Baldwin County continues to grow at one of the fastest rates in Alabama, bringing new households, new construction, and increasing pressure on essential services like waste collection and landfill operations. As our communities expand, we at the Solid Waste Disposal Authority (SWDA), are responsible for ensuring that reliable, compliant garbage service remains available to every resident in the unincorporated areas of the county. Beginning November 1, 2026, SWDA will implement a residential rate adjustment tied directly to rising state‑mandated environmental fees.
The rate adjustment is driven by updates to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s (ADEM) regulatory and permitting fee schedules.
These updates include a 25%–30% increase, depending on ADEM’s fee schedule, affecting the cost of permits and environmental compliance requirements for every landfill in the state. Managing solid waste safely and responsibly has become more expensive as environmental standards strengthen, and SWDA must meet these requirements to keep facilities operating properly. The updated rate helps ensure we can continue providing consistent, dependable service across Baldwin County.
The new residential garbage rate takes effect on November 1, 2026.
Residents will receive notifications about this change in their August, September, and October bills. For most households, the standard monthly fee will increase from $17 to $19. Households with an extra garbage cart will see that fee increase from $5 to $10 per month. Quarterly and seasonal billing will adjust proportionally.
Importantly, this change affects only garbage service. There are no changes to recycling operations and recycling fees remain the same.
Baldwin County’s rapid growth is a major driver in the increasing demands on SWDA’s disposal sites.
SWDA currently serves more than 55,000 residential customers, and our landfills and transfer stations experience significant daily activity. Magnolia MSW Landfill, for example, received 78,946 customer loads and over 307,000 tons of material last year alone. MacBride C&D Landfill saw more than 38,000 customers and over 78,000 tons received, while the Bay Minette Transfer Station handled nearly 17,000 customers and over 42,000 tons. Eastfork C&D Landfill processed more than 10,000 customers and nearly 23,000 tons. As Baldwin County continues to grow, these numbers increase each year, leading to more landfill traffic, more operational needs, and greater responsibility to maintain these essential services.
SWDA remains committed to keeping costs as stable and transparent as possible for our residents.
We understand that any change in fees impacts household budgets, which is why we work hard to minimize increases and only adjust rates when necessary. The updated fees allow us to continue operating safely under rising state environmental regulatory requirements and ensure that our long‑term waste‑management systems remain reliable. These investments help us maintain the quality of service our community expects while meeting the environmental standards that protect Baldwin County’s natural resources for the future.
