Per Capita Disposal 2010 Solid Waste Management Update
Georgia's waste reduction efforts, combined with the economic downturn has resulted in a marked lowering of Georgia's per-capita MSW disposal rates. As more Municipal Solid Waste landfills create special sections of their facilities to accept only C&D waste, they divert that waste stream from their MSW cells, thereby lowering the overall per-capita MSW disposal rates. When excluding out-of-state waste imports, the amount of waste entering Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfills fell to 5.57 lbs/person/day in FY 2010, the lowest in a decade. Since FY 1998, the per capita municipal solid waste disposal rate had grown from 6.44 lbs/person/day to about 7.5 lbs/person/day in FY 2007. But in FY 2010, Georgia's MSW landfills received 6.67 pounds of waste daily for each resident. Looking at records that exclude the amount of waste disposed from out-of-state sources, the per capita MSW disposal rate has been even lower, climbing from 6.24 lbs/person/day in FY 1998 to 6.46 lbs/person/day in FY 2007 before falling to 5.57 lbs/person/day in FY 2010. As shown in the Per Capita Daily Waste Disposal graph, there is more than one way to track per-capita disposal rates. In FY 2010, 14,208,402 tons of waste entered Construction/Demolition and MSW landfills in the Georgia. When looking at the reported total amount of waste disposed, the per capita waste disposal rate fell to 7.93 lbs/person/day in FY 2010, down from a decade-high of 10.17 lbs/person/day in FY 2007. This figure represents all waste entering MSW and C&D landfills, including out-of-state sources. It includes residential waste, sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants, some industrial waste, construction debris, commercial and business waste, and waste brought here from other states. It does not include waste sent to incinerators or composting operations, nor does it include yard trimmings and land-clearing debris sent to inert landfills.
B-1
Per Capita Disposal 2009 Update
Looking at the disposal rate at MSW landfills only, including waste disposed from out-of-state sources, the per capita disposal rate has hovered at about 7.5 pounds per person per day in recent years before dropping in FY 2008. It should be noted that these rates reflect all waste entering a MSW landfill as reported to the EPD, not just MSW. According to a 2001 study, about two-thirds of the waste disposed in MSW landfills is actually MSW. Based upon this estimate, the FY 2009 per capita MSW disposal rate, excluding waste imported into the state, is approximately 3.68 lbs/person/day.
Imported waste has grown ten-fold, from representing 0.1/lb/person/day in 1998 (less than 200,000 tons) to 1.1 lbs/person/day in FY 2010 (approximately 2 million tons.)
The economic recession is undoubtedly behind some of the decreasing per-capita waste reductions outlined in this report. However, it is heartening that despite plunging commodity prices for recyclable materials, DCA has seen only a handful of local government collection programs discontinued. In fact, programs have been added, existing programs have expanded the types of material collected, and interest in conservation issues among the public has seemingly continued to rise. While difficult to quantify, it is difficult to imagine that the recycling and waste reduction efforts of so many communities has not contributed to the decline in Georgia's per-capita waste disposal rate. In fact, the drop in Georgia's per-capita disposal rate occurred at the same time as single-stream recyclables collection began in many communities.
Fiscal Year
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Population
8,186,453
Georgia Waste Disposal Rate and Population
FY 2001-2010
Total Waste Total Waste Total Waste
Landfilled Landfilled Disposed in
(Millions of tons) (Pounds/ MSW Landfills
person/day)
(Tons)
13.36
8.94
10,678,980
Out of State Waste
(Tons) 893,651
Total MSW
(Pounds/ person/day)
7.15
8,383,915
13.04
8.52
10,233,692
950,779
6.68
8,544,005
14.25
9.14
11,135,473
1,197,686
7.14
8,684,715
15.77
9.95
11,916,124
1,633,182
7.52
8,918,129
16.46
9.85
12,155,598
1,627,044
7.47
9,132,553
16.66
9.77
12,531,898
1,889,312
7.52
9,363,941
17.39
10.17
12,746,159
1,942,647
7.45
9,523,297
16.27
9.49
12,623,173
1,857,687
7.26
9,685,744
14.64
8.28
12,049,709
1,678,013
6.82
9,815,210
14.20
7.93
11,953,064
1,975,549
6.67
GA MSW
(Pounds/ person/day)
6.55 6.05 6.38 6.50 6.52 6.48 6.46 6.19 5.87 5.57
B-2
Disposal and Capacity 2010 Report
During Fiscal Year 2010 the amount of waste sent to Georgia landfills continued a 3-year decline, primarily due to the faltering economy, and perhaps in part to increased recycling efforts. (The possible reasons for this change are explored in the Executive Summary of this report.) Permitted capacity in 2010 is estimated to be approximately 37 years of remaining MSW landfill space and 43 years of remaining permitted C&D landfill space.
Where Does the Waste Go?
Much of the waste disposed of in Georgia enters Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfills meeting federal Subtitle D requirements. These landfills have natural (clay) and synthetic liners to protect groundwater, and systems to measure and mitigate methane gas and leachate generation. Of the 14,208,402 tons of waste disposed in permitted Georgia disposal facilities during FY 2010, 82.1% was disposed in Subtitle D landfills. 15.9% of the waste entered unlined Construction and Demolition (C&D) landfills. The remainder was disposed in unlined Municipal Solid Waste landfills (142,779 or 1.0%.) It is important to note that this report covers permitted disposal facilities that require tonnage and remaining capacity; inert waste from road-building work for example is not included, nor is the unknown millions of tons of industrial waste that are buried in on-site private landfills.
Most of the waste disposed in Georgia enters private landfills. In FY 2010, landfill owners/operators reported 8,594,423 tons of waste entering 16 private MSW landfills, compared with 8,413,209 tons in FY 2009. In FY 2010, 3,358,641 tons of waste entered 47 publicly owned MSW landfills in the state, compared to 3,636,500 tons landfills the previous year.
A - 1
Disposal and Capacity 2010 Report
C&D Landfills
Construction and Demolition landfills are permitted disposal facilities that can only accept waste building materials and rubble resulting from construction, remodeling, repair, and demolition operations on pavement, houses, commercial buildings and other structures. Such wastes include, but are not limited to, yard trimmings, asbestos-containing waste, wood, bricks, metal, concrete, wall board, paper, cardboard, inert waste landfill material, and other nonputrescible wastes which have a low potential for groundwater contamination.
