1. Tennessee Solid Waste Program- Background The solid waste program within the DSWM regulates landfills and waste processing facilities in Tennessee. Solid waste includes just about everything discarded (except hazardous waste) including household garbage and construction debris to industrial waste and sewage sludge 15 million tons of solid waste is generated in Tennessee each year.

2. Tennessee Solid Waste Program Regulation consists of two primary functions - compliance and permitting 28 Field staff statewide – Permits are drafted by field staff and signed by the Director 7 Central office staff

4. Compliance Field staff conduct inspections of permitted facilities and investigate citizen complaints. Penalties may be assessed for serious or repeat violations. Compliance for permitted facilities is consistently above 95% Average annual numbers are as follows : Inspections – 2000 Complaints - 750 Penalties - $ 250,000

5. Permitting Technical staff review permit applications and conduct public hearings on proposed facilities. In an average year the program will issue 40 permits( not including convenience centers). The universe of permitted facilities in Tennessee follows: Landfills- 160 Closed Landfills- 90 Processing Facilities –180 Convenience Centers- 500

6. Class I Disposal Facility Refers to a sanitary landfill, or municipal solid waste landfill.

7. Class II Disposal Facility Refers to a landfill which receives waste which is generated by one or more industrial or manufacturing plants. Additionally a Class II disposal facility may also serve as a monofill for ash disposal from the incineration of municipal solid waste.

8. Class III Disposal Facility Refers to a landfill for the disposal of landscaping and land clearing wastes, and demolition/construction waste.

9. Class IV Disposal Facility Refers to a landfill for the disposal of demolition and construction wastes.

10. Solid Waste Permits Local Approval TCA 68-21-701 - The Jackson Law TCA 68-211-814- SW Region Approval

11. Jackson Law Passed on June 2, 1989 Landfill applications and SW Processing facility applications must be approved by a city and/or county ( which has adopted this Statute) before review by TDEC No TDEC override

12. SW Region Approval SW Region Board must approve landfill applications before TDEC issues a permit Review is limited to conformance with Region solid waste plan TDEC-Commissioner may override decision

13. Program Accomplishments Major accomplishments over the last few years include the following: Land application permit program implemented for food wastes Funding source for remediation of unlined municipal landfills ( permitted in 70’s and 80’s) Financial assurance ( bonding) for all landfills and certain processing facilities Recertification of special wastes disposed in municipal waste landfills Training and certification of landfill operators

14. Program Goals Goals for the program include the following: - Investigation and ranking of unlined municipal landfills - Expand training program to all landfill operators - Research impact of surface impoundments which store solid waste

15. To find out more about our program, visit our web page at: http://www.state.tn.us/environment/swm/