Kaylee Simons
Elmore Autauga News
On Tuesday mornings during Farmers Market season, a bright blue trailer sits at Village Green Park with a simple message painted across the side: “Help Keep Millbrook Clean.” For many residents, it is a convenient place to drop off cardboard, paper, plastic, and metal cans while shopping at the market. For the City of Millbrook, it represents an effort to make recycling easier and more accessible throughout the community.
Operated by the City’s Streets and Maintenance Department, the Millbrook Recycling Center is located at 4180 Grandview Road adjacent to Minnie Massey Park. The center accepts paper, newspaper, cardboard, plastic, and metal cans and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. The mobile recycling trailer serves as an extension of the center, bringing recycling opportunities directly into the community.
The trailer was added after the City received a grant through the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s Alabama Recycling Fund. The funding allowed the city to purchase and custom wrap the trailer, creating a mobile recycling option that can be placed in different locations throughout Millbrook.
According to the City of Millbrook’s Economic Development Director Ann Harper, the goal was to make recycling more convenient while encouraging greater participation from residents.
“By placing the recycling trailer in highly visible public spaces, such as the Village Green, the City is encouraging greater participation in caring for our environment,” Harper said. “The goal is not only to increase the number of recyclable materials diverted from landfills but also to foster a stronger culture of sustainability throughout Millbrook.”
In addition to serving residents at community events and the Farmers Market, the trailer is also available to local schools and civic organizations for projects focused on recycling, waste reduction, and environmental education. Harper said even small actions can make a meaningful difference.
“Small individual actions, such as bagging your household plastics, aluminum cans, and paper and taking them to the recycling center or recycling trailer, can make a meaningful difference,” she said.
While recycling may seem like a small act, its impact reaches far beyond a single household. Recycling helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, conserves natural resources, and gives reusable materials a second life. Harper said a successful recycling program reflects a community that is investing in its future while giving residents an easy way to help protect Millbrook’s natural beauty.
“A successful recycling program means far more than simply collecting cans, paper, and plastics,” Harper said. “It reflects a community that is investing in its future.”
Residents using the recycling center are asked to follow posted guidelines. The facility does not accept tires, paint, household garbage, yard debris, or materials from contractors and hauling services, and users must be able to provide proof of Millbrook residency.
Whether dropping off cardboard at the recycling center or stopping by the trailer during a trip to the farmers market, residents have more opportunities than ever to participate in keeping Millbrook clean. Through a combination of community involvement and city support, the program continues to provide a simple way for residents to care for the environment and help preserve the beauty of their hometown.
