Cobb County Board Meeting: Approvals and Solid Waste Presentations

On March 10, 2026, the Cobb County Board convened to approve minutes from March 11, 2025, approve an appointment to the Solid Waste Management Authority, and receive annual presentations from solid waste and sustainability partners. The meeting featured detailed updates from the county's Solid Waste division, its contracted haulers (GFL and Smurfit WestRock), Tag Grinding Services (vegetative waste), and Keep Cobb Beautiful.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: The board unanimously approved the minutes from the March 11, 2025 meeting. (Motion made, seconded, no discussion, call to question.)
• Appointment of Eric Allen to Solid Waste Management Authority: The motion passed 3-0, with one member (Cupid) absent and Eric Allen abstaining from the vote. (Discussion was invited but none occurred; the motion was approved.)

Discussion Items

• Solid Waste Management Division Presentation (Ray Dunbar): Dunbar, division manager for 11.5 years, reported on the county's three closed landfills (Cheatham Landfill, 117.4 acres; County Farm Drive Landfill, 43 acres; both closed in 2001–2002). No questions were asked.
• GFL Presentation (representative): GFL provided a year-over-year comparison for 2025 vs. 2024. Key points: total tons taken in increased by 2,774 tons despite one fewer operating day; daily transactions decreased by 24 per day (8,000 fewer annually), attributed to the reopening of Douglas County transfer station and a shift toward more commercial customers. Payments to Cobb County increased by $2,071.16. Recycling highlights: electronics recycling up nearly 10 tons; antifreeze and oil recycling encouraged; batteries and metal decreased; tires increased due to large demolition cleanups; paint recycling up 1,694 gallons. Capital improvements included a new $150,000 scale (2024) and scheduled parking lot repairs and a second inbound scale for 2026.
• Smurfit WestRock Presentation (Will Howard, General Manager): Howard described the facility's operations as part of the world's largest paper and packaging company. Key metrics: OCC (old corrugated containers) is 60% of recyclables, mixed paper 25%, non-fiber materials (PET, HDPE, steel, aluminum) rest. Market values: fiber and non-fiber pricing declined in 2025; PET dropped from $160 to $20/ton due to loss of processing capacity in the Southeast. Cobb County's drop-off retrofit (concrete pad) increased tonnage by about 250 tons. Payments to the county increased by $75,000 in calendar year 2025, including host fees ($2.50/ton on outbound sales), drop-off fees, and property lease payments (rising to $30,000/month in June 2026). Commissioner questions: glass pricing is negative for mixed glass but separated glass at drop-off is $15/ton; elimination of glass from packaging is not expected to significantly impact operations.
• Tag Grinding Services Presentation (Dennis Carey): Carey reported on vegetative waste processing. Customer counts for 2023–2025 were shown. Income to Cobb County from the dirt pit (permitted three years ago) totaled $148,810 in 2025, up from 2024. Total revenue to the county from Tag (vegetative + dirt) was $360,000 in 2025, up from $284,000 in 2024. Markets served include power plants and paper mills. Carey noted difficulty selling product due to closures of pulp and paper mills in the Southeast, attributing this to competition from Central and South America. No questions.
• Keep Cobb Beautiful Presentation (Kimberly White, Chief of Sustainability): White reported on litter index scores: 1.54 in 2024, 1.72 in 2025 (higher is worse). Nonprofit update: Board of Directors listed. Award: National Recycling Innovation Partnership Award for District 4's Project Golden Leaf (Leadership in Environmental Action and Fellowship), which helps seniors beautify yards. Upcoming: America Turns 250 initiative with countywide cleanup March 28. Program numbers: Bring One for the Chipper collected 7,400 trees; medication disposal collected 2,742 pounds (up 1,000 lbs); community recycling events: paper shredding 56,000 lbs, textiles 7,000 lbs, metal 35.3 tons; HHW event: 1,100+ cars, 97,386 lbs (most ever); Dig in the Dirt garden grants: $7,000 to 9 schools; Adopt-A-Mile: 657 volunteers, 17,500+ hours. Hefty Renew program: first community to offer curbside and drop-off; material turned into plastic lumber (used for sign at drop-off). Pop-up drop-off program won national award. Ripple Glass containers growing in metro Atlanta. County drop-off locations listed. Sustainability expo April 8 (doubled participants). Green Communities renewal: Cobb County earned platinum designation (highest) for second time. Upcoming events: tree planting, district 4 cleanup, medication disposal (3 sites). Commissioner thanked White for an award-winning year.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes of March 11, 2025: Approved (no vote tally recorded, but unanimous).
• Appointment of Eric Allen: Approved 3-0 (one abstention, one absent).
• All presentations were received without further action. The meeting concluded with thanks to presenters and staff.

Note: The meeting date is March 10, 2026, and the minutes approved are from March 11, 2025. No public comments were taken.