GULF SHORES — At the city’s recycling center, Gulf Shores City Councilman Steve Jones has seen “a significant increase” in items that are not accepted, such as motor oil and paint cans.

Jones visits the recycling center at 160 W. 36th Ave. “very frequently,” and “they do a fabulous job” keeping everything in order.

However, he’s noticed the oil collection station is often filled with motor oil drop and paint cans where there should only be cooking oil.

“There was a sign that said, I believe, ‘No motor oil, cooking oil only,’” Jones said. “That sign has become damaged. It needs to be replaced.”

Jones suggested during a recent city council meeting that a new sign be put out with a “blast or a public notification” from the city on specifics for what is acceptable at the Gulf Shores Recycling Center so it can continue to do “the job that it can do.”

“I can’t imagine the quantity of things that come there,” Jones said on how the center always keeps up with the recyclables.

While the city does hold special recycling days where residents can drop off items like paint, electronics and fluorescent lightbulbs, they cannot regularly accept these items.

Special recycling days in 2025 are scheduled for March 22-31, June 21-30, Sept. 20-30 and Dec. 20, 2025-Jan. 8, 2026.

Automotive items like motor oil are never accepted at the recycling center. The city’s website recommends taking products such as automotive batteries and motor oil to the Walmart Auto Care Center at 170 E. Fort Morgan Road.

Other items not accepted, as listed on the city’s website, include DEA national prescription drug drop box, household medical waste, gasoline, household chemicals, pool chemicals, tires and insecticide.

For prescriptions, the website recommended visiting the Gulf Shores Police Department at 220 Clubhouse Drive or calling at (251) 968-2431. For household medical waste it recommended checking with your local healthcare provider on disposal procedures.

Gasoline, household chemicals, pool chemicals, tires and insecticide can be taken to the Baldwin County Magnolia Landfill at 15140 County Road 49 in Summerdale. Paint can also be accepted at the Magnolia Landfill if it needs to be disposed of outside of Gulf Shores’ special recycling days.

Several items are accepted at the recycling center but must be placed in their proper bins. Items that can be dropped off at the center include Styrofoam, cardboard, plastic, plastic bags, paper, aluminum cans, household batteries, glass jars and bottles, scrap metal and tin cans.

Items accepted via city curbside pickup include aluminum cans, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, office paper, paper products, plastic jugs (rinsed) and tin cans (rinsed). Items containing food residue, oil, aerosol, wax or Styrofoam are not acceptable from residential curbside cans.

“I know that the snowbirds are very active recyclers and we’re grateful for that,” Jones said at the meeting, “and our community is very engaged in recycling, which we are grateful for, but we do want to see our recycling center used properly.”