In FY 2010, landfill operators reported 1,833.559 tons of waste entering 16 private C&D facilities (1,938,137 tons in FY 2009), while 421,779 tons of waste entered 26 publicly owned facilities (virtually unchanged from the previous year.
Permitted Solid Waste Management Facilities FY 2001-20101
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Inert Landfills Collection Operations2
2,399 708
2,424 775
2,354 796
2,389 872
2,373 891
2,437 946
2,455 966
2,424 992
2,372 1,021
2,284 1,073
Transfer Stations
202
230
233
76
76
78
79
80
83
163
On-Site Thermal Treatment Facilities
88
89
99
101
101
96
96
583
58
56
On-site Processing Facilities
92
95
90
93
99
100
105
111
111
112
MSW Landfills
62
60
58
58
55
66*
66*
65
63
63
C&D Landfills
33
46
51
54
54
54*
54*
54
48
49
Material Recovery Facilities
5
3
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
7
Composting Facilities
3
3
3
3
3
3
5
5
2
3
1. Operating as of July 2010; some facilities cease operations or are added, so these figures may differ from those used elsewhere in this
report.
2. Collection operations are any entity that collects waste from residential or commercial locations.
3. EPD updated its database of these facilities to verify those still in operation; many had ceased operations.
*EPD counts MSW landfills accepting C&D waste in specially-designated cells as C&D landfills. For the purposes of this report, DCA counts
them as MSW. There are nine such facilities, for additional details see table beginning A-7 for details.
Unlined Landfills
During FY 2010, 142,779
Unlined Landfills Accepting MSW
tons of waste was disposed
FY 2010
in four unlined MSW landfills.
County Facility Name
Total
Avg. Remaining Remaining
This represents approximately
Tons Daily Capacity Capacity
1.0% of the total waste entering
Disposed Tons
(CY)
(Years)
MSW and C&D landfills in
Bibb
Macon-Walker
95,626
296
2,060,433
11
Georgia. As of July 2010, four
Road Phase 2 (SL)
unlined MSW facilities, all
Grady
Cairo-6th Ave. (SL)
25,838
70
270,510
8
publicly owned, were still
Liberty
U.S. Army-Ft. Stewart Main
9,442
33
576,070
30
operating under their original
Cantonment (SL)
EPD-approved permits, and had
McIntosh
McIntosh County-
11,873
38
548,206
23
not reached their closure
King Road (SL)
capacity. Until they do, they must
Total
142,279 437 3,455,219
15.2
adhere to the same operating
Average
35,695 109
863,805
n/a
procedures and methane
monitoring requirements as their
more modern counterparts. When the unlined facilities close, they will be capped and monitored under federal Subtitle D
regulations. There is no time limit for these landfills to meet Subtitle D regulations, but they will not be granted expansion
permits. It is likely a small percentage of MSW generated in Georgia will continue to be disposed in unlined landfills for
years to come.
A - 2
Disposal and Capacity 2010 Report
Imported Waste
The amount of waste brought to Georgia from other states for disposal is more than 10 times greater than it was in FY 1998. Waste imports climbed from 1,678,013 in FY 2009 to nearly 2 million tons in FY 2010. Most of the waste brought to Georgia from other states is MSW (98%), with the remainder entering C&D landfills. Out-of-state waste amounts to 14.2% of the total amount of waste disposed in Georgia or 16.5% of the waste entering MSW landfills in the state. It is difficult to track border waste exchange, and it is suspected that in most cases, waste leaving Georgia for disposal in neighboring states travels relatively short distances across state lines. Based on telephone interviews with transfer station operators that ship waste out of state, it is believed that approximately 150,000 tons per year of Georgia-generated waste is sent to neighboring states.
Capacity, or the amount of available space in landfills to dispose of tightly compacted waste, soared from 506 million cubic yards in FY 2009 to 660,615,383, but most of that increase was in C&D landfills. Georgia has an estimated 37 years of remaining permitted MSW capacity statewide, based upon 2010 disposal rates; C&D capacity is projected to last 4347 years. A regional breakdown can be found beginning on page A-7. The projection of remaining capacity is based upon current disposal rates and disposal capacity permitted by the Georgia EPD, but not necessarily constructed landfill space. Reduced disposal due to the economic recession underscores that years of remaining capacity is an estimate based on current disposal rates and remaining physical capacity measured in cubic yards at landfills; the amount of time left in landfills is very much a moving target. Just as recession and decreased disposal can prolong remaining capacity,
A - 3
Disposal and Capacity 2010 Report
economic expansion, regulatory rule changes, storms and debris-generating disasters can rapidly consume landfill space; these factors serve to underscore the need for sound solid waste planning. The number of MSW landfills in Georgia has fallen since tighter federal regulations were adopted in the mid-1990s, but the number of C&D landfills increased to 45. In FY 1993, there were 187 public and private landfills in Georgia, and 75% of these were small, publicly-owned facilities that only accepted waste generated within the host county. For FY 2010, nearly half the state's permitted disposal capacity sits in just five facilities, although there are 102 active permitted landfills in Georgia.
From FY 1993-2010, the number of MSW landfills operated by cities, counties, and solid waste authorities dropped from 121 to 46; eight of these publicly owned MSW landfills also operate a separate cell within their MSW landfill for C&D materials only. This shift in remaining disposal capacity has occurred while smaller or older landfills are closed and enter lengthy post-closure monitoring periods. There are 320 landfills across Georgia in post-closure. The tables on A-5 detail some of the largest landfills in Georgia.
A - 4
Disposal and Capacity 2010 Report
Georgia Landfills with Most Remaining Permitted Disposal Capacity
FY 2010
County Facility Name
Total Tons Domain Facility Remaining Avg. Rate of
Remaining
Disposed
Type Capacity (CY) Daily Fill (CYD) Permitted Capacity
FY 2010
Tons
(Years)
Charlton Chesser Island Road
1,136,432 Private
MSWL
Landfill, Inc.
