Look for changes in unincorporated Gwinnett County beginning January 1st... at least for your garbage and recyclables. 

Gwinnett County has been looking at their waste management plan.  Details were supposed to be made public in December, but the Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful website is showing that the plan is done. 

A few highlights of the plan are as follows:

• For the first six months it will cost $20.45/mo. paid directly to the vendor.
• For the remainder of 2009, it will cost $17.86/mo. paid to the county as a line item on property taxes.
• The price is fixed until 12/31/2010, and the contract runs through 12/31/2015.
• Companies are required to pick up garbage, recyclables, old appliances (no hazardous materials) and old furniture (as well as other bulky items).

More information is available at Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful Services, Inc.

Keep in mind that this only applies to unincorporated areas of the county, not to the cities that are incorporated within the county. 

One thing that I am excited about is the increase in items that are allowed to be recycled.  Currently we are limited to just 7 items...  I don't know why, if there is a market for the other items the haulers aren't allowed to recycle them...  and under the new plan there will be 35 items that will be recycled.  Probably the best news is that old phone books will be able to go into the recycle bin by July 1st.  I think that we get about 15 phone books a year from different companies... and we don't use ANY of them.  The internet is faster and more accurate.