City of Atlanta CDP

Solid Waste

Current Conditions

The Bureau of Solid Waste Services in the Department of Public Works provides solid waste collection and disposal for residences.  Approximately 300,000 tons of residential waste and wastewater sludge must be disposed of annually.

The City has successfully completed the design and construction of the consent ordered closure of its three sanitary landfills and one construction and demolition landfill.  The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (Environmental Protection Division) has issued to the City  “Closure Certifications” for these landfills. Map 10.3 ‘Landfill Sites’ shows the location of these closed facilities.

Anticipated Future Conditions

Increased capital expenditures are anticipated during the post closure period for site maintenance and upgrades to installed monitoring equipment and systems.  Additional capital expenditures may also be required for design, construction and/or purchase of solid waste management facilities such as transfer stations and landfills, as well as future use of closed facilities.  It is increasingly important in the near future that the Department of Public Works and Solid Waste Management begin to plan for the disposal and collection of household hazardous wastes as well as a scrap tire management program.  In addition, the City will need to review ordinances on recycling for single and multi-family dwellings as well as address recycling needs in City owned facilities.

It is anticipated that the City, through the Solid Waste Management Authority (SWMA) (an organization established through state law in 1994), will seek to obtain financing for solid waste capital projects.

Current Policies

The City's Solid Waste Management Plan

The Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan, adopted by the City in 1995, includes new as well as existing measures to reduce the quantity of waste to be landfilled.  These measures include waste stream reduction, recycling, and the processing of yard trimmings and wood waste. Since 1990, the waste stream has been reduced by approximately 26 percent.  This reduction may be attributed to the Yard Trimmings Diversion Program, the Curbside Recycling Program, and increased expenditures for public education.

The Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan will be subject to future updates. The following elements present a summary of the Plan.

Element One - Quantity of Waste

Sources:  Solid Waste from residential units is collected from two primary sources, single-family and multifamily residences.  The City services approximately 87,000 single family and 65,000 multifamily units weekly.  Almost 23 percent of the residential waste stream is yard trimmings.  Twenty-eight percent is composed of the different categories of paper.

Private hauling companies collect the commercial, non-residential waste stream, which also includes construction/demolition waste.

The quantity of waste generated by industrial processes in Atlanta is relatively small and is handled entirely by private haulers and disposal facilities.

Element Two - Collection

Service Area: Atlanta has an area of 131.6 square miles.  The Bureau of Sanitary Services billings indicate approximately 87,000 single family and 65,000 multifamily units receive collection services.

Private and Public Collection System: The City, through its Department of Public Works, collects single family residential waste generated in the City.  Commercial, industrial, construction and demolition wastes are collected by private companies.  There are some minor exceptions to this division of the waste collection.  The City does not currently offer collection of commercial solid waste within its boundaries but reserves the right to regulate its collection by private haulers if required to insure sanitary conditions within the City limits.  Haulers may be required to report annually, the amount of waste and recyclables collected within the City limits.

Element Three - Waste Reduction

Source Reduction: The City has established a Solid Waste Information Program.  This program is operated as a continuation of the existing informational programs run by the Bureau of Solid Waste Services in connection with the City's curbside recycling program.  It is anticipated that the Waste Reduction Informational Program will continually evolve to provide information on the latest improvements and newest methods in solid waste management.

Reuse:  Reuse is a waste reduction method that utilizes items in the waste stream normally discarded and disposed of in the landfill.    The City will study alternative reuse and disposal methods in the future.

Residential Recycling:  The City provides curbside recycling service to approximately 87,000 households zoned R-1.  The City expects that the amount of waste removed due to better promotion, information distribution, effects of educational programs, and an expansion in the categories of recyclables collected (drop-off centers for magazines and corrugated) will result in a waste reduction of about 2.9 percent of base year disposal (7.61 percent of residential waste).  The City's curbside program will initially serve only the single-family residences that generate about 51.5 percent of the waste and recyclables.  At this time, the recycling service does not extend to multi-family areas.

If deemed necessary to meet state requirements, or as desired by the City, programs may be further expanded to initially encourage and then to require waste reduction.  It is anticipated that any of these programs would be carefully considered and examined for their impact upon the cost to businesses and effectiveness of waste reduction.  The City will seek the counsel of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and others in the business community to develop plans for information gathering about commercial waste collection.

Yard Trimmings - Processing:  As allowed by the Solid Waste Management Act, the City has enacted restrictions on disposal of yard trimmings that are consistent with the Yard Trimmings Diversion Program.  Through this program, the City provides for the separate collection of yard trimmings as required by current state regulations.

Element Four - Disposal

Landfill Utilization: The residential waste collected by the City is disposed of at Live Oaks Landfill under contract.  The required ten year disposal capacity for all waste generated in the City is provided under the City's Live Oak disposal contract.  No expansion of the landfill is needed for the certified capacity required for the City's waste disposal needs.

Existing Facilities - Planned and Projected: No disposal facilities are operated by the City.  There is one private municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill operating within the city limits—Waste Management’s Bolton Road facility. 

Element Five - Land Limitations

Natural Environmental Limitations: When considering the location of all solid waste handling facilities including landfills, the following will be considered, according to state planning guidelines: floodplains, wetlands, and groundwater recharge areas.  The City will also consider other criteria such as water supply watersheds, fault zones, seismic impact zones, and unstable areas (karst areas). 

Land Use Plan/Zoning Restrictions: Zoning restrictions that presently affect the City are found in the Atlanta Zoning Ordinance as amended 1982.  Table 10.7 ‘Zoning Restrictions for Private Solid Waste Management Facilities’ identifies the zoning restrictions for private solid waste management facilities.

Element Six - Education and Public Involvement

The City has implemented the education programs as outlined in Element Six of its solid waste management plan.  A waste reduction information program is also a part of the education component of the plan.

Element Seven – Solid Waste Implementation Strategy

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) provided letters to the City of Atlanta verifying that the City’s Solid Waste Management Plan complied with other local and state Solid Waste Management Plans and state minimum planning standards. City Council then adopted the Solid Waste Management Plan September 5, 1995.

2004 Current Programs and Projects

Project List 10-7: 2004 CDP Environmental Facilities Current Programs and Projects – Solid Waste

2004 New Programs and Projects

Project List 10-8: 2004 CDP Environment Facilities New Programs and Projects – Solid Waste

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