2025-2035 Solid Waste Management Plan

Description 

Assess and plan regularly for Tennessee’s disposal needs, maintaining sufficient capacity for nondivertible waste. Promote best practices in landfill operations and environmental monitoring to safeguard public health and environmental quality while supporting the transition toward a more sustainable waste system. This objective builds upon Objective 7 of the 2015-2025 Plan, “Ensure Sufficient and Environmentally Sound Disposal.”

As Tennessee continues efforts to increase diversion and recycling rates, the need for reliable, environmentally protective disposal infrastructure remains constant. Proactive planning and operational excellence in landfill management are essential to protect communities, maintain regulatory compliance, and ensure public confidence in the state’s solid waste management system. By prioritizing long-term capacity and environmental safeguards, Tennessee lays the groundwork for a resilient and sustainable materials management future.

We value the input provided by all our stakeholders during this process. The best way to participate is to visit our website often and share your comments and areas of interest via our new 2035 Plan Public Participation Comment Form.

Description 

Address current infrastructure gaps and support stakeholder investment in modern, regional processing capacity. Strengthen end markets for recovered materials through public-private collaboration and promoting education and awareness. Objective 2 is directly aligned with Objective 3 of the 2015-2025 Plan, “Promote Material Processing and End Use in Tennessee,” and supports Objective 2, “Increase Recycling Access and Participation.” Expanding and modernizing processing infrastructure, while fostering robust bend markets, is critical to ensuring that recyclable materials are recovered and reused. Assess and plan regularly for Tennessee’s disposal needs, maintaining sufficient capacity for nondivertible waste and residuals. Promote best practices in landfill operations and environmental monitoring to safeguard public health and environmental quality while supporting the transition toward a more sustainable solid waste management system. Address current infrastructure gaps and support stakeholder investment in modern regional processing capacity.

Description

Develop strategies to reduce organic waste entering Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfills by promoting reuse, beneficial use, composting, and source reduction efforts. Support regional collaboration by sharing best practices, establishing communication channels, and coordinating efforts to enhance resource sharing and efficiency.

This objective continues the work of Objective 4 from the 2015-2025 Plan, “Increase Diversion of Organics.” Diverting organic waste is a key strategy for reducing landfill methane emissions, extending landfill life, and producing valuable soil amendments. By emphasizing regional collaboration and the sharing of best practices, Tennessee can accelerate progress, improve efficiency, and ensure that communities of all sizes benefit from advances in organics management.

Description

Establish clear, measurable, and forward-looking goals for solid waste and materials management, supported by modernized data collection and reporting systems. Improve data accuracy, transparency, and timeliness to better track material flows, disposal trends, and diversion rates, informing more strategic decision-making and progress reporting.

Objective 4 is closely related to Objective 1 of the 2015-2025 Plan, “Update Goals and Measure Progress.” Setting ambitious, data-driven goals and investing in modern reporting systems enables Tennessee to track progress, identify trends, and help local governments make informed decisions. This commitment to transparency and accountability is essential for building public trust, guiding continuous improvement, and ensuring that the state’s materials management system remains effective and adaptable.

Input Opportunity

We value the input provided by all our stakeholders during this process. The best way to participate is to visit our website often and share your comments and areas of interest via our new 2035 Plan Public Participation Comment Form.

Description

Provide guidance on managing problematic or hard-to-manage waste, including but not limited to household hazardous waste (HHW), waste tires, batteries, used oil, electronics, solar panels, and wind turbines. Promote proven emerging technologies and establish programs to prevent illegal dumping. 

