CULLMAN, Ala. – The City of Cullman will move to an optional residential curbside recycling program beginning Feb. 1, 2027, replacing its small blue bins with 96-gallon rolling carts at a cost of $10 per month, per cart.
Residents who want to continue curbside recycling must submit a signup flyer or Residential Recycle Service Application to the Sanitation Department by Sept. 18, 2026, according to the city’s application at www.cullmanal.gov/DocumentCenter/View/615/Resi-Recycle-Form-08-25-2026. The existing 18-gallon blue bins will no longer be used once the current service ends.
In an announcement addressing frequently asked questions, the city emphasized that residents are not required to enroll.
“The new curbside recycling service is 100% optional,” the city said.
Residents who choose not to participate can continue using their regular trash carts. They will not receive a recycling cart and do not need to return the signup form.
Free recycling will remain available to city residents who prefer to drop off their materials instead of paying for curbside collection.
The Recycling Center is located at 925 Convent Road NE. The city’s announcement lists its hours as 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The change will not alter the types of materials accepted through residential recycling. Residents may continue recycling paper, cardboard, plastics Nos. 1 and 2, tin and aluminum.
The Sanitation Department will collect and remove the old blue bins placed at the curb Jan. 25-28, 2027, during the final week of the existing bin service. Residents who enroll in the new program must switch to the larger carts to continue receiving curbside collection.
The city attributed the program changes to instability in recycling markets and increased costs associated with transporting and processing materials.
According to the announcement, international market changes, including China’s decision to stop accepting many recyclable materials, have contributed to an oversupply of materials and concerns about contamination.
Regional drop-off closures have also required Cullman to send its recyclables to more distant markets, the city said. Those facilities have stricter standards and higher transportation and processing costs.
The application asks residents to provide their name, service address, phone number, email address and water account number, indicate whether they own or rent their property and sign the form.
Residents seeking information about enrollment, recycling materials or the transition can contact the Cullman Sanitation Department at 256-737-7560. Applications and additional service details are available at www.cullmanal.gov/191/Sanitation-Recycling.
