Solid Waste Management

Georgia Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act

In 1989, the Georgia General Assembly passed SR 103 creating the Joint Solid Waste Management Study Committee to analyze the status of solid waste management in Georgia and to make recommendations for a comprehensive revision of the 1972 Solid Waste Management Act. 

The purpose of the State plan is essentially threefold:

1. To present a status report of solid waste management in Georgia.
2. To set forth the state strategy for reducing and managing solid waste, and
3. To establish the procedures and criteria for local/regional solid waste plans and other components of local/regional solid waste management strategy.

The Planning Department staff assists local communities by developing solid waste management plansSolid Waste Planning Process

The Minimum Planning Standards and Procedures outline the steps required in preparing a community Solid Waste Management Plan.  The intention is to provide a framework for those preparing the plan to follow in looking at the current status of solid waste management within the planning area, determining needs, addressing goals, and deciding on how an effective and comprehensive program of solid waste management will be implemented within the area.  The three basic steps in the planning process are as follows:

Step 1 Inventory and Assessment
Step 2 Statement of Needs and Goals
Step 3  Implementation Strategy

Solid Waste Managemen Plans developed by the CSRA RDC include data in seven topic areas or “elements” that are considered critical as components of the solid waste management planning process. These seven elements are:

• Inventory of Waste Element
• Collection Element
• Waste Reduction Element
• Disposal Element
• Land Limitation Element
• Education and Public Involvement Element
• Implementation and Financing Element

Jurisdiction	Year	Plan	Size	View
City of Grovetown	2005	Columbia County Joint Solid Waste Management Plan	12.9 mb
City of Harlem	2005	Columbia County Joint Solid Waste Management Plan	12.9 mb
City of Sparta	2008	Sparta Solid Waste Management Plan	1565kb
Columbia County	2005	Columbia County Joint Solid Waste Management Plan	12.9 mb
McDuffie County	2007	McDuffie County Joint Solid Waste Management Plan	6.4mb
Wilkes County	2007	Wilkes County Joint Solid Waste Management Plan	2.4mb