling.

The SWDA locations directory identifies landfills, the transfer station, CHaRM facilities, unmanned recycling sites, and payment locations. Residents can use the location information to avoid confusing an unmanned recycling drop-off with a CHaRM or landfill.

This distinction matters for electronics, paint, household hazardous waste, batteries, and tanks. Those materials require the appropriate CHaRM service and should not be left at an unmanned recycling site.

Materials Recovery Facility

Recyclables collected through the system are processed through the Materials Recovery Facility. The facility is designed to handle up to 40,000 tons of recyclable material per year and separates plastics, paper, cardboard, steel, aluminum, glass, and other material streams for further processing.

The system uses manual presorting, screens, optical sorters, magnets, an eddy-current separator, storage bunkers, and a baler. Contaminants are removed before recyclable material is separated and prepared into high-density bales for recycling markets.

This process explains why correct preparation at home matters. Plastic film, bulky contaminants, trash, and other unsuitable materials can interfere with sorting equipment and have to be removed from the recycling stream.

Property Status and Exemptions

SWDA provides forms for certain situations involving properties that may not be receiving ordinary residential service. A Property Status Form is used to report changes such as a property being vacant, under construction, sold or transferred, no longer occupied, or otherwise experiencing a service-status change.

Residents using this process should be prepared to provide the property address, owner contact information, an explanation of the status change, and supporting documentation if requested.

Dumpster Exemption Requests

A Dumpster Exemption Form is available for residents or property owners requesting an exemption from mandatory garbage collection because of qualifying circumstances. The process can apply to a property already using an approved dumpster service or meeting another SWDA exemption requirement.

The request may require the property address, account details, proof of the private dumpster service or other qualifying documentation, and additional supporting information.

The online service request also states that an exemption application is not complete until an SWDA team member contacts the applicant regarding additional required documentation. Submitting the initial form alone therefore should not be treated as final approval.

Vacancy Exemption Requests

The request system also includes a vacancy exemption for an owner of property in an unincorporated area who states that no solid waste is being generated. Listed property situations include an uninhabitable property, family land or estate disputes, unoccupied rental or for-sale property, land without structures, temporary absence, and other vacancy circumstances.

The form requires an acknowledgement regarding the truthfulness of the submitted information and authorizes the Baldwin County Health Department and Baldwin County Commission or its designee to investigate the information provided.

Multi-Family Rental Properties

Properties containing four or more residential rental units in unincorporated Baldwin County may be subject to specific garbage collection requirements, including dumpster-service standards established by SWDA.

Owners or managers of these properties should not assume that the standard single-residence cart arrangement applies to a multi-unit property. The service requirements are addressed through SWDA's Multi-Family Rental Unit Policy.

Compost Pickup

When compost is available through SWDA operations, residents can obtain it for gardening, landscaping, and similar projects. Compost is available at designated disposal facilities when in stock.

The charge is $25 per ton, with a limit of one ton per customer per day. SWDA estimates that one ton is approximately 1.5 cubic yards, which can fit in the bed of a standard pickup truck. Staff load the compost, and trailers are permitted.

Compost can weigh more when wet, particularly after rain. Residents are advised to bring a tarp or other cover to secure the load during transportation.

Special Event Waste Service

SWDA also accepts service requests for festivals, fundraising activities, community cleanups, and similar special events. Available services may include container delivery, waste collection, and disposal.

Requests should be submitted as early as possible and include the event location, dates, expected attendance, and type of waste service needed. SWDA reviews the request before providing confirmation of approved services and associated costs.

Common Service Mistakes

Many solid waste problems can be avoided by matching the request or material to the correct part of the county system. The most common distinctions residents should keep in mind include:

Do not assume SWDA is the garbage provider solely because the property is in Baldwin County. Service inside certain municipal limits is handled by the municipality or another provider.

Do not wait until later in the collection day to place a cart curbside. SWDA requires carts to be out by 6:00 AM.

Do not block carts or bulky material with vehicles, mailboxes, fences, trees, hydrants, or other obstacles.

Do not place bulky debris or yard waste under power lines or where collection equipment cannot reach it.

Do not request county pickup for contractor-generated tree, lawn, construction, or demolition debris.

Do not take ordinary household garbage to Eastfork or MacBride, which are construction and demolition landfills.

Do not place electronics, batteries, chemicals, paint, or similar hard-to-recycle material in an ordinary curbside recycling cart.

Do not leave hard-to-recycle material at an unmanned recycling site when the material requires a staffed CHaRM facility.

Do not transport leaking hazardous material to a CHaRM without first obtaining guidance from SWDA.

Do not assume an exemption request is complete simply because the initial online form was submitted when further documentation or review is required.

Final Department List

Solid Waste Disposal Authority of Baldwin County
15093 Landfill Drive, Summerdale, AL 36580
251-972-6878

Magnolia Landfill
15480 Terra Bella Drive, Summerdale, AL 36580
251-972-6878

MacBride Landfill
26941 McBride Road, Loxley, AL 36551
251-972-8508

Eastfork Landfill
29751 Eastfork Landfill Road, Elberta, AL 36530
251-972-8553

Bay Minette Transfer Station
43205 Nicholsville Road, Bay Minette, AL 36507
251-580-1898

Materials Recovery Facility
15101 Terra Bella Drive, Summerdale, AL 36580
251-972-6878

Solid Waste FAQs

How can I estimate four cubic yards for a bulky pickup?

SWDA uses cubic yards to measure the amount of material eligible for bulky and yard waste collection. For a practical comparison, one standard stove is about one cubic yard, two standard refrigerators together are about four cubic yards, and a regular pickup-truck bed filled to the top of the cab is about 4.5 cubic yards. These estimates can help you judge the size of your pile before submitting a request. The official bulky and yard waste pickup guidelines provide additional preparation rules for large household items and landscape debris.

How will I find out my bulky waste pickup day?

When requesting bulky, yard debris, or white goods collection, residents can choose how they want to receive pickup-day information. Available notification choices include a phone call, email, text message, or no notification. Pickup timing can vary with demand, so residents should not assume the material will be collected on their regular garbage day. Keep the requested material at the right-of-way and properly arranged for collection.

Do all CHaRM locations offer identical service?

Not necessarily. SWDA states that CHaRM locations can vary somewhat in services, operating hours, and capacity. Before transporting paint, electronics, batteries, chemicals, tanks, or other special materials, review the current CHaRM acceptance information. This is particularly important when disposing of an unusually large quantity or a material that may require special handling.

Where can I check current facility hours?

SWDA publishes operating schedules for its landfills, transfer station, CHaRM facilities, recycling drop-offs, and payment locations on its official locations page. Checking the listing before leaving is useful because hours differ by facility. For example, landfill and transfer-station schedules are not necessarily the same as the weekday hours at Fairhope or Orange Beach CHaRM locations.