The average American produces 4.4lbs of trash per day, enough garbage to fill 63,000 garbage trucks, which if lined up end to end for an entire year would stretch half way to the moon. Here in Alabama that number is significantly higher, with the waste production per individual projected at 6.5lbs by the EPA. These numbers are even more shocking when you take into account the fact that Americans represent 5% of the world’s population, but generate 30% of the world’s garbage.

At the Mobile County Recycling Center we are working daily to advocate sustainability and to keep materials out of our communities’ landfills. Here are some numbers that illustrate our impact:

• Over 21.7 million pounds recycled since the grand opening in November 2014 through September 2022
• 421 average cars per day in 2022, up from 252 in 2015
• Volunteers and community service workers contributed 3,926 hours of service during our 2022 fiscal year
• Served as a work training program site for Baker High School with students contributing 394 hours in 2022

REducing, REusing, REcycilng, and REthinking preserves natural resources, decreases pollution, saves energy, and allows products to be used to their fullest extent. Giving future generations the assurance of a plentiful world depends on us taking simple actions such as donating or recycling household items.