Inert Landfill Set to Close; Large Trash Bins Moving To Road Dept.

Stephens County’s inert landfill is closing to the public today.

Today is the final day that the county’s inert landfill will accept waste as it starts the closure process with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

County commissioners made the decision to close the inert landfill as of today last month.

According to Stephens County Administrator Phyllis Ayers, closing the county’s inert landfill now will be an easier and a less expensive process than if the county were to wait because of a number of factors, including Georgia Environmental Protection Division requirements.

However, closing the inert landfill, combined with the already closed C & D landfill, means also finding a place for the trash bins where Stephens County residents can dump things like mattresses, electronics, and so forth.

Starting next week, those solid waste bins will be moved to the Stephens County Road Department on Scenic Drive.

Ayers said that is what the county staff came up with and adds it has numerous benefits.

“We would not need to open up a scale house or calibrate scales,” said Ayers. “It would be a savings in this year’s budget.”

Also, Ayers said the county will now charge a flat fee of $15 per vehicle to dump into those bins.

She said that is based off of information from neighboring counties, like Rabun County which has a similar $15 fee.

The bins at the Stephens County Road Department on Scenic Drive will be available from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday starting on January 4 to dump things like mattresses and electronics.

Regular household trash still goes to the Stephens County convenience sites located throughout the county and there is no change with those.