(a) The recovery and utilization of resources contained in sewage sludge and solid waste and the generation of electrical and other forms of energy from water resources promotes trade, commerce, industry, and employment opportunities by creating a new industry to recover and utilize such resources and by creating a climate highly favorable to the location of new industrial facilities in areas where such resources are recovered or available by providing additional sources of energy and a method of processing and disposing of sewage and solid waste in an efficient and environmentally sound manner. It is therefore in the public interest and is vital to the public welfare of the people of the State of Georgia, and it is declared to be the purpose of this chapter, to create resource recovery development authorities to recover and utilize resources contained in sewage sludge, solid waste, and water resources. It is likewise in the public interest and is vital to the public welfare of the people of the State of Georgia, and it is declared to be the intent of this chapter to preserve and do nothing to interfere with the practice of recycling solid waste for use again by industry and the public thereby preserving and reusing important natural and other resources, except as specifically provided for in this chapter.

(b) It is the clearly articulated and affirmatively expressed policy of the State of Georgia that any resource recovery development authority, other authority, municipal corporation, county, other governmental body or agency, or private party shall be authorized, with respect to any solid waste, sewage sludge, or resources contained therein which the owner or generator thereof makes available to such resource recovery development authority, other authority, municipal corporation, county, or other governmental body or agency or private party to enter into agreements or in the case of a county or municipal corporation to enact ordinances or resolutions in furtherance of a project granting, directing, or providing for an exclusive right or rights in any of the foregoing parties with respect to such solid waste, sewage sludge, or resources contained therein, including, but not limited to, the exclusive right to collect, acquire, receive, transport, store, treat, process, utilize, sell, or dispose of discarded solid waste, sewage sludge, or resources contained therein; provided, however, excluded from such authorization shall be any rights to materials or substances contained in such solid waste, sewage sludge, or resources contained therein as may be separated for recycling at any time prior to pick up by or delivery to such resource recovery development authority, other authority, municipal corporation, county, or other governmental body or agency or private party of such discarded solid waste, sewage sludge, or resources contained therein.