Atlanta's Path to Zero Waste: Where We Stand in 2025

Key Takeaways

Atlanta's earlier sustainability plans aimed for up to 90% waste diversion by 2020. The city missed that target and has yet to publish a firm replacement goal.

Recycling participation in the city has roughly doubled since 2017, but it still trails the national average.

In our fieldwork, commercial programs deliver the biggest diversion gains: business waste is concentrated, consistent, and sortable.

Organic (food) waste is the biggest remaining gap. Food scraps and yard debris are roughly a third of what the U.S. landfills, and commercial composting capacity in metro Atlanta is still limited.

Starting or expanding a commercial recycling program is the single highest-impact step a local business can take.

Years ago, Atlanta's sustainability planning committed to an ambitious goal: waste diversion targets that stepped up to 90% by 2020. It didn't happen — and nobody seriously expected it to. But the goal wasn't the point. The point was to set a direction and start moving. The question worth asking now isn't "did we get there?" but "how far have we come, and what's still blocking us?"

#The Numbers So Far

The honest answer is that the city's public numbers are patchy. The diversion targets in Atlanta's earlier sustainability plan were missed, and the city has not published a firm current goal. What the available reporting does show is direction: recycling participation in the city has roughly doubled since 2017, while still trailing the national average. And from where we sit, the growth that has happened is heavily commercial. Business programs move more tonnage per participant than any residential route, which is why commercial recycling is where the next gains are.

The businesses that started recycling programs five years ago aren't just saving money anymore — they're generating revenue from materials they used to pay to throw away.

#Where the Gaps Are

The biggest remaining challenge is organic waste. Nationally, food scraps and yard debris make up roughly a third of landfilled municipal waste, and metro Atlanta is no outlier. Composting options here today are mostly private services rather than city infrastructure, and a commercial program at scale doesn't yet exist.

#What Businesses Can Do

If your business has a recycling program, you're already part of the solution. If you don't, starting one is the single highest-impact step you can take. Beyond basic recycling, look for opportunities to reduce waste at the source: switch to reusable shipping materials, negotiate with suppliers for reduced packaging, and explore composting options for your break room and cafeteria waste.

Nationally, the U.S. still landfills the majority of its municipal waste, so the gap between where Atlanta is and where it wants to be is closed one business at a time. The practical starting point is a waste audit and a few well-placed streams — our guide to setting up a corporate recycling program walks through it step by step.

#Recycle More of Your Stream, in One Place

Most businesses leave easy diversion on the table simply because different materials go to different vendors. Consolidating cardboard, scrap metal, electronics, and confidential paper under one partner raises your diversion rate and simplifies your reporting. Explore our commercial recycling services or find your city on our service areas page to get started.

References

1.City of Atlanta sustainability planning ("Power to Change") set municipal waste diversion targets rising to 90% by 2020. Confirm current goals and figures directly with the City of Atlanta before citing exact percentages.

2.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures" — national waste generation and diversion context.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Atlanta's zero-waste goal?

Atlanta's sustainability planning set waste diversion targets that stepped up to 90% by 2020. That target came and went unmet, and the city has been working toward a more realistic replacement goal since. Progress is measured by the waste diversion rate — the share of total waste recycled, composted, or otherwise kept out of landfills.

How can my Atlanta business help reach zero waste?

The highest-impact move is running a real recycling program with good source separation. Beyond that, reduce waste at the source (reusable shipping materials, less packaging), divert organics where composting is available, and recycle scrap metal, electronics, and cardboard through a single partner so more of your stream stays out of the landfill.

What is the hardest material to keep out of Atlanta landfills?

Organic waste — food scraps and yard debris — is the biggest remaining challenge; nationally it makes up roughly a third of landfilled municipal waste. Commercial composting infrastructure in the metro area is still developing, so reduction and source separation matter most today.

Does American Resources serve businesses across the Atlanta metro?

Yes. We provide commercial recycling to businesses throughout the metro area, from Buckhead and Midtown to Marietta, Alpharetta, Decatur, and beyond. See our service areas for the cities we cover.