Birmingham Recycling-Recovery - Recycling Center in Birmingham, AL

So many pros and cons. 😂 The lady at the check in is by far the best pro about the place. Is she a real sweet heart. Can't say enough nice things about her give that girl a raise. Cons.. are a bit more. It's really tight with limited space trucking's being first come first serve rather than appointments is normally fine but here there's just not the room for that sort of easy going policy. You really need to call before you turn into the yard depending on how busy it is you may be waiting in the turn lane a while. Pull in get on the scale then check in. Once done with that if docks 1 or 4 aren't open you get as close as possible to the side of the building. I don't know if she always does but the nice lady in shipping came out and directed traffic in the yard when I was back into into a dock. Getting loaded seems to take a while but not long enough that I'll count it as one of the cons. When you're done getting loaded you pull forward and almost leave before you back onto the scale and go in to check out. Getting to and from the location in an 18 wheeler can be a pain in backside this area isn't truck friendly. Also beware the train I ended up backing up and turning around in the abandoned yard next to the tracks and went around because the train was stopped for over an hour and I was told it could be here all day. Over all not best shipper in the world but not the worse. Backing in their yard looks worse then it actually is.

Best place to drop off recycling in Birmingham but not without its drawbacks. Parking is a free-for all and you frequently have to negotiate trucks coming in and out. They do not take glass or plastic bags including garbage bags (pictures notwithstanding). Materials do not need to be sorted though. Depending on which way you're coming from you may also need to deal with a rail crossing where trains can sit for more than 30 minutes.

I wish it were more clear in all these reviews which ones are from individuals and which ones are from commercial/big rig customers. This place services both types of traffic. If you're just an individual with some residential recycling to drop off don't be scared off by the many complaints about long wait times having to drive up on the scales first come-first served etc etc. You just drive right in unload at the single-stream residential bins across from the office and drive out. No muss no fuss. We drop off about once a month and I'm nearly always in and out in 2-3 minutes.