Page 17 - May/June 2015 Vol. 33 No. 1
P. 17
In response, TDEC hired a consultant, SAIC, through
an open bid process to develop a new 2015-2025 Plan for
solid waste and material management for the state. This
materials management roadmap for the future would
require extensive public outreach and participation.
A series of public meetings was held starting in March
2014 to gather strategies for Tennessee to consider. Held
in person in Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville and Chat-
tanooga, TDEC also used a webinar broadcast to enable
more citizens to participate. A very diverse group of
approximately 100 stakeholders including municipal,
county, and industry representatives, environmental ad-
vocates, material end users and common citizens attended
the first set of these meetings.
After presenting the traditional content of statewide
solid waste and material management plans, the meeting
facilitator solicited ideas for consideration. Participants
shared a varied and comprehensive set of ideas to solve
solid waste and material management issues for the next
decade. Ideas such as increasing recycling and ensuring
equal access to recycling options were expected, but many
more were unexpected and quite progressive, like in-
creased usage of landfill bans, Pay As You Throw, extended
producer responsibility, and demonstration of need for
new solid waste disposal facilities. These new and progres-
sive ideas truly demonstrate the diverse level of opinion in
Tennessee relating to materials management.
During the second round of public meetings, stake-
holders ranked the ideas collected in the initial meetings
to help chart a course of action for the future. As with the
initial meetings, a webinar was broadcast online in addi-
tion to the face to face meetings, and public participation
was strong. The contractor also conducted several surveys
seeking input from industry and local governments.
Taking all this input into account, the new 2025 Plan was
developed to be a road map to improvement for a more
advanced system approach to materials management. The
2025 Plan gives consideration to equal access to recycling,
landfill bans, increased enforcement, and promoting every-
one to participate in the state’s efforts to increase recycling
and diversion efforts in Tennessee. This requires a para-
digm shift in how Tennessee manages materials.
Even though the SWMA identifies municipal solid
waste regions as the parties responsible for managing
waste, actual responsibility has predominately fallen to
county governments. The original regional plans identify
roles within the region towards achieving the waste reduc-
tion and diversion goals. However, the counties have been
the frontline in waste reduction efforts. The 2025 Plan
paradigm shift would increase municipal involvement in
the management of solid waste and goals to reduce waste.
WRITING THE 2025 PLAN
More than half the population of Tennessee lives under
municipal governments. These areas also generate the
greatest amount of materials and therefore have the most
impact on the success or failure of reaching state goals for
waste reduction. The 2025 Plan requires that all Tennes-
seans across all sectors, regardless of local government
Continued on page 18
View online at tnpublicworks.com 17
an open bid process to develop a new 2015-2025 Plan for
solid waste and material management for the state. This
materials management roadmap for the future would
require extensive public outreach and participation.
A series of public meetings was held starting in March
2014 to gather strategies for Tennessee to consider. Held
in person in Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville and Chat-
tanooga, TDEC also used a webinar broadcast to enable
more citizens to participate. A very diverse group of
approximately 100 stakeholders including municipal,
county, and industry representatives, environmental ad-
vocates, material end users and common citizens attended
the first set of these meetings.
After presenting the traditional content of statewide
solid waste and material management plans, the meeting
facilitator solicited ideas for consideration. Participants
shared a varied and comprehensive set of ideas to solve
solid waste and material management issues for the next
decade. Ideas such as increasing recycling and ensuring
equal access to recycling options were expected, but many
more were unexpected and quite progressive, like in-
creased usage of landfill bans, Pay As You Throw, extended
producer responsibility, and demonstration of need for
new solid waste disposal facilities. These new and progres-
sive ideas truly demonstrate the diverse level of opinion in
Tennessee relating to materials management.
During the second round of public meetings, stake-
holders ranked the ideas collected in the initial meetings
to help chart a course of action for the future. As with the
initial meetings, a webinar was broadcast online in addi-
tion to the face to face meetings, and public participation
was strong. The contractor also conducted several surveys
seeking input from industry and local governments.
Taking all this input into account, the new 2025 Plan was
developed to be a road map to improvement for a more
advanced system approach to materials management. The
2025 Plan gives consideration to equal access to recycling,
landfill bans, increased enforcement, and promoting every-
one to participate in the state’s efforts to increase recycling
and diversion efforts in Tennessee. This requires a para-
digm shift in how Tennessee manages materials.
Even though the SWMA identifies municipal solid
waste regions as the parties responsible for managing
waste, actual responsibility has predominately fallen to
county governments. The original regional plans identify
roles within the region towards achieving the waste reduc-
tion and diversion goals. However, the counties have been
the frontline in waste reduction efforts. The 2025 Plan
paradigm shift would increase municipal involvement in
the management of solid waste and goals to reduce waste.
WRITING THE 2025 PLAN
More than half the population of Tennessee lives under
municipal governments. These areas also generate the
greatest amount of materials and therefore have the most
impact on the success or failure of reaching state goals for
waste reduction. The 2025 Plan requires that all Tennes-
seans across all sectors, regardless of local government
Continued on page 18
View online at tnpublicworks.com 17