60,929,835
3,173
3,525
60
Wayne Republic Broadhurst
636,345 Private
MSWL
49,460,124
2,283
2003
n/a
DeKalb DeKalb Co. -
385,039 Public
MSWL
Seminole Rd Ph 2a, 3,
& 4 (SL)
47,688,612
2,202
2,518
62
Taylor Veolia E.S. Taylor Co.
435,418 Private
MSWL
Landfill
45,942,716
2,000
2,500
66
Cherokee Cherokee Co. - Pine
1,300,771 Private
MSWL
Bluff Landfill, Inc.
44,787,325
4,760
6,347
25
Total
3,894,005
248,808,612 14,418 16,893
56.6
County Facility Name
Cherokee Cherokee Co. - Pine
Bluff Landfill, Inc.
Charlton Chesser Island Road
Landfill, Inc.
Butts
Butts Co. - Pine Ridge
Forsyth Eagle Point Landfill
Wayne Republic Broadhurst
Total
Georgia Landfills Receiving the Most Waste
FY 2010
Total Tons Domain Facility Remaining Avg. Rate of
Remaining
Disposed
Type Capacity (CY) Daily Fill (CYD) Permitted Capacity
FY 2010
Tons
(Years)
1,300,771
1,136,432
1,079,013 1,070,043
636,345
5,222,604
Private
Private
Private Private Private
MSWL
MSWL
MSWL MSWL MSWL
44,787,325
4,760
60,929,835 30,383,341 27,468,859 49,460,124
213,029,484
3,173 3,895 2,458 2,283
16,569
6,347
3,525 4,793 3,511 2003
20,179
25
60 22 28 n/a
40.6
A - 5
Disposal and Capacity 2010 Report
Regional Development Center
Atlanta Regional Commission Central Savannah River Area Three Rivers Coastal Georgia Northwest Georgia Georgia Mountains Heart of Georgia-Altamaha River Valley Middle Georgia Northeast Georgia Southern Georgia Southwest Georgia
Statewide C&D Total
Disposal Capacity by RDC
Construction and Demolition Waste Landfills
FY 2010
Total Tons
Remaining Permitted Capacity Remaining Permitted Capacity
Disposed
(Cubic Yards)
(Years)
1,321,716
40,120,037
25.3
59,001
3,902,389
49.9
61,226 65,497 93,076
214,543 49,664 24,463 64,119
317,063 30,267 89,108
1,202,986 25,803,467
4,915,733 11,952,108
2,953,732 300,922
3,351,267 35,487,758
577,354 10,876,882
14.9 274.2
60.0 35.4 26.3
7.1 39.0 63.6 13.7 50.5
2,389,743
141,444,635
43
Regional Development Center
Atlanta Regional Commission Central Savannah River Area Three Rivers Coastal Georgia Northwest Georgia Georgia Mountains Heart of Georgia-Altamaha River Valley Middle Georgia Northeast Georgia Southern Georgia Southwest Georgia
Statewide MSW Total
Disposal Capacity by RDC
Municipal Solid Waste Landfills
FY 2010
Total Tons
Remaining Permitted Capacity Remaining Permitted Capacity
Disposed
2,162,002
(Cubic Yards)
95,886,947
(Years)
34.0
301,152 1,383,370
665,453 1,051,028 1,725,407
718,170 537,773 803,441 464,333 1,692,109 314,205
68,179,336 69,441,744
4,656,706 26,822,507 59,203,653 53,427,291 54,047,994 17,071,633 11,762,330 81,506,136 21,208,635
130.0 40.0 8.9 19.1 33.7 79.4 63.6 13.9 20.4 36.9 44.6
11,818,443
563,214,912
37.2
Note: For the purposes of reporting regional capacity, MSW landfills that receive C&D waste in specially-designated cells have their tons received recorded as C&D, but their remaining capacity is represented in these tables as MSW, in accordance with their permits. For details on these facilities, please see the table beginning on page A-7.
A - 6
Disposal and Capacity 2010 Report
County
Facility Name
Atlanta Regional Commission
C&D
Cherokee Cherokee Construction And
Demolition Landfill
Cherokee Cherokee Co.-Swims-SR 92 Ph
5
Clayton
Stephens MDS, LP, C&D
DeKalb
BFI-East DeKalb Landfill
DeKalb
APAC/Ga - Donzi Ln Ph 5a (L)
DeKalb
Rogers Lake Road C&D Landfill
DeKalb
DeKalb Co.-Seminole Rd Ph 2
(Sl)
Douglas
Douglas Co. - Cedar
Mt/Worthan Rd Ph 1 (SL)
Fulton
Safeguard Landfill Management
C & D
Fulton
Chadwick Rd Landfill, Inc.
Fulton
Willow Oak C&D Landfill
MSW
Cherokee Cherokee Co. - Pine Bluff
Landfill, Inc.
Clayton
Clayton Co. - SR 3 Lovejoy Site
# 3
DeKalb
DeKalb Co. - Seminole Rd Ph
2a, 3, & 4 (SL)
DeKalb
BFI - Hickory Ridge (MSWL)
Gwinnett
BFI-Richland Creek Rd (SL)
Central Savannah River Area
C&D
Burke
Burke Co. - Clarke Rd.
Columbia Columbia Co. - Sample & Son
(C&D)
Jenkins
Jenkins Co. - CR 54
Richmond US Army-Ft. Gordon/Gibson
Rd.
Washington Washington Co. - Kaolin Rd.
MSW
Jefferson
Jefferson Co. - CR138
Richmond Richmond Co. - Deans Bridge
Rd.
Washington Washington Co. - Kaolin Rd.
