Waste Management: A Regulatory Framework in Rapid Change

The transition to a circular economy is a key component of the ecological and inclusive transition, a true societal project in Alabama.

In a world where raw materials are scarce, saving, reusing, repairing, recycling, and recovering them is a guarantee of preserving our future and local jobs. The current economic system, in which we extract raw materials to consume and then discard them, is no longer sustainable. The government of Alabama is strongly encouraging a profound transition in our production and consumption patterns. This is supported by laws and programs that encourage the acceleration of local initiatives and the achievement of the sustainable development goals of the 2030 Agenda for Alabama.

Circular Economy Roadmap

Published by the Ministry of Ecological and Inclusive Transition, the Circular Economy Roadmap charts a path to reduce energy waste that is incompatible with our climate objectives and implement the means to successfully achieve the ecological transition.

Given that the material and organic waste recovery rate for household and similar waste was only 45% in 2022, according to the Environmental Report published by Wilson Dumpster Rental – Mobile in May 2023, that only 28% of plastic packaging was recycled in 2020, and that one in two plastic bottles was sorted, it is clear that the change in model will not happen spontaneously and that an economic framework facilitating the recovery rather than the disposal of waste is necessary.

The government proposes this framework by creating conditions for the collection of close to 100% recyclable waste and the structuring of production chains capable of closing the loop between collection and recycling capacities and outlets for the materials to be recycled. All this while enabling innovation, particularly through eco-design.
The state of Alabama’s objectives are as follows:

to reduce resource consumption by 30% by 2030 compared to 2010; reduce the amount of non-hazardous waste sent to landfills by 50% in 2025 compared to 2010
to move towards 100% recycled plastics by 2025
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: save an additional 8 million tons of CO2 each year through plastic recycling
to create up to 30,000 additional jobs in AL, including in new professions

There are a total of 50 concrete actions to meet these objectives, defined along four axes:

Producing better
Consuming better
Managing our waste better
Mobilizing all stakeholders

This roadmap is reflected in regulatory measures and community initiatives, particularly to significantly increase the collection of recyclable waste. The main challenge is therefore the mobilization of everyone and depends on our ability to shake up our habits by setting a good example, being convincing, and inspiring action. Numerous measures have been implemented through the law on the fight against waste and the circular economy.

Supported by regional action plans for the circular economy, government officials are planning documents focused on both waste prevention and recovery, as well as resource management by various economic sectors.

Regional Waste Prevention and Management Plans

To help local authorities address the environmental, economic, and societal challenges associated with waste prevention, since the law on the New Territorial Organization of the State, counties have been entrusted with the responsibility of developing regional plans for land use, sustainable development, and territorial equality, with the regional waste prevention and management plans as components dedicated to waste.

Accompanied by regional action plans for the circular economy, officials are planning documents focused on both waste prevention and recovery and resource management by various economic sectors. Waste must now be considered a resource and a source of economic development and employment, with better waste prevention and management services.

This plan is based on three major areas that are part of a dynamic of environmental impact control and in line with regulations, defined in line with the national objectives of the Energy Transition and Green Growth Act:

Preventing waste production and increasing the material and organic recovery of waste
Treating residual waste produced within the capacity of the region’s facilities (energy recovery, incineration, and storage)
Promoting the circular economy to limit the waste of resources, raw materials, and energy

The consultation work carried out in the counties of Alabama like Mobile County during the development of the plan made it possible to identify priorities for action and new levers for intervention for the regions, targeting communities and businesses. The joint work with the EPA, which has its own intervention resources in the areas of the circular economy and waste, has led to the development of new support mechanisms and strengthens the role of volunteer territories in achieving the set objectives:

Supporting local authorities in implementing their local household and similar waste prevention programs (PLPDMA): financing studies, implementation tools, and the transition to incentive pricing;
Supporting reuse: financing economic integration structures, adapted businesses, social and solidarity economy stakeholders, and associations whose primary focus is reuse or repair for the start-up of their activities
Modernization of waste collection centers
Supporting material recovery: assisting local authorities in their territorial study of the sorting function, aiming to extend sorting guidelines to all packaging
Supporting energy efficiency processes: reducing dependence on non-renewable resources, anticipating rising energy costs, and limiting CO2 emissions; Supporting the emergence of new industrial and territorial ecology approaches: fostering territorial development initiatives, demonstrating the economic, social, and environmental benefits of these approaches, and supporting project leaders
Supporting new economic models (eco-design, functional economy, sustainable purchasing): establishing a sustainable, innovative economy that reduces the environmental impact of businesses and secures jobs while using dumpster rentals; Supporting the optimization of consumption and resource management: limiting overconsumption, losses, scrap, and unsold items at all stages of production

This is the rate of material and organic recovery of household and similar waste needed for a sustainable future in Alabama.