Solid Waste Trust Fund status report for fiscal year 2006

Status Report for Fiscal Year 2006
July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006 Submitted June 15, 2007
SOLID WASTE TRUST FUND
Georgia Environmental Protection Division Land Protection Branch 4244 International Parkway, Suite 104 Atlanta, Georgia 30354
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ................................................................................ 4 Executive Summary ....................................................................... 4 FY 06 Solid Waste Trust Fund Appropriation and Budget ............................ 6 Overview of Solid Waste in Georgia .................................................... 8 Solid Waste Trust Fund Accomplishments .............................................. 9
Environmental Protection Division Scrap Tire Clean Up ......................................................................... 9 Compliance Monitoring & Enforcement ................................................. 10 Abandoned Landfill Cleanup .............................................................. 11 Emergency Response ....................................................................... 12 Environmental Education & Outreach ................................................... 13 Technical Assistance ....................................................................... 14 Fund Administration ....................................................................... 15
Department of Community Affairs ................................................ 17 Planning & Facilitation .................................................................... 17 Market Development ....................................................................... 17 Environmental Education & Outreach ................................................... 17 Technical Assistance ....................................................................... 18
Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority ..................................... 19 Wildlife Resources Division ........................................................ 20 Georgia Department of Corrections .............................................. 20 Pollution Prevention Assistance Division ......................................... 21
Technical Assistance ....................................................................... 21 Environmental Education & Outreach ................................................... 22 Market Development ....................................................................... 22 Interagency Efforts .................................................................. 23 State Municipal Solid Waste Plan Update .............................................. 23 Litter Campaign ........................................................................... 23 Looking Ahead ............................................................................ 24
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INTRODUCTION
The Solid Waste Trust Fund (SWTF) was established in 1990 as part of the Georgia Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act. This Act, and its amendments, provide a framework for guiding how solid waste is to be managed in the state. An amendment to the Act in 1992 established a primary source of funding for the SWTF in the form of a $1 fee for every new tire sold in the state. Each year, the fees collected the previous year are appropriated by the Legislature to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), whose director is authorized by the Act to serve as the trustee for the fund. The moneys allocated to the trust fund are then used to carry out the solid waste management goals of the Act.
The Act requires EPD to produce an annual report on the activities funded by the SWTF. In 2005, EPD produced a historical report, "Georgia's Solid Waste Trust Fund Fiscal Years 1993-2005." The historical report provided a comprehensive overview of the purpose, authorized uses, appropriations and expenditures of the trust fund.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In FY 04-05, there were no appropriations to the trust fund and the funding source for the SWTF, the tire fee, was due to sunset on June 30, 2005. Given these circumstances, the activities funded by the trust fund were either scaled back or eliminated during this time period. For example, two grant programs to help local governments fund litter enforcement and recycling programs were discontinued. While state agency partners received some funding, the reduced level of the funding prevented EPD and its partners from filling vacant positions. Scrap tire compliance assistance, monitoring, and enforcement continued; however, the money available for cleaning up scrap tires was limited.
Following two years of zero appropriations, the Legislature moved toward restoring full funding to the Solid Waste Trust Fund with an FY 06 appropriation of $1.5 million. An additional $2.7 million in supplemental funding brought the total FY 06 appropriation to $4.2 million.
This report summarizes the outcomes achieved by EPD and its partners. Highlights are listed below. In FY 06, funds were used to:
conduct 2,119 scrap tire inspections; organize Georgia's Great American Cleanup, resulting in the collection of
more than 4.5 million pounds of recyclables and the removal of 4 million pounds of litter;
compost 20,000 tons of materials at Georgia Department of Corrections
(GDC) facilities -- saving $816,440;
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recycle more than 840 tons of materials at GDC -- generating $45,000 in
revenue; award $203,326 to local governments for solid waste and recycling
initiatives;
begin cleanup at 19 tire pile sites and remove and recycle 151,977 tires; begin the closure process at three abandoned landfills -- budgeted at
$2.5 million;
award $695,000 for waste reduction and recycling activities; develop a data management system to increase the efficiency of
tracking expenditures, income and obligations;
issue 410 citations and 285 warnings for various solid waste offenses --
59% were for littering (carried out by the Wildlife Resources Division);
collect 226,000 Christmas trees as part of the Bring One for the
Chipper program;
update the State Solid Waste Management Plan and begin the
stakeholder process to develop a new waste reduction goal for Georgia;
create and distribute a guide to help Georgia schools begin recycling
programs;
respond to 700 requests for assistance regarding the management of
household hazardous waste; respond to 1,000 requests for recycling, waste reduction and solid waste
planning technical assistance, including helping an electronics manufacturer divert 3,000 tons of non-recyclable paper per year from the landfill -- saving $66,000 per year;
develop the Georgia Green & Healthy Schools program, designed
to help school faculty and staff understand and practice environmentally sound principles;
leverage SWTF dollars to receive $32,874 in funding from the Captain
Planet Foundation and $15,000 from the American Forest Foundation to assist with environmental education program activities; and
maintain and update the online guide to environmental education in
Georgia -- the site received more than one million Web hits in FY 06.
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FY 06 SOLID WASTE TRUST FUND APPROPRIATION AND BUDGET
Following two years of zero appropriations, the Legislature moved toward restoring full funding to the Solid Waste Trust Fund with an FY 06 appropriation of $1.5 million. An additional $2.7 million in supplemental funding brought the total FY 06 appropriation to $4.2 million.
To carry out the intent of the SWTF, EPD provides funding to its state agency partners that also have solid waste responsibilities and initiatives. These agencies include the Department of Community Affairs, the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority, the Wildlife Resources Division, the Georgia Department of Corrections, and the Pollution Prevention Assistance Division. Figure 1 shows the breakdown by agency. This interagency group met with EPD to develop the FY 06 budget shown in Table 1 (the budget also included carryover monies from the previous fiscal year).
The FY 06 budget provided funds for EPD and its state agency partners to regulate and clean up scrap tires, monitor and close abandoned landfills, conduct solid waste planning, assist local governments with solid waste planning, conduct waste reduction and recycling initiatives, and provide technical assistance and public education on solid waste management issues.

