A CHaRM, or Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials, is a specialized facility where residents can bring items that cannot be placed in standard curbside recycling bins.
These centers are designed to safely collect and manage materials such as electronics, batteries, paint, lightbulbs, propane tanks, and other items that require special handling. By separating these materials from regular waste, CHaRMs help reduce environmental impact, prevent contamination in the recycling stream, and ensure items are disposed of or recycled responsibly.
CHaRMs provide an important solution for materials that fall outside of everyday recycling, helping keep Baldwin County clean, safe, and sustainable.
Your one-stop drop-off for items that
don’t belong in your curbside bin.
Many of these materials require special handling, sorting, or disposal methods that standard curbside systems are not designed to manage. Items like electronics, chemicals, and certain plastics can damage equipment, contaminate recyclable materials, or pose safety risks.
Our CHaRM facilities are available to Baldwin County residents looking to properly dispose of hard-to-recycle materials.
Certain plastics are accepted, but not all materials like plastic bags or Styrofoam may be eligible. Please check with us if you are unsure about a specific item.
We recommend separating materials by type before arrival to make your visit quicker and more efficient.
Many items can be dropped off at no charge, but some materials require a small fee to cover safe handling and processing.
Items such as paint, electronics, household hazardous waste, car batteries, and tanks require a handling fee.
Paint and household hazardous waste are typically $2 per gallon, electronics are $5 per unit, car batteries are $2 each, and tanks are $4 each.
Cash and card payments are accepted.
When you arrive, our team will guide you to the appropriate drop-off area and provide instructions for unloading your materials.
In most cases, you will unload your materials, but our staff is available to assist as needed.
Yes, our team is on-site to answer questions and help ensure materials are properly sorted and handled.
Most visits take just a few minutes, depending on the volume and type of materials you bring.
There may be limits on certain materials, especially hazardous waste. We recommend contacting us in advance for large quantities.
We currently operate CHaRM facilities in Fairhope and Summerdale, with additional locations expanding across the county in the near future.
Magnolia CHaRM
15101 Terra Bella Drive, Summerdale, AL 36580
Monday – Friday: 7AM to 4PM, Saturday: 7 AM to Noon
Fairhope CHaRM
20609 Bishop Road, Fairhope, AL 36532
Monday – Friday: 10AM to 6PM, Saturday: 7 AM to Noon
Gulf Shores CHaRM (Coming Soon)
22510 Russian Road, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
Monday – Friday: 10AM to 6PM, Saturday: 7 AM to Noon
Each location may vary slightly in services, hours, and capacity, but all are designed to accept hard-to-recycle materials.
We recommend visiting the location closest to you, but you can use any CHaRM facility that best fits your needs.
Curbside recycling is designed for everyday household materials like paper, cardboard, plastics, and cans. CHaRM facilities are for items that require special handling and cannot be collected curbside.
If an item is not listed as an accepted curbside material or requires special disposal, it should be taken to a CHaRM facility.
You can use our CHaRM facilities or one of our recycling drop-off locations to responsibly manage your materials.
Materials are sorted and sent to specialized recycling or disposal partners to ensure they are handled safely and responsibly.
Improper disposal can harm the environment, contaminate recycling streams, and pose safety risks to workers and the community.
CHaRM reduces landfill waste, prevents harmful materials from entering the environment, and supports responsible recycling practices.
They may end up in landfills where they can release harmful substances, damage equipment, or take up valuable space.
We recommend keeping items contained, separated, and easy to unload.
Yes, all liquids and hazardous materials should be sealed and, if possible, clearly labeled.
Please avoid bringing leaking materials. Contact us ahead of time for guidance on how to safely transport them.
Handle materials carefully, keep hazardous items sealed, and follow any instructions provided by our staff on-site.
CHaRM is primarily designed for residential use. Businesses should contact us to discuss proper disposal options.
We recommend contacting us in advance to confirm whether the item is accepted and how to properly handle it.
You can contact our team directly for guidance before your visit to ensure your materials are accepted and properly prepared.
Want to find the closest CHaRM location to you? Check out our interactive map with custom directions from your house to the CHaRM.
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