This legislation renews the fees that make up the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund (HWTF) for one year, from July 1, 2018 to July 1, 2019. Most of the fees come from the state’s 75-cent per-ton tipping fee on solid waste going into Georgia’s landfills – a fee counties pay if they own/operate landfills. 

• Host fee minimum increases from $1 to $2.50 per ton but not effective until July 1, 2019. This increase only applies to a municipal solid waste disposal facility that is owned by a private entity. 
• Coal ash minimum fee is $1 per ton until 2025 when it will then increase to the $2 per ton minimum fee.
• Inert waste, construction and demolition waste minimum is $1 per ton.
• All of these fees are the minimum, not the ceiling. Counties can negotiate host fees, other fees and charges above the minimum. No host fees are to be reduced if they are in existence on July 1, 2019.
• 50% of the host fee collected shall be used for these purposes:
  • To offset the impact of the facility
  • Public education efforts 
  • Cost of solid waste management
  • Administration of the local/regional solid waste management plan
  • Repair of damage to roads and highways associated with the facility
  • Enhancement of litter control programs
  • Ground-water and air monitoring and protection
  • Remediation and monitoring of closed or abandoned facilities
  • Infrastructure improvements associated with the facility
  • Reserve fund allocation
  • Acquisition of property adjacent or in reasonable proximity to the facility to serve as beautification, environmental, buffering or recreational purposes
  • Fees not used for the above purposes (the remaining 50%) can be used for other governmental expenses.

During the House Rules meeting on 3.27.18, a substitute was offered that removes the private landfill host fee bill and in its place is a bill relating to the chief medical examiner and his/her authority to inter remains (bury) and disinter remains (remove a body from a grave).

The original intent of SB 385 increases the state’s minimum local solid waste cost reimbursement (host) fee on waste going into landfills owned by private entities.  The $1 minimum fee has been in existence since 1992.

Talking points advocating for the increase of private landfill host fees can be found here. Similar host fee language has been added to HB 792.