Figure 1 FY 06 Base and Supplemental Budget* Breakdown by Agency

$203,326

$115,000

$100,000

$977,000 $6,435,000

Environmental Protection Division (EPD) Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC)

*The FY 06 operating budget of $7,830,326 includes carryover from the previous fiscal year.

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Table 1 Solid Waste Trust Fund FY 06 Budget*
Revenue
Unobligated SWTF Balance Carried Forward Base Budget Appropriation FY 06 Supplemental Budget Appropriation Total
Expenditures 1. Base Program Operational Needs
a. EPD Staff/Program Operations b. Scrap Tire Cleanups c. State Agency Agreements Total Base Program Operational Needs
2. Emergency Reserve 3. Projects
a. Abandoned Landfill Closures (in priority order) (1) DeKalb Co. - Scales Rd. C&D Landfill (2) Camden Co. - Durango Paper Landfill (3) Upson Co. - Fire Tower Rd. Tire Landfill
b. Waste Reduction/Recycling Program (1) Statewide Recycling Education Campaign
Total Projects
Unobligated Balance Carried Forward

FY 06 Base

$

3,827,234

$

1,500,000

$

5,327,234

FY 06 Supplemental

$

16,908

$

2,683,092

$

2,700,000

$

1,650,000

$

600,000

$

695,326

$

2,945,326

$

0

$

500,000

$

1,700,000

$

165,000

$

1,820,000

$

700,000

$

1,865,000

$

2,520,000

$

16,908

$

180,000

*The FY 06 operating budget of $7,830,326 includes carryover from the previous fiscal year.

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OVERVIEW OF SOLID WASTE IN GEORGIA
More solid waste is being disposed of today in Georgia than ever before -- more than 16 million tons (or 9.94 pounds per person per day) in 2005. This total includes waste disposed in both municipal solid waste and construction and demolition landfills and also waste imported from other states. The per capita disposal rate for the municipal solid waste segment is 6.6 pounds per day -- more than twice the national average of 3.09 pounds. Out-of-state imports of municipal solid waste were estimated at 0.95 pounds per person per day in 2005, up from 0.11 pounds per person per day in 1994.
The number of recycling programs in the state has declined by 12% from 1998 to 2003. The Municipal Solid Waste Characterization Study, funded by the SWTF and commissioned by the Department of Community Affairs, revealed that approximately $90 million per year is spent to landfill approximately 2.6 million tons of recyclable materials that are worth an estimated $250 million. Georgia industries need these recyclable materials. However, due in part to the inadequate collection and intermediate processing infrastructure for recyclables in Georgia, these businesses must bring in material from outside of the state. Statewide efforts are underway to divert these recoverable materials to the Georgia industries that need them. Clearly Georgia's recycling efforts must improve.
In FY 06, Governor Perdue identified the growing problem of litter as a state priority and a statewide multi-agency taskforce was convened to study the issue and recommend solutions. The cost to clean up litter has risen from approximately $34 million in 2005 to an estimated $42 million in 2006.
Through effective compliance assistance, compliance monitoring, and enforcement EPD has eliminated the large scrap tire piles and is preventing the formation of new piles. In addition, waste reduction efforts have diverted wastes while saving money and creating jobs in Georgia. For example, Enviro-Log in Fitzgerald makes fireplace logs from old waxed cardboard boxes used to ship fresh produce. The plant, which employs 35 people, saves fresh produce handlers an estimated $600,000 per year in avoided landfill costs.
EPD continues to discover more abandoned landfills requiring the use of state funds for emergency response or closure activities, due in part to the development occurring in the state. In FY 06, five abandoned landfills were identified as high priorities and SWTF moneys were provided to assess and/or close three of them.
The activities of EPD and its state partners discussed in this report reflect a change in funding priorities for FY 06 to emphasize waste reduction and other critical solid waste issues facing the state, including the rising per capita disposal rate, illegal dumping and abandoned landfills.
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SOLID WASTE TRUST FUND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION
The FY 06 budget included $6.4 million for EPD's scrap tire program, enforcement, landfill closures, emergency response, environmental education, technical assistance, program operations, and trust fund administration. The accomplishments in each of these areas are outlined below.
Scrap Tire Clean Up
In addition to fire hazards, scrap tires are breeding grounds for snakes and disease-carrying rodents and mosquitoes. Mosquitoes, carriers of the West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, can breed up to 100 times faster in a waterfilled scrap tire than in the natural environment. Thus, the elimination of scrap tire piles is a major goal of EPD's Scrap Tire Management Program. Since the program's inception in 1992, more than 12.6 million scrap tires have been removed from illegal tire piles and recycled or used as an alternative fuel source.

