On Thursday, February 16, a committee substitue for Senate Bill 95 was introduced and passed. This legislation now requires the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to collect the scrap tire management fee from tire distributors as opposed to tire retailers. The author of the bill expects the amount collected to increase by $3 million due to this change. 

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This legislation restricts the uses of grant and loan funds made available to local governments from the Solid Waste Trust Fund (SWTF). This legislation would only allow funds to be used for the cleanup of solid waste disposal facilities (landfills) and for programs supporting the cleanup, innovative uses and recycling of scrap tires. Currently, the SWTF provides grants for these purposes but also provides funding to local governments to support waste reduction and recycling. 

If this legislation were to pass, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division's Recycling, Waste Reduction and Diversion grant program would not be funded.