The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD) has been awarded a grant through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grant for States and Territories Program. This grant supports the completion of a comprehensive Solid Waste and Post-Consumer Material Characterization Study and the development of a post-consumer materials management plan. This study and plan represent significant steps toward improving Georgia’s solid waste management system. By collecting comprehensive data on waste composition and developing targeted strategies for waste diversion and recovery, the state aims to enhance the efficiency of its post-consumer materials management. The successful implementation of this project will also demonstrate measurable progress toward EPA’s National Recycling and Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goals, positioning Georgia as a leader in economically driven waste management Innovation.

Central to this initiative is the study, which involves five strategically selected facilities across Georgia. Two of these facilities are partnered with the Athens-Clarke County (ACC) Solid Waste Department for studies at the ACC Municipal Solid Waste Landfill and Materials Recovery Facility. These facilities provide an urban perspective on waste management, assessing recycling efficiency and contamination rates in a dynamic mid-sized city with a strong emphasis on waste diversion and recycling.

This presentation will describe findings from the 2025 study efforts performed by Geosyntec Consultants in collaboration with ACC for the GAEPD. By addressing Georgia's unique waste and post-consumer material management challenges, this project turns challenges into solutions and advances the understanding of waste as a resource.