EPD'S MISSION
The Environmental Protection Division protects and restores Georgia's environment. EPD takes the lead in ensuring clean air, water and land. With its partners, EPD pursues a sustainable environment that provides a foundation for a vibrant economy and healthy communities.

The SWTF is used to clean up tire piles where the responsible party is either unwilling to remove the scrap tires, is financially unable, or is unknown. For example, EPD removes tires from sites where property owners have had scrap tires illegally dumped. Depending on the circumstances, either EPD will hire a contractor to remove the tires or a local government will lead the cleanup and seek reimbursement from EPD to cover its costs. A local government may also use funds to remove tires as part of a community-sponsored clean up event (e.g., Earth Day, America Recycles Day, or Rivers Alive). Although these communitysponsored clean up events have a broader focus than just scrap tires, large quantities of tires are usually discovered, not only along roadsides, but also in waterways and ravines.

Figure 2 Scrap Tire Clean Up Project Activity Total FY 06

Cleanup Projects Approved
Estimated Number of Tires
Estimated Total Project Cost

42 414,817 $673,742

At the beginning of FY 06, 11 sites were awaiting cleanup and 31 additional sites were discovered. The estimated cost to clean up these 42 sites was $673,742, or approximately $1.62 per tire (see Figure 2). In FY 06, cleanup began at 19 sites; 88,977 tires were removed and recycled. An additional 63,000 tires were cleaned up and recycled by private parties subsequent to EPD enforcement action.

About 20,000 tires were removed and recycled from a former auto repair shop and junkyard in Meriwether County.
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"An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure"
EPD estimates that it costs $0.05 per tire to properly manage and prevent illegal dumping of tires compared to $1.62 per tire to clean up tire piles.

Compliance Monitoring & Enforcement
To prevent the formation of new tire piles and ensure the proper management of scrap tires, retailers and other generators (including public and private fleet owners) are required to register with EPD and obtain a scrap tire generator number. Scrap tire carriers and processors must be permitted by EPD. In Georgia, there are 6,034 generators, 116 carriers, 36 sorters and 9 processors. To ensure that the majority of the nine million scrap tires generated in the state each year (plus the millions imported from other states) are properly managed, EPD tracks scrap tires from the point of generation to the final disposition at a processor or recycler.
In the early 1990s, most of the SWTF appropriation to EPD was spent cleaning up illegal scrap tire dumps. In FY 06, only 10% was spent on such cleanups. This reduction reflects the success of EPD's scrap tire compliance monitoring and enforcement program. Not only have there been dramatic reductions in the number of scrap tire piles found each year, but also in the number of tires found per site. For example, in FY 99 EPD estimated 3.2 million scrap tires illegally dumped in piles awaiting clean up as compared to 414,817 in piles awaiting clean up in FY 06, a reduction of 87%.
EPD is the primary agency responsible for compliance monitoring and enforcement. To extend its scrap tire prevention efforts statewide, EPD has seven staff in six district offices who conduct compliance monitoring, compliance assistance and enforcement. EPD also partners with local governments and DNR's Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) to help prevent illegal dumping through compliance assistance and outreach visits.
The state's regulation of scrap tires, combined with proactive compliance monitoring and enforcement, and the ban on landfilling scrap tires have helped the state maintain a vibrant scrap tire processing industry.

Effective compliance monitoring programs can prevent the formation of new scrap tire piles. 10

Abandoned Landfill Cleanup
Scales Road Construction and Demolition Landfill. Initially permitted in 1989, the Scales Road site covers approximately 25 acres and contains approximately two million tons of construction and demolition (C&D) waste. In 2000, the owner declared bankruptcy. In 2005, the company notified EPD of its intent to abandon the site.

Since the landfill was not properly closed, environmental conditions at the site have deteriorated. Erosion is exposing previously covered waste and two fires have been reported in the last year. The closure of this landfill will minimize the risk to the public (more than 10,000 people live within a two-mile radius of the site) and also mitigate the environmental hazards to surface water, groundwater and air quality currently posed by the site. Georgia law requires that landfills like this be closed and maintained for at least 30 years after disposal operations cease.

