SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN Gwinnett County City of Berkeley Lake City of Dacula City of Duluth City of Grayson City of Lawrenceville City of Lilburn City of Norcross City of Snellville City of Sugar Hill City of Suwanee December 11, 2007 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN Developed pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 12-8-20 Solid Waste Management Title Pa Participating Local Governments Gwinnett County City of Berkeley Lake City of Dacula City of Duluth City of Grayson g City of Lawrenceville City of Lilburn e City of Norcross City of Snellville City of Sugar Hill City of Suwanee Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful Solid Waste Citizens Advisory Board Sheila Adcock L. C. Johnson Hal Risher, Jr. Ethel Andersen Tricia Kennedy Patsy Rooks Carole Boyce Pat Kien Mary Root Chuck Button Jim Kraus Bill Russell Tip Cape Pam Ledbetter David Seago Keith Carnes Jim Maran Bill Sheals Dick Carothers Alicia McCart Tammy Shumate Carla Carraway Caryn McGarity David Snell Nancy Chandler Bartow Morgan, Jr. Melodie Snell- Jock Connell Emory Morsberger Conner Butch Conway Rick O’Brien Doug Spohn Steve Gaultney Jose Perez Jim Steele Mike Guynn Jo Ann Pinder Vicki Sweeny Karen Hill Paige Powers Richard Tucker Paula Hill Diana Preston Charlie Walters Lloyd Hofer Louise Radloff Phylecia Wilson Mike Ingle Sharon Rigsby Philip Wolfe Prepared by TD King Consultants under contract to Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful December 11, 2007 ii Solid Waste Management Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents Table of Contents List of Tables..................................................................................................... vii List of Maps & Figures........................................................................................ x EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................... xii Section 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Solid Waste Management in Georgia ............................................................1 – 1 1.1.1 Where We Have Been - Solid Waste Management in Gwinnett........1 – 2 1.2 Plan Update ...................................................................................................1 – 4 1.2.1 Participation in the Planning Process ................................................1 – 4 1.3 Purpose of the Plan Update ...........................................................................1 – 6 1.4 Planning Area ................................................................................................1 – 8 1.4.1 Physical Characteristics......................................................................1 – 8 1.4.2 Demographic and Economic Characteristics.....................................1 – 13 1.5 Key Findings ..................................................................................................1 – 19 1.5.1 Plan Update Strategy..........................................................................1 – 20 Section 2 WASTE STREAM DISPOSAL ANALYSIS 2.1 Waste Stream Generators............................................................................. 2 – 1 2.1.1 Residential and Commercial Generators .......................................... 2 – 2 2.1.2 Other Waste Stream Contributions........................................................2 – 2 2.2 Waste Stream Data ....................................................................................... 2 – 3 2.3 Amount of Waste Disposed .......................................................................... 2 – 4 2.3.1. Waste Disposal – Plan Base Year, 2005...............................................2 – 4 2.3.2 Waste Disposal – Historic Perspective.................................................2 – 6 2.3.3 Seasonal Variations / Unique Conditions......................................... 2 – 10 2.3.4 Waste Generating Disasters .............................................................. 2 – 14 2.3.5 Per Capita Disposal Rate ................................................................... 2 – 15 2.4 Waste Composition and Amounts................................................................ 2 – 16 2.4.1 Forecast of Waste Generation ........................................................... 2 – 21 2.5 Per Capita Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Reduction Goal....................... 2 – 23 2.5.1 State Reduction Targets .................................................................... 2 – 24 2.5.2 Plan Update Reduction Targets ........................................................ 2 – 25 2.6 Key Findings ................................................................................................. 2 – 25 iii Section 3 WASTE REDUCTION ELEMENT 3.1 Inventory of Waste Reduction Programs.............................................................. 3 – 1 3.1.1 Product and Manufacturing Redesign ....................................................... 3 – 1 3.1.2 Recycling Opportunities............................................................................. 3 – 2 3.1.2.1 Local Government Programs................................................................ 3 – 2 3.1.2.1.1 Curbside Collections ..................................................................... 3 – 2 3.1.2.1.2 Drop-Off Services and Facilities .................................................. 3 – 6 3.1.2.2 Recycling Facilities ......................................................................... 3 – 11 3.1.2.3 Special Management Items............................................................. 3 – 15 3.1.2.4 Private Sector Recycling Opportunities.......................................... 3 – 15 3.1.2.5 Nonprofit Recycling Services.......................................................... 3 – 23 3.1.3 Reuse / Exchange Programs ...................................................................... 3 – 25 3.1.4 Yard Trimmings Programs......................................................................... 3 – 25 3.1.4.1 Mulching and Composting .............................................................. 3 – 26 3.1.4.2 Large Scale Composting.................................................................. 3 – 27 3.1.4.3 Christmas Tree Recycling ............................................................... 3 – 27 3.1.4.4 Yard Trimmings Landfill Facilities................................................. 3 – 27 3.1.5 Education and Coordination.......................................................................... 3 – 28 3.1.6 Disaster Debris ........................................................................................... 3 – 29 3.2 Assessment of Waste Reduction and Recycling Programs.................................. 3 – 29 3.2.1 Waste Generating Sectors .......................................................................... 3 – 29 3.2.3 Waste Stream Components ........................................................................ 3 – 30 3.3 Key Findings ......................................................................................................... 3 – 33 3.4 Needs and Goal..................................................................................................... 3 – 35 Section 4 COLLECTION ELEMENT 4.1 Inventory of Collection Programs ........................................................................ 4 – 1 4.2 Assessment of Collection Programs ..................................................................... 4 – 5 4.2.1 Service Arrangements................................................................................. 4 – 5 4.2.1.1 Franchise Agreements .............................................................................. 4 – 5 4.2.1.2 Local Government Contracts..................................................................... 4 – 6 4.2.1.3 Public Utility Programs.............................................................................. 4 – 6 4.2.1.4 Free-Market Subscriptions........................................................................ 4 – 7 4.2.2 Level of Service ........................................................................................... 4 – 7 4.2.2.1 Required Services - Self-Haul Behaviors.................................................. 4 – 7 4.2.3 Cost of Service............................................................................................. 4 – 8 4.2.4 Concerns ..................................................................................................... 4 – 9 4.3 Residential Collection System Study, Unincorporated Gwinnett County............ 4 – 10 4.3.1 Study Process.............................................................................................. 4 – 10 4.3.2 Issue Identification..................................................................................... 4 – 11 4.3.3 Proposed Modifications to the Residential Collection System.................. 4 – 12 4.3.3.1 Expanded Recyclables .......................................................................... 4 – 15 4.3.3.3 Anticipated Benefits............................................................................. 4 – 16 4.4 Illegal Disposal / Littering..................................................................................... 4 – 17 iv 4.5 Contingency Strategies .......................................................................................... 4 – 20 4.6 Key Findings .......................................................................................................... 4 – 20 4.7 Needs and Goal...................................................................................................... 4 – 22 Section 5 DISPOSAL ELEMENT 5.1 Inventory