Most Monroe County citizens know the county has its own landfill as well as 13 recycle centers geographically placed throughout the county. However, many citizens don’t know all the regulations for proper waste disposal.
Perhaps the most important thing for citizens to remember is not to bring large, bulky loads to the recycle centers. Large household items like sofas, chairs and mattresses should be taken to the landfill. The county also limits citizens from taking more than one load per day of bulk or yard material to the recycle centers. The single load requirement refers to waste that fits into a single pickup truck or an average size trailer, not both. Anyone carrying multiple loads should visit the landfill. Once at the recycle centers, citizens also should make sure to place items in the appropriate containers.
Monroe County Solid Waste Director Dana Renaud reminds citizens: “Clean recycle material and material being placed in the correct location is essential for gaining revenue and the continued efforts for Monroe County to recycle.”
The recycle centers, which were opened in 1992 as a means of saving landfill space and providing an additional revenue stream via recycled materials, are exclusively for use by Monroe County citizens. Both the recycle centers and the landfill are free for Monroe County residents to use. However, there is a charge of $35 per ton for citizens to dump waste at the landfill related to construction and demolition of residential property and well as any waste related to commercial uses. The only method of payment at the landfill is by check.
The recycle centers are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. They are closed all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Meanwhile, the landfill is open 8 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, and 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday. It is closed all day on Sundays. However, the landfill’s cell area closes daily one hour and 15 minutes prior to the above listed closing times. Holiday dates and hours may vary.
Landfill Only
A critical restriction on recycle center usage is that high-volume commercial and industrial waste generators should exclusively dump at the landfill. The following waste material is only allowed to be dumped at the landfill, never the recycle centers:
– Commercial building, remodeling and demolition debris
– Rental properties
– Clearing, grading and landscape debris
– Asphalt and concrete debris
– Plumbing and electrical debris
– Heating and air conditioning debris
– Steel and iron fabricators and debris
– Automotive service centers, repair shops, body shops
– Automotive tire and brake shops
– Automobile and truck dealerships
– Small engine sales and service
– Heavy equipment sales, service, repair
– Farm supplies and equipment
– Poultry businesses and industries
– Timber and logging industry
– Carpet sales and installations
– Mobile home sales and manufactures
– Restaurants and food service industry
– Hotels and motels
– Grocery and convenience stores
– Clothing, gift and florist shops
– Manufacturers of any type of product
– State and federal offices and institutions
– Public and private schools
– Antique shops, furniture refurbishing, furniture sales
– Paint supply stores and painting contractors
– Swimming pool maintenance and supply
– Pest control companies
– Junk dealers and salvage yards
– Electronic sales, service and supplies
– Medical supplies and services
In addition, commercial and industrial wastes that include construction and demolition of residential material should also be taken directly to the landfill, not the recycle centers.
Recycle Centers Dos and Don’ts
– Dry refuse, for example, small furniture, TVs, wooden pallets, small toys, etc., should only be deposited into the bulk waste containers while liquid waste, including paint and household garbage, is prohibited in the bulk waste containers.
– Waste appliance and metal waste items should only be deposited in the metal containers. Examples include: stoves, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, water heaters, aluminum door and window frames, rain gutters, bicycles, metal toys, wheelbarrows, motors (drained of fluids), lawnmowers, lawn furniture, fence wires, etc. Meanwhile, household garbage, bulk waste, yard waste and liquid waste are prohibited in all metal containers.
– Waste generated by lawn and garden maintenance should be deposited in yard waste containers. Examples include: tree/shrub trimmings, grass clippings, leaves, pine straw, tree limbs, etc. Also, branches should be trimmed from tree limbs to preserve container space. Meanwhile, household garbage, bulk waste, metals, liquid waste, treated lumber, lumber with nails, pallets, etc. are prohibited in the yard waste containers. In addition, debris generated by land clearing activities, such as stumps, tree trunks, dirt and rocks are also prohibited.
Other Recyclable Materials (Accepted at Recycle Centers)
– Glass containers and bottles / Clear, Brown, Green/Blue (remove lids and metal, rinse clean)
– Aluminum beverage cans, aluminum foil, pie pans, TV dinner trays, steel food and beverage cans (empty contents, rinse and flatten to conserve space)
– Plastic milk, water and juice jugs, soda bottles, detergent containers (remove caps, rinse and flatten to conserve space)
– Clean, dry and untied newspapers and all inserts that come with the newspapers (fold newspapers in order to stack neatly in walk-in newspaper recycling trailer)
– Clean, dry magazines, catalogs and telephone books (deposit in side compartment of newspaper recycling container)
– Corrugated cardboard boxes that are clean and dry, brown paper bags (break boxes down and lay flat to conserve space)
– Metal: dishwashers, stoves, water heaters, washing machines, refrigerators and other scrap metals (remove all rubber, plastic glass including drawers, shelves, dividers and racks)
– Tires from passenger vehicles (remove all metal rims) Limit: 5 per individual. No commercial tires.
– Antifreeze from passenger vehicles (place in container with lid)
– Oil from passenger and other types of vehicles, including transmission fluid and hydraulic fluid
(place in container with lid). Oil filters in separate container (drained of all fluids)
Other Non-Recyclable Materials (Not Accepted at Recycle Centers)
– Drinking glasses, window glass, Pyrex dishes, mirrors, light bulbs, ceramic or any other glass that is not a container
– Aluminum food or drink storage items that have not been cleaned of food waste
– Motor oil containers, margarine tubs, plastic bags, foam or plastic cups, foam or plastic plates
– Hard cover books
– Food product boxes, detergent boxes, wax-coated boxes, plastic-lined boxes, staples
– Gasoline, solvents
Recycle Center Locations and Contact Numbers
– Solid Waste Main Office (523 Montpelier Ave., Forsyth, GA 31029) (478-992-5049)
– Bolingbroke (161 Old Popes Ferry Road, Juliette, GA 31046) (478-992-5050)
– Brent (193 Hopewell Road, Forsyth, GA 31029) (478-992-5055)
– Cabaniss (56 Blue Ridge School Road, Forsyth, GA 31029) (478-994-7614)
– Culloden (260 Norwood St., Culloden, GA 31016) (478-885-2452)
– Dames Ferry (2106 Dames Ferry Road, Forsyth, GA 31029) (478-992-9653)
– English (2228 English Road, Forsyth, GA 31029) (478-992-5051)
– High Falls (4466 High Falls Road, Jackson, GA 30233) (478-992-5052)
– Hubbard (21 Old Brent Road, Forsyth, GA 31029) (478-992-5053)
– Juliette (2340 Juliette Road, Juliette, GA 31046) (478-992-5054)
– Pea Ridge (3443 Pea Ridge Road, Juliette, GA 31046) (478-757-1861)
– Russellville (73 Russellville Road, Forsyth, GA 31029) (478-994-7646)
– Shi (2525 Shi Road, Macon, GA 31201) (478-992-5056)
– Smarr (66 Evans Road, Smarr, GA 31086) (478-992-5099)
Landfill Location and Contact Number
– 513 Strickland Loop East, Forsyth, GA 31029 (478-994-7291)