The financial assurance mechanisms, required as part of the permit for this landfill, consisted of a trust fund in the amount of $556,301 (held in bankruptcy trust for EPD) and an insurance bond in the amount of $701,444. These mechanisms were inadequate to close the site. The insurance bond carrier, Frontier Insurance, also is in bankruptcy in New York state. The State of Georgia Attorney General's office has filed claims in bankruptcy court to try to obtain the insurance bond, although it is unlikely that EPD will recover the funds. In addition to the $556,301, $1.7 million was budgeted from the SWTF in FY 06 to close this landfill.

Leachate at the Scales Road Landfill.

From January to June 2006, EPD worked with the Department of Administrative Services to prepare a request for proposals (RFP) to properly close Scales Road Landfill and perform semi-annual groundwater monitoring at the site for two years. The RFP was issued in June 2006.

Scales Road Landfill, a privately-owned construction and demolition landfill in DeKalb County, was abandoned after its owner went bankrupt.
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Durango Paper Landfill. The Durango Paper Landfill in Camden County opened prior to the adoption of state landfill regulations. The landfill was used to dispose of industrial wastes generated by the paper mill. The previous owner has been in bankruptcy for several years, effectively leaving the site unattended. Funds in the amount of $165,000 have been budgeted to conduct an environmental assessment to determine the necessary corrective action measures and maintenance needs for post-closure care. This assessment is a critical step in removing barriers that would prevent the future purchase and redevelopment of the site.
Fire Tower Road Tire Landfill. The Upson CountyFire Tower Road Tire Landfill in Thomaston opened in 1984 and received several million tires for disposal. Although the landfill stopped receiving waste in 1996, it has not been properly closed. Exposed tires in several areas of the landfill have created a breeding ground for mosquitoes and pose a significant fire hazard. Further complicating the situation is the close proximity of residential housing to the landfill. Approximately 400 people live within a two-mile radius of the landfill. In the event of a tire fire, these residents may need to be evacuated. Due to these potential risks, $1.82 million was budgeted to assess and close the landfill.
Emergency Response
Since 1993, the SWTF has been used to respond to tires fires, mitigate methane gas migration from landfills, and extinguish fires at solid waste landfills. Costs have ranged from a high of $2.5 million to respond to the Palmetto tire fire that burned an estimated three million scrap tires to $30,000 to assess methane gas migration from the Crymes Landfill to commercial and residential areas. The FY 06 budget set aside $500,000 to respond to emergencies.
In FY 06, two tire fires were reported to EPD. The first fire occurred on private property in Thomas County. Approximately 9,000 out of 16,000 scrap tires at the site caught fire during a controlled brush burning approved by the Forestry Commission. Several hundred tires burned in a second fire in Butts County. EPD conducted investigations in both cases and the responsible parties cleaned up the sites at their expense.
Fortunately, no SWTF dollars had to be expended for emergencies in FY 06. These funds will be carried over into FY 07 for emergency response.
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Environmental Education & Outreach
In keeping with the goals of the SWTF to promote waste reduction and recycling through education and other means, EPD participates in and supports outreach efforts targeted at K-12 educators in both schools and non-traditional classroom environments, such as nature centers and parks, throughout the state. EPD funds two full-time positions to assist with this effort.

EPD staff also worked with Georgia Public Broadcasting to develop a Web site for educators that supports the Georgia Outdoors television program. The site contains lesson plans built from the state education standards and ideas for creative classroom activities using clips from the television program.

Environmental Education (EE) in Georgia. EPD also coordinates EEinGeorgia.org, the online guide to environmental education in Georgia. Other sponsors of the site include DCA's Keep Georgia Beautiful program, the Department of Education, the Georgia Parent Teacher Association, and the Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia.

The EEinGeorgia.org Web site serves as a clearinghouse for environmental education in Georgia.

The goal of EEinGeorgia.org is to build statewide capacity for environmental education by providing EE lesson plans based on state curriculum standards, a directory of Georgia's EE providers, a statewide calendar of EE events, facts about Georgia's environment, and updates on current EE grants, awards and news. By coordinating the efforts of more than 200 state agencies, nonprofit organizations and other partners, EEinGeorgia.org serves both classroom teachers and non-formal educators. In FY 06, EE in Georgia:

published 12 monthly electronic newsletters containing the latest EE news,
teaching resources, events, grants, contests and awards added to EEinGeorgia.org;
increased newsletter subscriptions from 1,900 to 2,273; worked with partners to: present the annual Environmental Education
Alliance of Georgia Conference and the annual Outdoor Classroom Symposium, launch the Georgia Green and Healthy Schools program, plan a "Leaping into Green and Healthy Learning" symposium, and coordinate a recycling grant and awareness contest for students; and
received 1,196,693 Web hits, a 230% increase from the previous year.

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Using the Environment
as an Integrating Context for Learning (EIC)
Table 2 Georgia EIC Schools
Allen Elementary, Muscogee Co. Armuchee Elementary, Floyd Co. Arnold Magnet Academy, Muscogee Co. Centennial Place Elementary, Atlanta Columbia High, DeKalb Co. Gainesville Middle, Hall Co. Henderson Middle, DeKalb Co. Kimberly Elementary, Atlanta Midway Elementary, Baldwin Co. Minor Elementary, Gwinnett Co. St. Simons Elementary, Glynn Co. Shakerag Elementary, Fulton Co. Stewart-Quitman High, Stewart Co. Toney Elementary, DeKalb Co.

