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

163

On-Site Thermal Treatment Facilities

101

583

On-site Processing Facilities

100

105

111

112

MSW Landfills

66*

C&D Landfills

54*

Material Recovery Facilities

Composting Facilities

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

Georgia. As of July 2010, four

Road Phase 2 (SL)

unlined MSW facilities, all

Grady

Cairo-6th Ave. (SL)

25,838

270,510

publicly owned, were still

Liberty

U.S. Army-Ft. Stewart Main

9,442

576,070

operating under their original

Cantonment (SL)

EPD-approved permits, and had

McIntosh

McIntosh County-

11,873

548,206

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

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

Taylor Veolia E.S. Taylor Co.

435,418 Private

MSWL

Landfill

45,942,716

2,000

2,500

Cherokee Cherokee Co. - Pine

1,300,771 Private

MSWL

Bluff Landfill, Inc.

44,787,325

4,760

6,347

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

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

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

60,750 13,782,091
109,328 372,330 361,176

131

454

527

n/a

475

490

222

234

88,090

181

156

499,660

138

7,690,922

1,873

2,341

1,881,861

454

761

12,768,103

726

1,116

1,300,771 Private MSWL

44,787,325

4,760

6,347

47,507

Public MSWL

2,743,023

154

307

385,039

Public MSWL

47,688,612

2,202

2,518

45 Private MSWL

122,314

428,640 Private MSWL

545,673

1,169

1,646

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

106

158

n/a

105

210

105

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

132

190

96,271

Public MSWL

3,284,820

260

385

1,079,013 Private MSWL

30,383,341

3,895

4,793

67,897

Public MSWL

362

5,817,948

239

140,189 Private MSWL

29,921,815

1,041

1,487

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

87,861

Public MSWL
A - 7

2,522,832

277

557

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

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

n/a

147

237

103

91,008

Public MSWL

899,000

323

489

77,166

Public MSWL

4,657,522

305

610

214,514

Public MSWL

12,496,246

811

1,267

72,945

Public MSWL

44,026

248

335

n/a

145,377

Public MSWL

7,640,898

475

704

450,018

Public MSWL

1,084,815

1,400

2,000

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

165

329

111

185

n/a

273

419

562,905 Private MSWL

16,048,286

2,000

2,666

1,070,043 Private MSWL

27,468,859

2,458

3,511

31,294

Public MSWL

1,412,161

111

185

61,165

Public MSWL

5,415,956

200

400

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

115

140

150

6,854

Public MSWL

341,250

29,106

Public MSWL

1,722,236

101

162

12,122

Public MSWL

412,486

33,743

Public MSWL

1,312,770

150

300

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

63,741

Public MSWL

4,607

255

520

38,614

Public MSWL

7,921,073

120

250

n/a

435,418 Private MSWL

45,942,716

2,000

2,500

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

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

2,060,433 591,691

296

592

550

759

2,880,055

462

1,027

2,091,368

212

9,448,086

1,344

2,150

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

104

136

n/a

299

599

676

1,120

321,656 Private MSWL

9,498,252

1,057

1,362

63,318

Public MSWL

1,027,244

208

446

79,359

Public MSWL

1,236,834

263

405

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

111

n/a

45,584

Public MSWL

3,170,314

186

204

Public MSWL

631,176

n/a

1,136,432 Private MSWL

60,929,835

3,173

3,525

7,749

Public MSWL

512,185

450,975 Private MSWL

615,434

1,764

1,960

19 Private MSWL

14,303,642

2,000

2,500

51,350

Public MSWL

493,094

181

250

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

221

160

267

n/a

111

341

393

510

284

419

140

362

762

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

181

174

Issue permit or license Local ordinance

279

272

267

Franchise agreement

150

141

134

Governments contract

275

263

259

generated within their communities Open competition no local

151

153

136

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

City

County

Unstaffed Drop-off - City - County

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

405

385

395

318

317

297

104

117

109

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

separated means the materials are

Commingled

separated before being collected,

Both

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

2008

106

2009

108

2010

105

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

Composting and

Beneficial Reuse

Provide for collection 304

304

298

and disposal

Collection

Not available Your government

203

193

100

184

254

252

251

Another government

Solid Waste

Authority

Private vendor via

individual

subscription

Private vendor via

government contract

Collection Options

Staffed drop-off facilities

Unstaffed drop-off

facilities

Curbside collection

295

297

291

Accepted at

landfill/transfer

station

Processing Methods

Composting

Solid waste landfill

Inert landfill

Grind/chip into

mulch

Burning Other

Give away

Sell

Used by local

government

Becomes property of 15

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

auto batteries

motor oil

Metals aluminum

187

scrap metal

Paper

newspaper

252

magazines

corrugated cardboard

174

phone books

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

167

antifreeze

motor oil

100

187

oil filters

Metals

aluminum

463

448

310

314

steel cans

228

289

160

154

scrap metal aerosol cans

204

294

173

184

101

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

238

110

glass

311

361

199

202

white goods

222

324

192

213

Christmas trees

254

363

206

213

C&D materials

agricultural chemical containers

electronics

102

221

119

123

Household Hazardous Waste

paint

cleaning products

pesticides

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.