Tennessee Solid Waste Program- Background The solid waste program within the DSWM regulates landfills and waste processing facilities in Tennessee. Solid.

• 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.

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

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Environmental Assistance Centers (EACs)

Memphis EAC Nashville EAC Chattanooga EAC Cookeville EAC Suite E-645 Perimeter Park 2510 Mount Moriah Road Memphis, TN 38115-1520 Mr. Jim Chaney, EAC Mgr. Mr. Vaughn Cassidy, EC (901) 368-7939 (EAC) (901) 368-7990 (Mgr.) (731) 512-1343 (EC)

711 R.S. Gass Blvd. Nashville, TN 37243 Ms. Brenda Apple, EAC Mgr. Mr. Charles Jobe, EC (615) 687-7000 (EAC) (615) 687-7033 (Mgr.) (615) 687-7074 (EC)

Suite 550 - State Office Building 540 McCallie Avenue Chattanooga, TN 37402 Mr. Stan Boyd, EAC Mgr. (423) 634-5747 (EAC) (423) 634-5782 (Mgr.)

1221 South Willow Avenue Cookeville, TN 38506 Mr. Jimmie Lee Clark, EAC Mgr. (931) 432-4015 (EAC) (931) 423-7614 (Mgr.)

Jackson EAC Knoxville EAC Columbia EAC Johnson City EAC 362 Carriage House Drive Jackson, TN 38305 Mr. Rudy Collins, EAC Mgr. Mr. Vaughn Cassidy, EC (731) 512-1300 (EAC) (731) 512-1339 (Mgr.) (731) 512-1343 (EC)

Suite 220 - State Plaza 2700 Middlebrook Pike Knoxville, TN 37921 Mr. Phil Chambers, EAC Mgr. Mr. Mark Penland, EC (865) 594-6035 (EAC) (865) 594-5524 (Mgr.) (865) 594-5512 (EC)

2484 Park Plus Drive Columbia, TN 38401 Mr. Joe Holmes, EAC Mgr. Mr. Charles Jobe, EC (931) 380-3371 (EAC) (931) 840-4163 (Mgr.) (615) 687-7074 (EC)

2305 Silverdale Road Johnson City, TN 37601-2162 Mr. Mark Braswell, EAC Mgr. Ms. Jan Compton, EC (423) 854-5400 (EAC) (423) 854-5441 (Mgr.) (423) 854-5417 (EC)

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

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

Class I Disposal FacilityClass I Disposal Facility

Refers to a sanitary landfill, or municipal solid waste landfill.Refers to a sanitary landfill, or municipal solid waste landfill.

Class II Disposal FacilityClass 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.

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.

Class III Disposal FacilityClass III Disposal Facility

Refers to a landfill for the disposal of landscaping and land clearing wastes, and demolition/construction waste.

Refers to a landfill for the disposal of landscaping and land clearing wastes, and demolition/construction waste.

Class IV Disposal FacilityClass IV Disposal Facility

Refers to a landfill for the disposal of demolition and construction wastes.

Refers to a landfill for the disposal of demolition and construction wastes.

Solid Waste PermitsLocal Approval

• TCA 68-21-701 - The Jackson Law

• TCA 68-211-814- SW Region Approval

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

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

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 •  

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

To find out more about our program, visit our web page at:

http://www.state.tn.us/environment/swm/