Using the Environment as an Integrating Context (EIC) for Learning. In 2002, the Georgia State Board of Education approved the program, "Using the Environment as an Integrating Context (EIC) for Learning," to address the underperformance of students in grades K-12 on standardized science measures. The EIC program is based on national research by the State Education and Environment Roundtable that indicates students perform better on standardized tests when they take part in environment-based investigations in their own communities. The Department of Education distributed applications to all public schools in Georgia and 14 were selected (see Table 2).
EPD provides teachers in the EIC program with access to professionals, programs and resources. Partnering organizations contribute time, funding and other resources to the participating schools. In FY 06, the EIC program:
matched $45,675 from the Solid Waste Trust Fund with $32,874 from the
Captain Planet Foundation and $15,000 from the American Forest Foundation;
coordinated training for more than 100 educators including the Outdoor
Classroom Council symposium, Project Learning Tree, Project WILD, Project Wet, EIC Implementation Institute, Garden Earth, Waste in Place and Environmental Education Alliance; and
provided technical support for participating schools and state and
national environmental advisory groups.

Georgia Green & Healthy Schools. EPD collaborated with local governments, state and national agencies and non-profit organizations on Georgia Green & Healthy Schools, a program designed to help school faculty and staff understand and practice environmentally sound principles. EPD staff helped plan workshops and an outdoor classroom symposium. These events provided more than 200 teachers with resources to design, develop, maintain and use outdoor classrooms.

Technical Assistance
Much of the technical assistance EPD provides involves interpreting regulatory requirements as necessary to assist applicants that need permits or approvals to conduct certain waste reduction and recycling activities. For example, a scrap tire processing permit is required in order to recycle scrap tires. Other waste reduction and recycling activities, such as commercial or industrial food and yard waste composting operations, also require a permit.

In FY 06, EPD expanded its focus on waste reduction by initiating the development of a long-term, comprehensive strategy for solid waste management in the state.

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Fund Administration
A critical activity tasked to EPD is the administration of the SWTF. EPD places a high priority on ensuring the fiscal accountability of the fund. Three major initiatives relating to the responsible fiscal management of the SWTF were undertaken in FY 06. These activities are discussed below. In addition to internal efforts, EPD worked with the Governor's Environmental Advisory Council to review the trust fund.
1. Data Management System. In order to improve fiscal controls and record keeping, EPD developed a data management system to increase the efficiency of tracking expenditures, income and obligations. This new system provides better oversight and streamlines record keeping.
2. Financial Management. Included within EPD's responsibilities is administration of funds to state partners and grants to local governments and the development of the SWTF budget. In FY 06, EPD:
developed the FY 06 supplemental and FY 07 budget requests and
spending plans to continue existing programs, such as the scrap tire program, and start new initiatives to address abandoned landfills, waste reduction, recycling and litter; and
awarded $695,000 in FY 06 SWTF moneys to state agency
partners for waste reduction and recycling activities.
3. Independent Assessment of the SWTF. In 2005, Governor Sonny Perdue charged his newly appointed Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) with examining the authority, uses and issues regarding the SWTF. In carrying out its charge, the EAC reviewed solid waste generation, importation, management, recycling and disposal methods and trends in Georgia; the income, expenditures and accomplishments of the SWTF for FY 1993-2005; the uses of the SWTF; and the future budgetary needs for activities funded by the SWTF, including FY 06, FY 07 and FY 08. From JuneOctober 2005, EPD supported the Council by preparing briefings and reports and responding to requests for information to assist Council members in their examination of the SWTF.
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The Council delivered its report to the Governor in November 2005. Below is a summary of the report's findings and recommendations.
Findings
The SWTF it is not operated as a trust -- fees collected from new tire sales have not been fully appropriated to the SWTF.
Appropriated revenue for the SWTF was generally equivalent to revenues collected annually, thus reinforcing its funding intent.
Large scrap tire piles have been eliminated; effective compliance monitoring and enforcement are preventing new piles from forming.
The permitted landfill capacity is sufficient to meet the needs of all Georgians. Environmental education is having an impact in changing citizen behavior. Investments in pollution prevention efforts have diverted wastes while saving money, creating
jobs, and new product lines for Georgia businesses. The per capita municipal solid waste disposal rates are about twice the national average. The number of Georgia communities offering recycling services to their residents is declining (a
12% decline between 1998 and 2003). Out-of-state imports of municipal solid waste have grown seven-fold, from 2% in 1994 to about
14% of the total waste disposed in 2004. No comprehensive strategy exists that ties together efforts in Georgia to address and coordinate
corresponding programs. No overarching goals or metrics exist to assess the benefits of investments made from the SWTF.
Recommendations
SWTF revenue from tire sale collection fees must be continued to enable Georgia to address critical solid waste issues. Additional funding sources should be explored.
The SWTF needs a comprehensive strategy for investment to focus SWTF resources to address the critical solid waste issues facing the state, including: reduction of per capita waste disposal, reduction of out-of-state waste in Georgia landfills, comprehensive and sustained solid waste recycling throughout Georgia, and creating an emergency and abandoned landfill reserve.
The SWTF should be fully funded in future budgets to reverse the bad trends that threaten Georgia. Consideration should be given to fully developing a "real" trust fund that sustains itself by interest earned from accumulated reserves.
The FY 06 SWTF budget addressed several of the EAC's recommendations.
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
In FY 06, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) received $977,000 from the Solid Waste Trust Fund, including $700,000 in supplemental funds for a statewide recycling education campaign. DCA used its funds to support activities including solid waste management planning, local government technical assistance, recycling and public outreach and promotion programs.
Planning & Facilitation. In FY 06, DCA led the effort to draft an update to the State Solid Waste Management Plan, which was last updated in 1997. The plan is designed to chart the course for the combined efforts of state and local governments to manage the state's municipal solid waste in an environmentally sound manner over the next 10 years. The DCA Board adopted the update in May 2006.

