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Birmingham to shift Roebuck curbside pickup to Thursdays as bulk-trash backlog persists
Summary
Mayor Randall L. Woodfin announced a permanent weekly change for Roebuck household garbage and recycling pickup beginning June 9 and outlined steps the city is taking to catch up on a months-long bulk-trash backlog caused by an unusually wet May.
Mayor Randall L. Woodfin told the Birmingham City Council on June 3 that household garbage and recycling pickup for the Roebuck neighborhood will move from Mondays to Thursdays beginning Monday, June 9.
The mayor said the schedule change is “designed to increase efficiency and customer service based on feedback and engagement” with Public Works and neighborhood residents. He asked Roebuck residents to set carts at the curb the night before pickup or no later than 6 a.m. the morning of service and reminded residents that carts must be returned within 24 hours and all loose trash should be bagged.
The shift comes as the city tries to recover from a backlog in bulk-trash and curbside collections. Woodfin said May was the third-wettest on record for Birmingham with 21 days of rain, which left horticulture and bulk-trash crews behind. To catch up, the Department of Public Works (DPW) will add a six-day workweek that includes Saturdays, has hired nine new operators now in training, and is deploying construction crews to the most behind districts.
Woodfin added that bulk trash remains on a delayed schedule citywide and that DPW has targeted being back on schedule in about a week to 10 days.
Council members pressed administration officials on enforcement and compliance. Councilor Abbott asked when the city will require uniform cans and mandatory bagging; administration responses said education and warnings have been the first step and that enforcement is proceeding in phases. The mayor and DPW said repeat offenders have been issued tags and that further steps could include escalation to environmental court where code violations persist. Staff said letters and targeted communications will be used during the transition period to allow residents time to acquire city carts.
Council members also reported neighborhoods where noncompliance is visible — Abbott named Glen Iris and Five Points South; Councilor Williams and others requested additional DPW attention there. The mayor instructed DPW to prioritize follow-up in those zones.
For questions or to report issues, residents were told to call 311 or email pickup@birminghamal.gov; the city also posted details at birminghamal.gov/pickup and said it would continue direct communications with affected Roebuck households.
Ending: The administration framed the changes as a mix of operational adjustments and resident outreach; officials said they expect to clear the backlog within days if weather cooperates and urged residents to follow the new curbside rules to avoid further delays.