Three Rivers
C&D
Coweta
Coweta Co. - Ishman Ballard
Rd. Landfill
Troup
Troup Co. - S.R. 109 Mountville
Troup
LaGrange - I 85/ S.R. 109
Spalding
Spalding Co. - Griffin/Shoal
Creek Rd. (Phase 2)
MSW
Troup
LaGrange - I 85/ S.R. 109
Butts
Butts Co. - Pine Ridge
Lamar
Lamar Co. - Cedar Grove
Regional
Meriwether Turkey Run MSWLF
Coastal Georgia
C&D
Camden
Camden Co. - S.R. 110 C/D/I
Landfill
Glynn
Eller - Whitlock Ave
Liberty
U. S. Army Ft. Stewart Main
Cantonment
MSW Camden
Camden Co. - S.R. 110
Total Tons Domain Facility
Disposed FY
Type
2010
Remaining Capacity (CY)
Average Daily Tons
Rate of Fill (CYD)
Remaining Permitted Capacity (Years)
42,690 Private
20,153 Private
129,713 22
145,037 64,518 47,637
Private Private Private Private Public
20,684 Public
539,209 Private
129,146 Private 182,907 Private
C&D
C&D
C&D C&D C&D C&D C&D
C&D
C&D
C&D C&D
2,505,726
149
199
44
60,750 13,782,091
109,328 372,330 361,176
66
131
2
454
527
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
475
490
2
222
234
5
88,090
181
156
2
499,660
69
138
12
7,690,922
1,873
2,341
12
1,881,861
454
761
9
12,768,103
726
1,116
40
1,300,771 Private MSWL
44,787,325
4,760
6,347
25
47,507
Public MSWL
2,743,023
154
307
29
385,039
Public MSWL
47,688,612
2,202
2,518
62
45 Private MSWL
122,314
12
19
2
428,640 Private MSWL
545,673
1,169
1,646
18
22,416 32,503
2,498 1,080
504
14,061 287,080
11
Public Private
Public Public
Public
Public Public
Public
C&D C&D
C&D C&D
MSWL
MSWL MSWL
MSWL
88,497
2,814,352 876,922
122,618 52,5112
1,281,002
Did not report 1,263,702
19
75
4
106
158
58
8
22
n/a
16
32
23
9
14
15
105
210
20
38
105
49
3,430
8,767 7,954 41,075
Public
Public Public Public
C&D
C&D MSWL
C&D
209,296 127,267
33,820
866,423
24
11
28
29
58
7
22
44
2
132
190
16
96,271
Public MSWL
3,284,820
260
385
22
1,079,013 Private MSWL
30,383,341
3,895
4,793
22
67,897
Public MSWL
362
57
5,817,948
239
140,189 Private MSWL
29,921,815
1,041
1,487
70
62,765
1,418 1,314
Public
Private Public
C&D
C&D C&D
25,643,102 37,210
123,155
238
345
n/a
5
8
16
5
9
46
87,861
Public MSWL
A - 7
2,522,832
277
557
15
Disposal and Capacity 2010 Report
County
Facility Name
Chatham Chatham
Liberty
McIntosh
Savannah - Dean Forest Rd. Superior Landfill & Recycling Center U. S. Army Ft. Stewart Main Cantonment McIntosh Co. - King Rd.
Northwest Georgia
C&D
Bartow
Bartow Co. - S.R. 294 Emerson
Floyd
Floyd Co. - Rome Walker
Mtn. Rd.
Paulding
Paulding Co. - Gulledge Rd.
Pickens
K&M
Walker
Walker Co. - Marble Top Rd.
Walker
LaFayette-Coffman Springs Rd.
MSW
Bartow
Bartow Co. - S.R. 294 Emerson
Floyd
Rome Walker Mtn. Rd.,
Gordon
Gordon Co. - Redbone
Ridge Rd.
Murray
Murray Co. - U.S. 411 Westside
Whitfield
Whitfield Co. - Dalton, Old Dixie
Hwy.
Polk
Polk Co. - Grady Rd.
Georgia Mountains
C&D
Forsyth
Eagle Point Landfill
Forsyth
Greenleaf Recycling, LLC
Franklin
Earth Resources LLC
Hall
Reliable Tire Service
Habersham Habersham Co. - S.R.13
Rabun
Rabun Co. Boggs Mountain
Stephens Stephens Co.-S.R. 145
MSW
Banks
Chambers R&B Landfill Site #2
Forsyth
Eagle Point Landfill
Habersham Habersham Co. - S.R.13
Hall
Hall Co.-Candler Rd. (S.R. 60)
Heart of Georgia-Altamaha
C&D
Appling
Appling Co.-Roaring Creek
Evans
Evans Co. Little Bull Creek
C&D
Laurens
Laurens Co. - Old Macon Road
Toombs
Toombs Co. - S1898
MSW
Candler
Candler Co. - S.R. 121
Laurens
Laurens Co. - Old Macon Rd.
Telfair
Telfair Co. - CR 144
Toombs
Toombs Co. - S 1898
Wayne
Republic Services- Broadhurst
River Valley
C&D
Muscogee Columbus, Pine Grove
Macon
Macon Co. - Middle Georgia
SWMA Regional MSWL
MSW
Muscogee Columbus, Pine Grove
Crisp
Crisp Co. - U.S. 41S
Taylor
Veolia E.S. Taylor Co. Landfill
Middle Georgia
C&D
Total Tons Domain Facility
Disposed FY
Type
2010
119,665 436,612
Public Private
MSWL MSWL
9,442 11,873
Public Public
Unlined MSWL Unlined MSWL
Remaining Capacity (CY)
1,345,733
2,186,697
576,070
548,206
Average Daily Tons
249
Rate of Fill (CYD)
498
Remaining Permitted Capacity (Years) 9
1,560
1,905
4
33
66
30
38
76
23
146
37,780 54
42,065 12,140
891
Public Public
Public Private Public Public
C&D C&D
C&D C&D C&D C&D
11,000
Did not report 29,529
4,116,651 407,780 89,932
0
1
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
147
237
61
52
103
16
8
16
22
91,008
Public MSWL
899,000
323
489
6
77,166
Public MSWL
4,657,522
305
610
25
214,514
Public MSWL
12,496,246
811
1,267
36
72,945
Public MSWL
44,026
248
335
n/a
145,377
Public MSWL
7,640,898
475
704
35
450,018
Public MSWL
1,084,815
1,400
2,000
2
53,230 51,431 32,107 69,070
5,496 2,636
573
Private Private Private Private Public Public Public
MSWL C&D C&D C&D
MSWL C&D C&D
8,745,681 735,884
9,101,604 1,892,702
112,710 201,668
20,250
183
282
36
165
329
7
111
185
n/a
273
419
16
19
51
8
11
28
29
3
5
18
562,905 Private MSWL
16,048,286
2,000
2,666
21
1,070,043 Private MSWL
27,468,859
2,458
3,511
28
31,294
Public MSWL
1,412,161
111
185
27
61,165
Public MSWL
5,415,956
200
400
43
3,420
Public
C&D
13,408
18,771 14,065
Private
Public Public
C&D
MSWL C&D
427,914
2,392,622 178,425 133,196
13
27
61
49
115
76
66
140
4
75
150
3
6,854
Public MSWL
341,250
27
43
31
29,106
Public MSWL
1,722,236
101
162
35
12,122
Public MSWL
412,486
40
80
18
33,743
Public MSWL
1,312,770
150
300
16
636,345 Private MSWL
49,460,124
2,283
2003
n/a
4,112 20,351
Public Public
MSWL C&D
179,598 300,922
16
63
11
30
99
12
63,741
Public MSWL
4,607
255
520
35
38,614
Public MSWL
7,921,073
120
250
n/a
435,418 Private MSWL
45,942,716
2,000
2,500
66
A - 8
Disposal and Capacity 2010 Report
County
Facility Name
Bibb Houston
MSW Bibb
Swift Creek Landfill Houston Co. - S.R.247 Klondike
Macon - Walker Rd.