DCA
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs operates state and federal grant programs; serves as the lead state agency in housing finance and development; promulgates building codes to be adopted by local governments; provides comprehensive planning, technical and research assistance to local governments; and serves as the lead agency for the state's municipal solid waste reduction efforts.

As part of the planning effort, DCA conducted the first in a series of stakeholder meetings to develop a new waste reduction goal for Georgia. The previous goal, set in 1992, was removed by the Legislature in 2005. Approximately 60 representatives from various private sector businesses, associations and government officials attended the first meeting.

DCA also convened meetings of the Governor's Litter Prevention Team and hosted meetings of Atlanta Recycles, a group of stakeholders looking for ways to increase recycling in the City of Atlanta.

DCA participated in the initial meeting hosted by the Governor's staff to discuss the issue of litter in the state. Other stakeholders included EPD, Keep Georgia Beautiful, Association County Commissioners of Georgia, Georgia Municipal Association, Department of Transportation, Department of Economic Development, the Sheriff's Association, Georgia Association of Code Enforcement, and the Department of Public Safety.

Market Development. In an effort aimed at market development, DCA provided updates to the Georgia Recycling Markets Directory. This directory of more than 300 businesses, non-profit organizations and government recycling programs helps companies and local governments find raw materials or markets for the recyclable materials they generate or collect.

Environmental Education & Outreach. As part of DCA's environmental education activities, the agency created and distributed "Catch the Cycle A Guide to Recycling in Georgia Schools." The guide helps Georgia schools create recycling programs. The Georgia Recycling Coalition (GRC) and EPD collaborated with DCA in the production of the guide.

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Table 3
Great American Cleanup
2006
277 communities 51,836 volunteers 252,889 volunteer hours 4,077 miles of roadways cleaned 4,037,212 lbs. of litter picked up 112 graffiti sites cleaned 723 homes and buildings painted or
cleaned of graffiti
5,434 trees planted 35,845 flowers planted 98,822 tires collected 1,576,212 lbs. of newspaper
collected
715,533 lbs. of electronics collected 111,006 lbs. of clothing collected 1,591,027 lbs. of aluminum and steel
collected
81,577 Georgians heard the Great
American Cleanup's anti-littering
message

In conjunction with GRC's Paper Council, DCA hosted tours of SP Newsprint in Dublin, Caraustar's boxboard mill in Austell and Pratt Industries in Conyers. The tours were designed to show local elected officials the impact of recycling in their communities and the need for improved collection of recyclable materials.
DCA houses the Keep Georgia Beautiful (KGB) program whose mission is to build and sustain community environmental activities and behaviors resulting in a more beautiful Georgia. Staff created the "Keep Georgia Beautiful Educator Kit," designed to educate teachers and non-formal educators about KGB and Keep America Beautiful (KAB) programs and help them incorporate environmental education into their activities. Each April, thousands of Georgians take part in the Great American Cleanup, a national community improvement campaign started by KAB in 1999. SWTF moneys are used to provide assistance to the local governments and groups who participate.
KGB's "Bring One for the Chipper" program collected 226,000 Christmas trees from approximately 363 collection sites. More than 8,600 of the trees were sunk into lakes across the state to provide fish habitat, while the remainder were mulched. More than 8,550 volunteers from 121 communities and organizations participated, working approximately 20,635 hours.
Other KGB activities in FY 06 included hosting meetings and conferences, holding teacher workshops on waste reduction, and certifying several new affiliates around the state into the program.
Technical Assistance. In FY 06, DCA responded to more than 700 requests for recycling, waste reduction and solid waste planning technical assistance. DCA also became the lead agency for the state Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Management program and responded to hundreds of requests for HHW management advice. The department also updated its list of electronic equipment recyclers.
Agency staff met with officials and representatives from various cities, counties and Ft. McPherson to discuss solid waste management issues ranging from ordinance revision to recycling and composting. DCA also hosted two solid waste facility siting workshops in Dublin that were attended by more than 100 local government staff and elected officials. Attendees were briefed on landfill siting requirements, the role of local solid waste management plans and zoning, and other solid waste management issues.

