Alabama Recycling Facility Shuts Down, ECUA Searching For Solution

October 6, 2015

The Montgomery, AL, recycling facility that processes recycled materials for ECUA has temporarily shut down.

A majority of the recyclables collected by ECUA are trucked to the Advanced Mixed Materials Recovery Facility operated by Infinitus Energy. It’s an arrangement that was profitable for ECUA.

But the plant temporarily ceased operations last week because of falling prices for their recycled products.

“One key element of a successful materials recycling program is the ability to sell recovered material at a price that will support the recycling process,” said Kyle Mowitz, Infinitus CEO. “While our customers have been satisfied with the material we have reclaimed, unfortunately the market price for these materials has dropped dramatically.”

Now, ECUA is looking at other options, and Infinitus is looking to the city of Montgomery for help. The company also processes recyclables for Montgomery.

“The proposed plans will require cooperative efforts on all fronts, to deal with current market pricing issues.  However, it is possible to minimize the impact these temporary conditions will have on the City’s long term goals of recycling and diversion, by keeping the facility in operation and working together until the markets improve,” the Infinitus  said in a prepared statement.

Pictured: Infinitus Energy in Montgomery, AL. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.


Comments

7 Responses to “Alabama Recycling Facility Shuts Down, ECUA Searching For Solution”

  1. mr B on October 6th, 2015 4:07 pm

    There is a couple options I used to work for a waste hauling business there are different classes of waste and debris. People don’t understand that u should not just mix all of your trash together and there are proper ways of deposing certain items because only 15 percent of what we recycle is actually good enough quality to be reused and refined into whatever . We as consumers could do more and properly use recycle bends correctly , because if there to much organic matter in a load of suppose recycled its not worth there time paying labor to sort so they just dump it . If a few county’s could come together and try to build a waste to energy plant, a jointed with a recycling refinery it would create a bunch of jobs, it would lower trash and electric or gas (depends on what type plant) we would be helping many peoples health with air quality . Countries like Sweden have it down where now Finland and Norway are paying Sweden to take there trash and they are turn around into renewable energy which cuts down on everyone electric bill or gas. But the plants cost like a couple hundred million to start up.

  2. Bob C. on October 6th, 2015 7:19 am

    @ Sedition, ECUA (Emerald Coast Utilities Authority) which services both Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties is Unfortunately NOT a part of Escambia County Commissioners authority so the BOCC has no way to direct things for them.

    I agree totally with you, Sedition, that there MUST be a recycle facility ( perhaps jointly ) in an area of Escambia / Santa Rosa County where we DO have more jobs offered and where the profit margin would be greater due to less distance to move the materials. WE need JOBS…..

  3. M in Bratt on October 6th, 2015 7:00 am

    “The proposed plans will require cooperative efforts on all fronts” . It doesn’t take much reading between the lines to see that Infinitus wants a lot more money out of the deal.

  4. M in Bratt on October 6th, 2015 6:55 am

    @Sedition; The county DID build one at the landfill, and it COST too much to run so they shut it down.

  5. chris on October 6th, 2015 5:54 am

    So you are saying it would be better to build a business in Escambia county that is knowingly unprofitable. Then expect governmental agencies to bail it out. Brilliant idea!

  6. DAG on October 6th, 2015 4:51 am

    Sedition- There was a recycling operation here at the landfill, operated using inmate labor. They shut it down to ship it off to other places such as this.

  7. Sedition on October 6th, 2015 12:28 am

    Why not build one here and put people to work instead of shipping it off to put others to work.
    Typical Escambia county thinking…screw the citizens, bring on the tourists.