Bibb Houston
Monroe
Twiggs
Swift Creek MSW Landfill Houston Co. - S.R. 247 Klondike Monroe Co. - Strickland Loop Rd. Wolf Creek Landfill
Northeast Georgia
C&D
Franklin
Earth Resources LLC
Newton
Newton Co. - Forest
Tower/Lower River Rd.
Oglethorpe Olgethorpe Co. - U.S. 78 Phase
2
Walton
Republic U.S. 78 C&D Landfill
Walton
Walton C&D
Walton
Caruthers Mill C&D
MSW
Barrow
Republic Waste - Oak Grove
S.R. 324
Clarke
Clarke Co. - Athens Dunlap Rd.
Newton
Newton Co. - Lower River Rd.
Southern Georgia
C&D
Atkinson
Atkinson Co.-S.R. 50
Ben Hill
Fitzgerald, Kiochee Church Rd.
Ph. 2
Coffee
Transwaste Services, Inc. C.R.
129/17
Cook
Cook Co. - Taylor Rd. Adel
MSW
Atkinson
Atkinson Co.-S.R. 50
Ben Hill
Fitzgerald, Kiochee Church Rd.
Ph. 2
Charlton
Chesser Island Road Landfill,
Inc.
Cook
Cook Co. - Taylor Rd.
Lowndes
Veolia E.S. Pecan Row
Lowndes
Veolia E.S. Evergreen MSWL
Tift
Tifton-Omega/Eldorado Rd.
Southwest Georgia
C&D
Dougherty Dougherty Co.-
Dougherty
Fleming/Gaissert Rd. Maple Hill LF3
Thomas
Thomasville/Sunset Dr.
MSW
Decatur
U.S. Hwy. 27 MSWL
Dougherty Dougherty Co. -
Fleming/Gaissert Rd.
Grady
Cairo-Sixth Ave
Thomas
Thomasville/Sunset Dr.
Total Tons Domain Facility
Disposed FY
Type
2010
10,576 53,543
Private Public
C&D C&D
95,626
174,001 143,236
22,449 368,129
Public
Private Public
Unlined MSWL MSWL MSWL
Public MSWL
Private MSWL
Remaining Capacity (CY)
499,440
2,851,827
Average Daily Tons
28
Rate of Fill (CYD)
48
Remaining Permitted Capacity (Years) 39
169
282
33
2,060,433 591,691
296
592
11
550
759
3
2,880,055
462
1,027
9
2,091,368
85
212
37
9,448,086
1,344
2,150
16
17
15,810
24,974 83,852 192,410
Private Public
Public
Private Private Private
C&D C&D
C&D
C&D C&D C&D
9,101,604
1,771,108
568,081 13,406,368
2,099,648 8,540,949
111
185
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
52
104
18
73
136
n/a
299
599
12
676
1,120
26
321,656 Private MSWL
9,498,252
1,057
1,362
24
63,318
Public MSWL
1,027,244
208
446
8
79,359
Public MSWL
1,236,834
263
405
10
24,230 1,302
21
4,714
Public Public
Private
Public
MSWL MSWL
C&D
C&D
778,132
72,324
574,248 3,106
97
111
28
7
13
23
5
10
n/a
14
28
n/a
45,584
Public MSWL
3,170,314
186
204
62
0
Public MSWL
631,176
0
0
n/a
1,136,432 Private MSWL
60,929,835
3,173
3,525
60
7,749
Public MSWL
512,185
26
51
33
450,975 Private MSWL
615,434
1,764
1,960
1
19 Private MSWL
14,303,642
2,000
2,500
20
51,350
Public MSWL
493,094
181
250
7
18,796 Public 39,745 Private 30,567 Public 101,891 Public 86,853 Public 25,838 Public
99,623 Public
MSWL
C&D C&D
MSWL MSWL
Unlined MSW
Landfill MSWL
1,752,874 10,349,850
527,032
913,951
7,526,128
270,510 10,745,172
61
221
26
160
267
n/a
111
341
6
393
510
6
284
419
59
70
140
8
362
762
51
A - 9
Solid Waste & Recycling Collection 2010 Solid Waste Management Update
Waste Collection
Local governments have an array of options to choose from when providing for waste collection services. A significant minority of local governments continue to provide the service themselves, and many partner with the private sector to manage the waste
Private/Public Partnerships for Residential Waste Collection
FY 2008 - 2010
2008
2009
2010
City County City County City County
Private collection does not exist 199
58
181
60
174
59
Issue permit or license Local ordinance
69
41
68
37
65
30
279
95
272
90
267
89
Franchise agreement
150
42
141
40
134
41
Governments contract
275
64
263
64
259
61
generated within their communities Open competition no local
151
74
153
72
136
79
by using permits, ordinances,
government oversight
franchise agreements, and/or
contracts. Permits and ordinances governing the collection of solid waste are typically the least restrictive tools local
governments use to manage solid waste collection in their community. Collection ordinances typically establish general
standards by which a private sector service provider must operate. Franchise agreements, either exclusive or open,
generally establish a minimum level of services that must be provided by all service providers and usually stipulate the
specific operating standards. A contract between a local government and private waste service provider provides the
greatest degree of management control over the waste stream, with the local government setting forth specific
performance measures and standards to be met by both parties.
