Solid waste management is undergoing structural transformations, regionally and nationally, which impact local solid waste management issues and programs. Furthermore, there are constant and inevitable changes, impacting long-term solid waste management, that cities, counties, and authorities must prepare and plan for, including:

All local solid waste decision-making ultimately takes place in a unique sociopolitical climate, and to ensure the greatest likelihood of new program success, it is crucial to determine the needs and concerns of the many stakeholders involved. With budgets strained and program costs rising, some communities are turning to the private sector to help them manage and operate parts of their systems. Others are also examining their full costs and charges and implementing rate reform, whereby those who generate the most waste pay the most, and those who are able to reduce their generation rate are rewarded with lower costs.

GBB prepares innovative, strategic, solid waste management plans that address specific client objectives. Such projects often include the review, evaluation, and in-depth analysis of waste management system components – including waste characterization, collection, transport, storage, processing, and disposal. All of these areas are researched thoroughly, and key stakeholders are involved, so that GBB can help communities implement successful integrated management approaches that are compatible with and linked to other environmental initiatives.

Solid waste management planning is essential to any successful integrated system – but it’s a process, not a document. Using past projects as a guide, GBB carefully analyzes current and future demands to customize a creative, strategic, solid waste management program that meets each client’s unique requirements. While clients’ specific needs may vary, GBB typically designs and implements sustainable integrated management systems that include waste prevention, reuse, recycling, composting, and waste-to-energy or landfilling. Key steps of GBB strategic solid waste management planning assignments generally include:

• Review of existing conditions and practices
• Assessment and evaluation of alternatives
• Establishment of long-term goals for an integrated system
• Actions that will be taken during the planning and implementation periods

Since 1980, GBB has helped hundreds of communities and organizations throughout the country and overseas with strategic solid waste management planning and implementation projects that helped to do more with less and achieve measurable results, including:

• Substantial cost savings
• Revenue enhancement
• Increased efficiencies
• Substantially elevated waste diversion to reuse and recycling

[ Download Capability Statement for Strategic Solid Waste Management Planning ]

Selected Project Descriptions:

Solid Waste Master Plan Development – Road to Zero Waste
Orange County, North Carolina

Strategic Planning for Recycling & Solid Waste System
Baltimore County / Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority, Maryland

Development of Integrated Waste Management Plan
Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District, Utah

Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Planning
Receivership of the Guam Solid Waste Management Division
United States District Court of Guam

Development of Comprehensive Inter-Island Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan
Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Saipan

Long Term Strategic Planning / Master Planning for Circular Economy Sustainable Business Park
Kent County, Michigan

Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan
Maui County, Hawaii

Development of Long-Term Integrated Waste Management Plan
Lee County, Florida

Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan Development
City of Fort Worth, Texas

Solid Waste Collection Franchise Evaluation and Community Information Assistance
City of Plano, Texas

Related GBB Presentations:

Solid Waste Management & Reduction Planning: You Can’t Always Get What You Want…
Joe Dunlop, GBB Project Manager
SWANA South Carolina Palmetto Chapter Spring Conference – May 2026

Solid Waste Management Now and What It Can Be in the Future…
Harvey Gershman, GBB Founder Owner Associate
Ohio By‐Product Synergy Network – December 2020

State of the Industry: What’s Ahead for Solid Waste Management?
Harvey Gershman, GBB President
Municipal Waste Management Association Fall Summit – October 2015

Does Your Solid Waste Management Plan Need a Makeover?
Lori Scozzafava, GBB Vice President – Operations Officer
Curbside Recycling Expo – September 2015

Overview of Project – Receivership for the Government of Guam Solid Waste Management Division 
Bob Brickner, GBB Executive Vice President
US Virgin Islands – Citizens Advisory Committee – September 2012

County of Maui Hawaii Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan 
Bob Brickner, GBB Executive Vice President
US Virgin Islands – Citizens Advisory Committee – September 2012

Metro Nashville: Total Solid Waste Management Planning & Implementation
Harvey Gershman, GBB President, and David Manning, former Metro Nashville Director of Finance
WASTECON – August 2011

County of Maui Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan
Harvey Gershman, GBB President
WASTECON – September 2009

Related GBB Articles:

5 Ingredients for Your Community’s Zero-Waste Future
Jennifer Porter, GBB Senior Vice President
Waste Today – January 2023

Solid Waste in the Age of Resilience
Jennifer Porter, GBB Vice President
Waste Today – May/June 2020

From 0 to 180: Transforming Guam’s Solid Waste Management System from the Ground Up
Chris Lund, P.E., GBB Senior Vice President
Waste Advantage Magazine – June 2015