Keep Georgia Beautiful's "Bring One for the Chipper" program collected 226,000 Christmas trees from 363 collection sites. The majority of trees were mulched.
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GEORGIA ENVIRONMENTAL FACILITIES AUTHORITY
The Recycling and Waste Reduction Grant program was created in 1995 through a cooperative arrangement between EPD, the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority and DCA to help local governments implement their solid waste plans and provide moneys to local governments to construct facilities and purchase equipment needed to reduce and recycle waste. More than $10.2 million in SWTF monies have been invested in solid waste infrastructure since 1995 to help local governments meet the Act's waste reduction goals.

GEFA
The mission of the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority is to provide financing and other support services for infrastructure improvements, energy programs and fuel storage systems that result in a cleaner environment for all Georgians.

Since no appropriations were received in FY 04-05, the grant program was suspended. In FY 06, GEFA received $203,326 from the SWTF to restart this program. See the following table for the grants awarded to local governments in FY 06.

Table 4 FY 06 GEFA Recycling and Waste Reduction Grants

City / County Adrian Barnesville Bulloch County Decatur County Elberton Forsyth Forsyth County Hall County
Jefferson County Roswell
Thomasville Union County
Warren County Waycross

Project Constructing a recycling collection building and a can crusher Purchasing a forklift for moving recyclables Repairing recycling containers Purchasing a baler for recyclables Purchasing a forklift to load baled cardboard Purchasing roll-off containers for recycling Purchasing a compactor and recycling containers Holding an electronics collection day to benefit Hurricane Katrina victims Purchasing parts to upgrade/repair balers Completing construction of a baler pit, storage buildings, and concrete stalls; purchasing a display and brochures Purchasing a baler and recycling boxes Purchasing mobile recycling bins, one year of storage, a used truck for transporting bins, and advertising Purchasing a trailer and a roll-off container Purchasing recycling containers and funding construction of a new recycling center

Grant Amount $7,130
$17,010 $4,649
$36,500 $18,464 $15,677 $40,000
$3,500 $7,000
$19,670 $38,650
$26,812 $9,495
$29,410

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WRD
The Wildlife Resources Division protects, conserves, manages and improves Georgia's wildlife and freshwater fishery resources; manages and conserves protected and endangered wildlife and plants; conducts hunter safety programs; and enforces the state's Boat Safety Act.

WILDLIFE RESOURCES DIVISION
In FY 06, the Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) received $115,000 from the SWTF to augment its efforts with compliance monitoring and enforcement of solid waste, scrap tire, and littering laws throughout the state.
In FY 06, WRD issued 410 citations and 285 warning for various offenses. Of this total of 695 violations, 59% were for littering, 25% were for dumping of solid waste (including scrap tires), 14% were for unlawful burning of solid waste, and 2% were for marine violations.

GDC
The Georgia Department of Corrections protects and serves the public as a professional organization by effectively managing offenders while helping to provide a safe and secure environment for the citizens of Georgia.

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
In FY 06, the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) received $100,000 from the SWTF to assist with solid waste issues and operate environmental management system (EMS) teams at its 37 state prisons. The teams are responsible for developing and implementing programs to reduce solid waste, fuels, electricity and water.
As part of its solid waste management efforts, GDC operates nine composting operations that process food and other organic waste from 19 state prisons. In FY 06 GDC composted:
4,384 tons of food waste; and 16,027 tons of other organic material.
Assuming a $40 per ton landfill tipping fee, the cost savings to GDC is estimated to be $816,440.

GDC also recycles solid waste from 27 state prisons. In FY 06, GDC recycled:
649 tons of cardboard; 11 tons of aluminum; and 184 tons of steel and other metals.
The revenue generated from the sale of recycled material was $45,372. Assuming a $40 per ton tipping fee at the landfill, the cost savings was $33,760.

As part of its solid waste management efforts, GDC operates nine composting operations that process food and other organic material.
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POLLUTION PREVENTION ASSISTANCE DIVISION
In FY 06, the Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD) of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received no funding from the SWTF. The division funded its activities with previously awarded SWTF moneys. P2AD used its carryover funds to provide on-site assessments, team facilitation, telephone assistance and workshops.
Technical Assistance. In FY 06, P2AD received approximately 700 requests for assistance regarding management of household hazardous waste (HHW). Most were questions about how to reuse, recycle or dispose of paint-related products, auto fluids, mercury-containing products, pesticides and batteries. The division also responded to 326 requests for general technical assistance, many of which related to wood waste (e.g., where to find wood waste or how to manage excess material).

P2AD
The Pollution Prevention Assistance Division fosters environmental leadership in Georgia by working with organizations to reduce waste, conserve natural resources and build a conservation ethic.

SWTF dollars were leveraged to help the Board of Regents receive a $19,500 grant from EPA's Resource Conservation Challenge to develop a logistical model for collecting and transporting construction and demolition debris from University System of Georgia campuses.