The types of residential solid waste collection services range from "green box" or Dumpster drop-off service to curbside or backdoor pick-up. One trend DCA has been tracking for several years is the use of unstaffed Dumpsters. They are often placed in unsupervised areas, usually in rural communities, for trash collection and frequently become dumping grounds for everything from household trash to disabled vehicles, tires, and animal carcasses. They can become an eyesore in a community and attract waste from neighboring jurisdictions. In 1994, 74 cities and 99 counties reported using them for residential waste collection. In FY 2010, just 16 cities and 22 counties reported using green boxes. This steady decline is direct evidence of improving waste management in the state.
Residential Collection Methods FY 2008 - 2010
No. of local governments responding to Solid Waste Management Survey Solid Waste Service Providers Local governments providing/arranging for residential waste collection Provided by public sector Provided by private sector Types of Residential Programs
2008
671
513 435 217
2009
653
489 427 208
2010
615
468 411 194
Curbside/Backdoor - City - County Staffed Drop-off
373
355
337
45
37
40
City
43
41
39
County
78
87
81
Unstaffed Drop-off - City - County
23
16
19
14
14
13
Dumpsters - City - County Recycling Service Providers Local governments making residential recycling services available Provided by public sector Provided by private sector Provided by non-profit organization
23
21
16
28
22
22
405
385
395
318
317
297
104
117
117
109
92
110
C - 1
Solid Waste & Recycling Collection 2009 Update
Recyclables Collection
During FY 2010, 406 local governments reported they provided or arranged for residential recycling services in their communities. As can be seen in the Residential Recycling Services Providers table, the strong tradition of public, private, and non-profit partnerships used to provide recycling services throughout Georgia continues, however it appears that the public sector maybe taking a stronger role in providing collection services.
The number of local governments whose residents have access to recycling services dropped off after making steady gains through the 2000s. The recycling industry is not immune from the economic recession, and commodity prices dropped in the fall of 2008 as global demand slumped. Some local governments, having grown accustomed to the revenue their recycling programs brought, cut collections. Since the public sector recovery will likely lag behind the private sector, Georgia will once again see our strong end-use markets clamoring for more material from a supply chain disrupted at the local level. Already in FY 2010 some of those programs have been restored, as evidenced by the Number of Jurisdictions Colleting Residential Materials for Recycling graph.
Nationally and regionally, market prices for recycled materials have risen steadily. Over the past year we have seen a stabilization of the price for recycled materials. This price stabilization along with local residents demand has prompted local governments to add recycling services and to increase the number of materials they accept in their program.
This report does not address the scale of the individual local recycling operations, which would be difficult to quantify. Rather, it focuses upon the level of recycling services being offered throughout the state. Since 1992, newspaper has been reported as the residential recyclable material most widely collected in Georgia, followed by aluminum cans. During FY 2010, the most popular commodities recycled from residences were newspaper (305 jurisdictions reporting collection); aluminum (314); and PET (# 1 plastic, 249.) It should be noted that there was a decrease in the number of jurisdictions collecting these materials. We will continue to monitor this decrease.
The tables on page C-4 tally the number of local governments collecting commercial and residential materials for recycling.
Recyclables Processing
In FY 2010 137 local governments reported processing residential
Processing of Residential Recyclables
recyclables as source separated
FY 2008 - 2010
materials, or reported that they
2008
2009
2010
collect source-separated materials from their customers. Source-
Source-separated
City County City County City County
74
71
74
71
65
52
separated means the materials are
Commingled
78
21
78
21
96
35
separated before being collected,
Both
23
20
23
20
26
18
typically by the consumer. For example, a homeowner may have to place glass, plastic and metal in separate containers
before collection. Commingled collection means the consumer places all the material in one container and the material is
sorted after collection, often by paid staff, inmates or probationers. The chart above labeled `Processing of Residential
Recyclables' reflects Georgia's shift toward single-stream processing. While source-separated processing fell from 169
local governments in 2007 to 137 in 2010, single-stream processing rose from 44 to 141 local governments.
Georgia continues to have adequate collection and processing capacity for recyclable material; the demand for more material remains constant.
C - 2
Solid Waste & Recycling Collection 2010 Solid Waste Management Update
Transfer Stations
With fewer, more regional-sized landfills in the state and a wide array of solid waste collection programs, solid waste transfer stations continue to be a popular method of streamlining solid waste collection services. Transfer stations are especially effective when collection routes are farther than 50 miles from a landfill. Combining several conventional rear-loader garbage truck loads into a single tractortrailer for the trip to the landfill saves fuel costs, vehicle wear and tear, and means fewer trucks can service more customers. Only 70 counties reported that they or their contractors used transfer stations for the collection or disposal of residential waste in FY 2005. By FY 2010, 84 counties and 105 cities or their contractors were using transfer stations to manage residential waste.