This objective expands upon Objective 7 of the 2015-2025 Plan, “Ensure Sufficient and Environmentally Sound Disposal,” and is also informed by Objective 3, “Promote Material Develop strategies to reduce organic waste entering municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills by promoting reuse, beneficial use, composting, and source reduction efforts. Support regional collaboration by sharing best practices, establishing communication channels, and coordinating efforts to enhance resource sharing and efficiency. Establish clear, measurable, and forward-looking goals for solid waste and materials management, supported by modernized data collection and reporting systems. Improve data accuracy, transparency, and timeliness to better track material flows, disposal trends, and diversion rates, informing more strategic decision-making and progress reporting. Provide guidance on managing problematic or hard-to-manage waste, including but not limited to household hazardous waste (HHW), waste tires, batteries, used oil, electronics, solar panels, and wind turbines. Promote proven emerging technologies and establish programs to prevent illegal dumping.

Description

Prepare local governments to respond effectively to natural or manmade disasters by ensuring they have an updated Municipal Solid Waste Region Plan that includes a Disaster Debris Management Plan (DDMP) component. Emphasize incorporating the DDMP into larger Emergency Management Plans for comprehensive preparedness and response. Effective disaster debris management is essential for minimizing environmental impacts, expediting community recovery, and maximizing eligibility for federal reimbursement. By integrating DDMPs into broader emergency planning, Tennessee enhances its preparedness and resilience in the face of increasing disaster risks.

Description

Improve education and outreach regarding opportunities for source reduction, recycling, and composting and their benefits. Educate the public on how solid waste management is funded and the vital importance of this service. This objective is a direct continuation of Objective 6 from the 2015-2025 Plan, “Expand and Focus Education and Outreach.” Comprehensive education and outreach efforts are fundamental to increasing participation, changing behaviors, and building public understanding of the value and funding of solid waste management. By empowering Tennesseans with knowledge, the state ensures greater program success and long-term sustainability.

Description

Encourage state and local governments to seek sustainable funding sources by providing information on available grants, guidance on application processes, and establishing funding mechanisms to support municipal solid waste management programs. Ensure counties and private entities are able to meet financial responsibility for permitted facilities including day to day operations, closure, and post closure activities. Objective 8 is directly related to Objective 8 of the 2015-2025 Plan, “Develop Sustainable Funding Sources for Sustainable Materials Management.” As diversion increases and traditional disposal-based funding models become less reliable, Tennessee must pursue innovative and equitable funding strategies. Sustainable funding is essential for maintaining and expanding critical services, supporting innovation, and ensuring all communities have access to effective waste management solutions.

Input Opportunity

We value the input provided by all our stakeholders during this process. The best way to participate is to visit our website often and share your comments and areas of interest via our new 2035 Plan Public Participation Comment Form.

In addition to strategies identified in the 2025-2035 Solid Waste and Materials Management Plan, we are interested in hearing from you regarding the following.

Topics and Questions

Objective 1: How should Tennessee ensure long-term environmentally protective disposal capacity?
Objective 2: How should Tennessee advance material processing infrastructure and market development?
Objective 3: What steps should Tennessee take to organic waste diversion?
Objective 4: How would Tennessee strengthen goals and data-driven performance metrics?
Objective 5: How should Tennessee handle problematic or hard-to-manage waste?
Objective 6: What are your thoughts about Disaster Debris Management?
Objective 7: How would you like Tennessee to expand education and outreach for recycling, source reduction, and composting?
Objective 8: How should Tennessee encourage sustainable funding sources to improve and support programs that manage municipal solid waste and materials?

2035 Solid Waste Management Plan Presentations for Stakeholder Feedback

External Working Group Steering Committee

The purpose of the external working group is to provide an opportunity for Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to collaborate with local governments on the effective and efficient implementation of the 2035 Plan. Representatives include TDEC’s DSWM as well as local governments representing diverse solid waste and recycling programs. Volunteer members recruited by TDEC from cities, counties, and non-profits, and the Tennessee Solid Waste Director's Association (TSWDA) have committed to a series of working meetings aimed at delivering interim work outcomes and building support to successfully implement the 2035 Plan.

TDEC's DSWM continues to encourage feedback via the Public Participation Comment Form.  The 2025 meeting minutes can be view on the tabs below.

Upcoming Public Hearing Dates