Following the completion of a research project conducted by the University of Georgia to evaluate the feasibility of using ground engineered wood waste from construction sites as mulch, a fact sheet containing the results of the study, "Onsite Reuse of Ground Wood Waste from Georgia Residential Construction," was published in January 2006. The study concluded that the beneficial reuse of wood wastes from residential construction poses little threat to the environment if recommended practices are followed and can divert waste from the landfill and decrease waste management costs.

Staff worked with a contractor to design a new, online version of ScrapMatchGA, a program that helps companies located near each other recover and reuse waste materials. The new site will allow users to either post or search for materials. It will also include links to other materials exchanges in EPA Region 4 and lists of recycling and composting operations.

P2AD also began a project with Southface to promote sustainable construction guidelines for coastal Georgia. A draft guideline was developed with stakeholder input and an 18-acre site for the pilot development was selected. Sustainable construction practices planned for the development include geothermal heating and pervious concrete pavement.
P2AD staff advised three companies planning to move to Georgia on the availability of waste materials that could be used in their manufacturing operations. One

Sustainable construction guidelines specific to the Georgia coast will help protect sensitive marshland.

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of the companies, Nichiha, a Japanese manufacturer of fiber cement panels for building exteriors, is constructing a plant in Macon. P2AD located a source for 6,000 tons per month of mixed colors of glass cullet for use in Nichiha's product line. By finding a source for the cullet, Nichiha also was able to avoid installing expensive material processing equipment. Other technical assistance included helping:
an electronics manufacturer find an alternative to the landfill for
3,000 tons per year of non-recyclable paper (the company saves $66,000 per year);
Lockheed-Martin find resources for deconstructing a 53-year-old, 200,000-
square-foot building; and
a school district recycle mercury-containing blood pressure monitors.
Environmental Education & Outreach. In FY 06, P2AD promoted waste reduction and recycling in presentations around the state on topics including green building technologies and best practices, electronics recycling, product stewardship and environmentally preferable products. The division also:
distributed approximately 1,000 "You're the Solution to Water Pollution"
brochures and posters (addressing HHW, yard trimmings and litter as related to water quality);
provided recycling locations for used motor oil, antifreeze, and other
recyclable HHW to the recycling database, www.cleanup.org and 1-800CLEANUP; and
maintained lists of grease haulers and electronics recyclers in Georgia.
Market Development. P2AD staff members helped the Georgia Department of Economic Development create a searchable, online directory of environmentally preferable building products manufactured in Georgia.
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INTERAGENCY EFFORTS
To ensure that efforts to reduce solid waste in the state are coordinated, EPD meets regularly with its state agency partners to review activities, develop budgets and set priorities to address solid waste issues. In FY 06, this interagency group also worked under the leadership of DCA to update the state's solid waste management plan and set new waste reduction goals for the state. The group also developed the FY 06 supplemental and FY 07 budget requests and spending plans to fund new initiatives to address abandoned landfills, waste reduction and litter.
State Solid Waste Management Plan Update
After receiving and analyzing public comment, DCA, with help from EPD, GEFA and P2AD, completed work on an update to the State Solid Waste Management Plan, which was adopted by DCA in May 2006. The purpose of the plan, last updated in 1997, is to chart the course for the combined efforts of state and local governments to manage the state's municipal solid waste in an environmentally sound manner over the next 10 years. Required by the Georgia Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act, the statewide plan describes the requirements for solid waste planning and reporting, waste reduction, collection, disposal, land limitation, and education and public involvement.
A related solid waste planning effort in FY 06 was setting a new waste reduction goal for Georgia. The previous goal, set in 1992, called for a 25% reduction in solid waste by 1996. Since the date had passed, the goal was removed by the General Assembly in 2005. Approximately 60 representatives from businesses, associations and government agencies attended the first in a series of stakeholder meetings in June 2006. The group drafted goals to increase the recycling of targeted materials.
Litter Campaign
The state agency partners participated on the Governor's Litter Abatement and Prevention Task Force. The agencies met to begin working on developing a campaign to target enforcement of litter laws, education of citizens and elimination of litter.
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LOOKING AHEAD
In July 2005, the Governor's Environmental Advisory Council was charged with examining the performance, issues and future uses of the SWTF. In its report to the Governor, the Council voiced its support for the solid waste successes in the state, such as the scrap tire, environmental education and pollution prevention programs, recommending their continuation. It called for the continued collection of the tire fee and urged the Legislature to fully fund the SWTF. While recognizing the value of the current programs funded by the SWTF, the council also strongly encouraged the creation of a comprehensive solid waste strategy to address critical solid waste issues facing the state -- e.g., the rising per capita waste disposal rate, increases in the importation of out-of-state waste, and management of abandoned landfills. EPD will use the SWTF to address these issues, but with the trust fund set to expire in 2008, funding for these activities is not assured. Managing solid waste is a complex issue and there are many challenges that must be addressed in order to meet the state's solid waste management goals. Overcoming these challenges will require a clearly defined strategy and coordination between state agencies and local governments, coupled with the sustained and strategic investment of the Solid Waste Trust Fund.
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