Dive Brief:
- Macon-Bibb County, GA's inert landfill will receive $652,500 from the Macon Water Authority to close, after federal regulations have forced it to shut down. The county has yet to determine how to fund the shuttering of a second landfill, the main dump, which is projected to cost roughly $10 million.
- The landfill closures are part of a plan that includes streamlining garbage collections and expanding recycling and yard waste offerings. The result is a monthly price increase from $15 to $20 for residents who received garbage services from Macon-Bibb, and a hike from $12.75 to $20 for residents whose trash was collected by Advanced Disposal Services.
- As of the beginning of April, 60% of residents had received new recycling containers, which will mean more people will have the option to recycle than before implementation of the new plan.
Dive Insight:
The changes in service are part of a countywide effort to divert more from the landfill and create a better recycling program—and it’s working. While 616 tons of recyclables were collected in 2015, 227 tons were collected in March 2016 alone.
"What’s even better about the current tonnage is that we expect it to continue going up," said Solid Waste Director Kevin Barkley in an e-mail, as reported in The Telegraph.
The comprehensive design is actually intended to improve waste management across the board. Not only will every household be offered single-stream recycling, but yard waste will be picked up weekly. Additionally, one organization will collect all residential garbage to streamline the process, a plan that comes after garbage and yard waste services were shifted around a bit.
Meanwhile, there will likely be an adjustment period as residents adapt to other changes, such as a revamped trash pickup schedule and specific rules as to where the bins can be placed.
