MADISON COUNTY, Ala. - Recycling is a big deal in all of Madison County. But there's been a gap in the service for a common household item after the contract for the old company responsible for curbside pickup ended.
A question many are asking, what do we do with our glass?
Huntsville has historically led the state in recycling efforts.
"The first community that actually had an air pollution control ordinance in the state of Alabama was actually the city of Huntsville," explained Doc Holladay with the Solid Waste Disposal Authority. "Citizens in our area have always demanded more. That's why we have a waste energy facility rather than just a landfill."
But the Solid Waste Disposal Authority did not renew its contract with Republic Services for curbside pickup. It had the only recycling facility that accepted glass containers.
The new company handling curbside pickup, the Recycling Alliance of North Alabama or RANA, does not accept glass.
Residents all over Madison County like Katie Spangler say "since the facility off Triana shut down it's just been really hard to find out what to do with your glass."
Holladay says he understands people's frustrations and has a list of other alternatives online but that list doesn't include a glass recycling facility in the area.
"It's disheartening because we have the intelligence to put people into space and we can't recycle our glass here in the city," said Spangler.
She believes the city can and should come up with a solution. "I know the right folks can sit down and can collaborate and come up with a good economical solution for us to do the right thing and be good stewards of the earth."
Spangler says she believes a glass recycling facility would be right at home here in Huntsville and keep the city leading the state in recycling efforts.
While it doesn't take glass, the new household hazardous waste facility located on A Cleaner Way in Huntsville does accept items like paint, lawn and garden poisons, electronics, and household chemicals.