Yard Trimmings
Use of Solid Waste
Transfer Stations
FY 2007 - 2010
City
County
2007
157
77
2008
106
82
2009
108
84
2010
105
84
Georgia banned yard trimmings from lined Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfills in 1996, as part of an effort to extend landfill disposal capacity. Effective September 1st 1996, each city, county and solid waste management authority was required to impose restrictions on yard trimmings generated in or disposed within their jurisdiction. The restrictions required that yard trimmings:
Not be placed in or mixed with municipal solid waste;
Be sorted and stored for collection to facilitate composting or other handling;
To the maximum extent feasible be sorted, stockpiled or chipped for composting or used as a mulch or for other beneficial purposes; and
Be banned from disposal at MSW disposal
Yard Trimmings Management
FY 2007 - 2009
2008
2009
2010
City County City County City County
Promote Home
28
21
28
21
24
22
Composting and
Beneficial Reuse
Provide for collection 304
45
304
45
298
45
and disposal
Collection
Not available Your government
203
98
193
100
184
83
254
36
252
30
251
35
Another government
4
0
6
0
4
0
Solid Waste
1
1
0
2
3
2
Authority
Private vendor via
8
0
8
0
6
0
individual
subscription
Private vendor via
35
5
35
6
30
7
government contract
Collection Options
Staffed drop-off facilities
12
31
14
27
13
31
Unstaffed drop-off
10
3
6
2
1
2
facilities
Curbside collection
295
17
297
12
291
16
Accepted at
15
24
11
12
9
20
landfill/transfer
station
Processing Methods
Composting
9
1
10
1
6
0
Solid waste landfill
40
1
35
2
29
1
Inert landfill
63
16
64
11
62
13
Grind/chip into
99
12
91
14
98
14
mulch
Burning Other
21
0
25
0
23
0
10
1
6
1
9
4
Give away
73
0
72
0
69
0
Sell
2
0
5
0
4
0
Used by local
7
0
4
0
5
0
government
Becomes property of 15
0
15
17
24
0
private contractor
C - 4
Solid Waste & Recycling Collection 2009 Update
facilities having liners and leachate collection systems.
The number of local governments providing for the collection and disposal of yard trimmings increased from 291 in FY 2006 to 343 in FY 2010. The number providing the service themselves has increased from 253 in FY 2006 to 286 in FY 2010. The type of collection service options ranged from accepting yard trimmings at solid waste management facilities like a solid waste transfer station to curbside collection programs.
Annually, DCA surveys local governments to determine how they collect, process and use yard trimmings generated within their communities. During FY 2010, 26 cities and 29 counties reported actively promoting waste minimization practices such as home composting or beneficial reuse of yard trimmings. During FY 2010, 298 cities and 45 counties reported collecting yard trimmings for diversion from MSW landfills. It is not surprising, given lot sizes and population densities, that cities lead the way in providing yard trimmings collection services. Most local governments also reported that they provided the collection services with just a few indicating they contracted with a private vendor to collect yard trimmings. In many areas, especially urban and suburban communities, the visible result of the yard trimmings ban has been the presence of large paper bags of leaves and grass at curbsides. Collection of yard trimmings in paper bags enables them to be ground into a mulch or feedstock for composting. The majority of local governments who reported collecting yard trimmings either ground or shredded the collected material for use as mulch, however 75 local governments reported disposing the collected materials into an inert landfill. Twenty-five cities report burning yard trimmings. Composting and chip into mulch were also reported as common processing methods.
Number of Jurisdictions Collecting
Commercial Materials for Recycling
by Type
FY 2007 - 2010
2007 2008 2009 2010
Automobile components
tires
47
31
24
22
auto batteries
13
26
23
25
motor oil
14
24
24
25
Metals aluminum
187
74
83
80
scrap metal
94
49
52
49
Paper
newspaper
252
69
83
81
magazines
67
48
75
78
corrugated cardboard
174
83
88
96
phone books
71
60
69
72
C - 4
Solid Waste & Recycling Collection 2009 Update
Yard trimmings, when processed properly, have numerous beneficial uses in a community. The use of compost and mulch is extremely beneficial for slowing storm-water runoff and retaining moisture around plants. Many local governments use processed yard trimmings as mulch for their landscaping and civil engineering applications or report offering the processed yard trimmings to their citizens for residential landscaping.
Number of Jurisdictions Collecting
Residential Materials for Recycling
by Type
FY 2007 - 2010
2007 2008 2009 2010
Automobile components
tires
127
224
108
112
auto batteries
88
167
81
76
antifreeze
24
78
23
32
motor oil
100
187
79
88
oil filters
25
75
29
24
Metals
aluminum
463
448
310
314
steel cans
228
289
160
154
scrap metal aerosol cans
204
294
173
184
35
101
39
41
Paper
newspaper
507
492
307
305
magazines
381
430
266
271
corrugated cardboard
386
431
254
251
phone books
324
415
233
242
paper board
105
293
148
173
junk mail
198
175
195
Misc.
#1 plastic
363
378
244
249
#2 plastic
324
348
214
208
other plastic
72
238
99
110
glass
311
361
199
202
white goods
222
324
192
213
Christmas trees
254
363
206
213
C&D materials
45
0
37
43
agricultural chemical containers
8
37
12
13
electronics
102
221
119
123
Household Hazardous Waste
paint
27
93
44
39
cleaning products
0
44
17
19
pesticides
4
19
8
11
C - 5
2010 Annual Solid Waste Report Executive Summary
The Georgia Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act of 1990 requires the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), with the cooperation of the Department of Natural Resources' Environmental Protection Division (EPD) and the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), to report annually on the state of solid waste management in Georgia. Per the Act, this FY 2010 report, covering the period of July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010, covers:
the status of local and regional solid waste management planning in Georgia;
the number and types of solid waste handling facilities in the state; the remaining capacity of each permitted solid waste handling facility; the number and types of solid waste grants and loans made to local
governments; a compilation and analysis of solid waste management data provided by
cities and counties through their completed Solid Waste Survey; a statement of progress achieved in meeting the goal established in
subsection (c) of Code Section 12-8-21; a statement of progress achieved in solid waste management education; any revisions in the state solid waste management plan deemed
necessary; and recommendations for improving the management of solid waste in
Georgia.
This and previous reports are available online at www.dca.ga.gov, under `Publications.'
Further, the Act requires DCA to report on the status of litter prevention and abatement in the state. The litter report shall include but not be limited to:
An itemization of expenditures made from the Solid Waste Trust Fund for the prevention and abatement of litter;
A compilation and analysis of litter prevention, collection, and enforcement efforts;
An assessment of littering in the state; A statement of progress in achieving a litter prevention ethic; and Recommendations for improving litter abatement and prevention efforts.
This litter report is available online at www.dca.ga.gov, under Office of Environmental Management programs.
