| FLORENCE, Ala. — The City of Florence, in partnership with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), celebrated a major step forward in the recycling sorting process on Thursday, November 13, 2025, with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the City’s new fully automated metals sorting line, affectionately nicknamed Eddy and Maggie. The dynamic duo, an eddy current aluminum sorter named Eddy and a magnetic steel sorter named Maggie, work side by side to separate metals with speed, precision, and efficiency. Together, they make recycling smarter, faster, and more impactful for Florence and the Shoals region. “This project reflects Florence’s commitment to environmental stewardship, innovation, and efficiency,” said Mayor Ron Tyler. “We’re proud of our recycling team and their dedication to keeping Florence clean and forward thinking. Every can recycled here has the potential to be reborn just a few miles away at Constellium in Muscle Shoals, supporting local jobs and fueling one of the most advanced aluminum recycling operations in North America. We hope everyone will do their part and keep those cans and bottles coming to help Eddy and Maggie stay busy.” “Adding this level of automation allows us to recover more materials efficiently,” said David Koonce, Solid Waste, Street, and Recycling Manager. “Eddy and Maggie have already made a difference. Every can that goes into your bin helps them do their job better. The more our community recycles, the stronger our program becomes.” The project was funded through a $95,797 Alabama Recycling Fund (ARF) grant, bringing full automation to the metals sorting line. Installation partners included Marathon Equipment, Hoosier Machinery Solutions, Thompson Rents, and Keeton Electric. During the ceremony, guests watched aluminum cans zip, pop, and fly into bins as the automated system came to life. Representatives from ADEM and Constellium, a global leader in aluminum manufacturing and recycling, joined city officials for the demonstration, followed by a facility tour. Residents are encouraged to keep “feeding the line” by recycling aluminum and steel cans, paper, cardboard, and plastic bottles in a curbside cart, at a county drop-off location, or at the Florence Recycling Center. Every recycled item helps keep valuable materials out of the landfill and supports local manufacturers. Constellium Muscle Shoals, located just down the road from Florence, plays a key role in the recycling loop. Home to the largest used beverage can (UBC) recycling facility in North America, the plant has the capacity to process over 20 billion cans annually. Operating 24/7, the site employs approximately 1,300 team members who transform UBCs through melting, casting, and rolling. The finished coils are shipped to customers across North America, enabling cans to return to store shelves in as little as 60 days. Event pictures and video: https://florencealabama.smugmug.com/Ribbon-Cutting/Recycle-Center-Metals-Line If you would like a tour of the facility, please email recycle@florenceal.org or call 256-760-6494. For more information about recycling in Florence, visit florencerecycles.org or contact media@florenceal.org. |
