improving your quality of life
by: GORDAN MCMAHAN
A remarkable effort is underway to improve the quality of life for everyone in Gwinnett County.
In 2004, citizens began contacting the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners and Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, the County’s Citizens Solid Waste Advisory Committee, about their growing concerns related to the collection of trash, recyclables and yard waste.
Over the past year Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful has heard from about 4,000 residents on the topic of home trash removal. The conclusion? Our current system has inherent problems affecting citizens’ quality of life and must be changed to address the current and future needs of Gwinnett County.
What are the problems?
A major drawback with the current system is the increased traffic caused by the large number of garbage hauling trucks. Multiple carriers mean multiple trucks in and out of your neighborhood daily, stopping traffic and creating safety hazards.
The current system has also seen significant cost increases to individual homeowners. The County went to the current system in 1991, when the Board of Commissioners set an initial rate of $10.50 per month. After the first year, companies could set prices without any government oversight. Today’s average cost for trash collection, recycling and yard waste service is approximately $24 per month, while residents inside Gwinnett cities, many of which have a single provider system, pay approximately $11 per month for similar service.
Even worse, more than 20,000 Gwinnett homes currently use no trash service at all, many times resulting in mounting trash left on roadsides and empty lots. Beyond just appearing unsightly, this illegal dumping is a serious health and safety hazard to all residents. Problems such as these cause property values to fall, hurting everyone in the county regardless of where you live. These problems will get worse unless we make changes.
What has been done to address the problems?
The Board of Commissioners recognizes citizen’s concerns with the state of home trash removal, and asked its citizen’s committee to review the County’s current solid waste collection system and Ordinance, and to recommend revisions to both if necessary. This is a timely review because, under state law, the County is required to update its Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan in 2008.
To clearly define problems and needs, a 15 month review and evaluation of the current trash and recycling system has been conducted by national and state experts and Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful staff. In addition, a comprehensive public and stakeholder involvement process has been in motion. Public opinion surveys have been conducted online and through research firms. Community Forums have been conducted across the County for citizen input and meetings have been held with key stakeholders, such as representatives from the trash collection companies, to better understand their needs and concerns.
What can I do to help?
Your input is needed. Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful is conducting an online survey on their website for Gwinnett residents. Go today to www. gwinnettcb.org and look for the “survey” item on the home page. Your input on recommended changes to the collection system will have a direct impact on you and your community.
A final report and recommended changes, based on all of the facts and community input will be presented to the Gwinnett County
Board of Commissioners in June. The Board of Commissioners will decide if the current system should be changed. Any changes made must meet the community’s needs for the next 10 years and help make Gwinnett safer, cleaner, healthier and more livable.
Please visit the website and consider joining the Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful email newsletter list. You will be the first to receive the latest news on quality of life issues around the county, how they affect your life and how you can pitch in to help.
By informing yourself and getting involved, you can help set an example for others as we work together towards a safer, cleaner, healthier and more livable Gwinnett.
