Baldwin County, Alabama has advanced its sustainability efforts with a new, automated, single-stream recycling system. In partnership with Green Machine®, the county upgraded its waste management infrastructure to boost recycling rates, cut costs, and improve accessibility—creating the region’s most efficient municipal MRF.
Their new single-stream recycling facility will serve a growing population of over 100,000 households and can process far more than what the county currently produces. This will allow room for growth in commercial markets and the ability to expand access to neighboring communities, resulting in host benefits and further reductions in processing costs.
Baldwin County’s new Green Machine recycling system is equipped with advanced, artificially intelligent, Green Eye® Optical Sorters with high-speed patented hyperspectral vision systems, which automatically sort multiple clean commodities from both residential and commercial waste streams. Thanks to advanced sorting technology, they can process up to 15 tons per hour of material, that’s 40,000 tons (80 million pounds) of recyclables annually.
“Green Machine has been an outstanding partner in designing and building Baldwin County’s new advanced material recovery facility,” said Terri Graham, CEO of the Baldwin County Solid Waste Disposal Authority. “Their expertise and professionalism, along with investments from The Baldwin County Commission and grant funding from ADEM and the Recycling Partnership, created a system with high levels of automation that cut labor costs and improved material quality.”
The County’s investment reflects a long-term vision for environmental stewardship. By streamlining recycling and putting emphasis on educating their residents, the county is reducing their carbon footprint and promoting responsible resource use.
Graham added, “The new facility marks a major advancement not only in our County’s recycling program, but for Southwest Alabama. A new interactive classroom overlooking the plant will boost public engagement and compliance, while the cutting-edge sortation system lowers processing costs compared to third-party options.”
The collaboration between Baldwin County and Green Machine reflects a shared vision for sustainable innovation. By combining local commitment with advanced technology, the project sets a new standard for regional recycling efforts and community education.
“Sustainability is central to everything we do—from building efficient equipment, to supporting strong community partnerships. Baldwin County shows how local action, paired with the right technology, can drive real environmental progress,” said John Green, President of Green Machine.
With its new facility, Baldwin County is tackling current waste challenges head on, while building a more sustainable future. The project shows how innovation, collaboration, and community involvement can transform local recycling.
