Alternatives to Burning
Yard trimmings (leaves, brush, grass clippings, shrub and tree prunings, vegetative residuals, etc.)
- Composting, mulching, chipping, natural decomposition, etc. are recommended alternatives. The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) brochure, “Composting at Home in Georgia” tells you more about composting yard trimmings.
- Many municipal landfills and convenience centers accept yard trimmings from residents and process them into compost and mulch. Contact your local solid waste department to learn about local yard trimming recycling options or go to Earth911 to find local information for yard trimming management and other recycling options.
- Haul the debris to a permit-by-rule inert waste landfill. A list of current inert landfills can be found on the Land Protection Branch Regulated Solid Waste Facilities website. Open the excel file titled "Regulated Solid Waste Facilities searchable."
Land clearing debris (trees, stumps, limbs, etc.)
- Chip, shred, or grind the debris on site and reuse as mulch, erosion control, or walk paths.
- Several companies in Georgia offer mobile, on-site grinding services.
- Haul the debris to a commercial or municipal processing/grinding/composting operation. These services can be found online.
- Haul the debris to a permitted construction and demolition (C&D) landfill. Current permitted C&D landfills can be found on the Land Protection Branch Regulated Solid Waste Facilities website. Open the excel file titled "Regulated Solid Waste Facilities searchable."
For more information about the Open Burning Ban, contact the EPD’s Air Protection Branch at (404) 363-7000 or the appropriate
EPD
District office for a specific county
. Questions about options for handling solid waste can be directed to the EPD’s Land Protection Branch at (404) 362-2537.