The Solid Waste Management Act requires all local governments to have, or be included in, a solid waste management plan that demonstrates adequate waste disposal capacity and collection capability for a 10-year period. Seventy-two (54) cities and twenty (18) counties did not have an approved plan at the end of FY 2010.
During FY 2010, 14.2 million tons of waste was sent to permitted Georgia disposal facilities. Most of this waste entered lined, monitored landfills operating under federal Subtitle D regulations. A small and dwindling percentage of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) entered unlined landfills that have been allowed to operate under their pre-Subtitle D permits. Construction and Demolition waste (C&D), a subset of MSW, generally goes to unlined landfills that are less expensive to operate.
The state continues to have an adequate supply of permitted disposal capacity with 37 years of remaining permitted Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) disposal capacity and 43 years of remaining permitted Construction and Demolition (C&D) disposal capacity. Remaining capacity is highly variable; the same math applied to reduced disposal rates can effectively add many years capacity in a single year; it is important to keep in mind that disasters or policy changes can have just as dramatic effect in the opposite direction. It is important for the state and local governments to carefully monitor the remaining permitted disposal capacity throughout Georgia. In FY 2010 nearly half of the permitted disposal capacity in the state was contained in just 5 of the 102 active landfills. This concentration heightens the need to carefully monitor the financial assurances of these and all the disposal facilities in the state. Without proper financial assurance, the incredible costs of cleaning up abandoned, leaking landfills may fall to local governments and possibly the state.
This concentrated disposal capacity also emphasizes the need for quality local solid waste management planning. The Northeast Georgia region had gotten low on disposal capacity, and only through a controversial landfill expansion process did the region gain additional capacity. Demonstration of capacity and capacity assurance is highly dependent upon the permitting process and the time it takes for a solid waste handling permit to be issued. This process typically takes several years, during which time permits for surrounding facilities may lapse or private sector business arrangements to accept varying rates of material for disposal can greatly alter the projected life expectancy of existing landfills. (See section A Disposal and Capacity and section B Per Capita Disposal for more details)
The level and type of solid waste, recycling and yard trimmings collection services provided throughout the state varies greatly depending upon a community's size, density, and demographic profile. To track solid waste management trends, DCA administers an annual survey of all local governments in Georgia.
During FY 2010, 24 cities and 22 counties reported actively promoting waste minimization practices such as home composting or beneficial reuse of yard trimmings. During FY 2010, 298 cities and 45 counties reported collecting yard trimmings for diversion from MSW landfills. (See section C: Solid Waste & Recycling Collection.)
The increasing use of inert landfills and transfer stations, for which no reporting requirements exist, should be monitored and addressed in local solid waste planning efforts. As the state implements the strategy for reducing the MSW disposal rate, efforts to quantify and address C&D waste reduction and solid waste from mining, agricultural, or silviculture operations or industrial processes or operations should be addressed.
Education efforts are essential to waste reduction efforts. Keep Georgia Beautiful continues supporting the waste reduction and education efforts of the 77 Keep America Beautiful affiliates in Georgia. As state grant funds that have historically helped local governments educate and enforce litter abatement efforts diminish, these local affiliates are struggling to find the necessary resources to keep their communities livable.
Another growing trend that needs to be carefully monitored is the amount of waste imported to Georgia for disposal and its potential impact on future disposal capacity and Georgia's environment. With statewide tipping fees far less than Northeastern states and Florida, Georgia landfills represent considerable costsavings for companies moving large amounts of waste. Because the waste reduction goal specified in the Act includes all waste disposed in MSW landfills in Georgia, this out-of-state waste is included in the state's progress toward meeting the waste reduction goal, and undercuts waste reduction and recycling efforts undertaken by Georgians. On a per capita basis, 6.67 pounds of waste entered MSW landfills daily during FY 2010, and more than one pound/day of that came from outside Georgia's borders (See Section B Per Capita Disposal.)
No SWTF dollars were allocated for scrap tire pile cleanups or local government grants during FY 2010, and GEFA issued no new loans for solid waste-related projects.
FY 2010 saw a third straight year with a significant reduction in the per-capita disposal rate. Since FY 2007 the amount of waste sent to MSW landfills for every Georgia resident fell nearly a pound, from 7.45 to 6.67 pounds per person, per day. While the economic recession has certainly had an impact upon disposal rates, it can also be fairly argued that the state's aggressive recycling programs and private-sector partnerships are beginning to have an effect. The collapse of the housing market, which hit Georgia especially hard, is revealed primarily in Construction and Waste disposal tonnages, rather than the MSW landfills that also saw declining tonnages. But to meet the goals outlined above, continued diligence, planning and funding will be needed.
Budget cuts have restricted DCA's role in solid waste management assistance to local governments. DCA's review of solid waste plans, as required by the Act, has been streamlined to accommodate these changes. However, for the reasons
outlined above and to implement the Act, the role of sound solid waste management planning cannot be overstated. Georgia has seen two legal cases with major implications for local governments and the quality of life of their citizens hinge on solid waste planning. Careful planning and resource stewardship has been proven many times over to be far less expensive than cleanups held after-the-fact.
In addition to cost savings for local governments, many of the policies that provide better stewardship of natural resources also benefit Georgia's economy. Georgia has among the strongest end-use markets for recyclable material in the nation; diverting their feedstocks of paper, plastics, metals, glass and compostable material out of the state's landfills creates far more jobs than continuing to bury them. As DCA has pointed out in recent years, Georgia collectively pays more than $100 million annually to bury materials worth an estimated $250 million to local industry. At the same time, Georgia markets for these materials must pay to import these same feedstocks from across North America; local collection would be far cheaper for them.
In many ways, improving and promoting Georgia's recycling and organics collection and processing infrastructure is basic economic development. For example:
Georgia's Paper Industry: Recycles almost 8% of all the paper consumed in the United States Includes 16 paper mills using recycled content, 9 relying exclusively on
recycled fiber Plastic Beverage Containers (PET)
A third of all #1 plastic bottles recycled in N. America get turned into carpet in Georgia Aluminum Recycling Novelis, one of the largest aluminum recyclers in the world, processes used beverage cans in Greensboro GA, with its North American headquarters located in Atlanta
This report is available online at www.dca.ga.gov, under Office of Environmental Management programs.