Use Surges at Mobile County Recycling Center

Posted on: Apr 2nd, 2015 | News and Announcements

The Mobile County Recycling Center, in partnership with Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast and the Mobile County Commission, is excited to announce that use of the facility has jumped to almost 1,900 cars per week, or more than 250 per day, far exceeding the originally estimated visitor count since its opening in November. A recently-installed automatic car-counter revealed a much higher usage rate than conservative estimates indicated, said Sara Boccardo, Director of Sustainability for Goodwill Easter Seals, who oversees operations of the county facility at 7450 Hitt Road. ?Community support of the Mobile County Recycling Center has been overwhelming,? said Goodwill Easter Seals President and CEO, Frank Harkins, ?It definitely shows that the people in West Mobile County were looking for a way to recycle.? In addition to the new visitor count numbers, the agency also reports a huge volume of recyclables: more than 690,000 pounds of material in less than four months of operation, far exceeding the first-year plan for a total of 1.5 million pounds. ?These numbers speak to the widespread appeal of recycling and the desire of our citizens to be responsible stewards of our environment,? said Mobile County Commission President Connie Hudson. In order to handle this unexpected volume, Goodwill Easter Seals has supplemented its seven paid staff members with 70 volunteers, 12 court-appointed community service workers, and 11 students from Augusta Evans School, who have contributed over 900 hours of labor combined at the recycling center. Their time and labor have allowed the facility to operate for 10.5 hours each day, seven days a week. And thanks to the growing number of volunteers, Ms. Boccardo believes the facility will be able to double its volume as long as recyclable goods keep coming in. ?The new numbers are a tribute to the capabilities of our partner agency,? said Mobile County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood, ?And a clear indication that this project provides a much-wanted service for our county.? The Mobile County Commission built the facility by tapping federal grants to Gulf Coast states from offshore gas and oil revenues. Goodwill Easter Seals operates the recycling center, relying heavily on volunteers to keep things running smoothly. If you are interested in volunteering at the center or learning more about recycling and sustainability, contact Goodwill Easter Seals at 251-471-1581 or visit online at www.mobilecountyrecyclingcenter.com.