TN Waste To Jobs

04/02/2026

https://fox17.com/news/local/new-violations-at-middle-point-landfill-raise-concerns-about-compliance-and-expansion

New violations at the Middle Point Landfill are raising concerns for neighbors and community advocates who say the site has a pattern of compliance problems.

03/31/2026

Out-of-state investors are attempting to revive a 15-year-old la… Kathy Obrusanszki needs your support for Stop A Landfill in Headwaters to The Big South Fork

03/31/2026

https://www.ppai.org/media-hub/10-states-to-watch-for-new-packaging-epr-laws-in-2026/

More than a dozen jurisdictions in North America have adopted EPR laws for packaging, with more proposing bills and launching needs assessments.

03/13/2026

"The effort to establish an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model for packaging in Tennessee is not over."

Tennessee lawmakers advanced a bill bolstering the state’s role in connecting recycling programs with private companies.

03/13/2026

Historic momentum building in the Volunteer State✨

The Tennessee Waste To Jobs Act (TWTJ) is officially off the calendar for this session, but the progress we’ve made is record-breaking. For the first time, we moved out of the Senate Gov Ops Committee with a GOP sponsor and 4 other GOP sponsors—the furthest an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bill has ever made it in a Red State. Full stop 🛑 🙌

The Facts:
📉 TN ranks 48th in recycling and pays the highest tipping taxes in the SE.
🛑 Opponents want more landfills and 100% taxpayer-funded costs.
✅ TWTJ creates thousands of jobs and makes global brands share the cost of infrastructure.

With a coalition of Democratic and Republican mayors, solid waste directors, and global brands, we are proving that a circular economy is a Win-Win-Win for taxpayers, industry, and public health.

Tennessee is poised to become the national model for responsible recycling. The opposition is weakening, and our movement is strengthening. Let’s finish the job.

🚀 GET INVOLVED:
1️⃣ Subscribe: www.tnwastetojobs.com
2️⃣ Join the Coalition: Email [email protected]

03/13/2026

Now that the Tennessee Waste To Jobs Act (TWTJ) is officially off the calendar this session, we all need to focus on the historic momentum building behind EPR in TN. For the first time in three years, the bill moved out of the Senate Government Operations Committee with a Republican sponsor and four other GOP co-sponsors. Tennessee Waste To Jobs also picked up a republican sponsor in the House and two other co-sponsors. This is the furthest an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bill has ever made it in a Red State and with continued work and support, Tennessee is poised to pass and become the national model for responsible EPR legislation.

Over the past year, our TWTJ coalition secured letters of support from Democratic and Republican mayors, solid waste directors, city and county governments, and global brands wanting to recapture and reuse valuable materials currently being buried in landfills. With growing support from communities impacted by landfills, elected officials who represent those communities and multinational brands that want the materials, support for EPR in Tennessee continues to strengthen as opposition arguments continue to weaken.

While the Tennessee Waste to Jobs Act would create thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in nontaxpayer funded recycling infrastructure, opponents advocate taking away local decision-making authority, expanding and deepening landfills and forcing taxpayers to cover 100% of the cost of recycling through higher tipping taxes. Today, Tennesseans pay the highest tipping taxes in the Southeast and rank 48th in the nation for recycling, clearly that model hasn't worked and doesn't work.

Under the Tennessee Waste to Jobs Act, large global brands that generate the waste and seek to recover the materials share responsibility for paying for the necessary infrastructure. It's a win for taxpayers, a win for industry and a win for protecting public health and safety across Tennessee. A true Win-Win-Win.

We look forward to continuing our collaboration with stakeholders, local and state officials, solid waste directors, and Tennesseans to strengthen solutions that foster the circular economy we want to see in Tennessee!

Want to help us pass EPR? Subscribe to our growing base at www.tnwastetojobs.com and send a direct message to [email protected] for more info on joining our coalition!

03/12/2026

"The packaging EPR bill has a higher profile now whenever landfills or recycling are up for discussion, Campbell said. Supporters may take it up a notch next year with possible TV or radio publicity. People are “aware that Waste to Jobs is out there, and so that alone is an accomplishment, because EPR is not something people in the Southeast know about,” Campbell said.

"When we started this a couple years ago, it didn’t seem like it was possible in any way, shape or form, and we just got it passed through a committee with support,” she said. “So we feel confident that we’re going to be able to get it further next year, and maybe even over the finish line.”

Read full article

The bill faced pushback from groups like Ameripen and bottlers. Vowing to return stronger next year, state Sen. Heidi Campbell said she’s proud of how the bill has put EPR awareness on the map in the Southeast.

03/11/2026

Senate Government Operations Committee will vote on our bill today, the meeting is underway as we speak: watch live here: https://tnga.granicus.com/player/event/9250?redirect=true

02/27/2026

https://fox17.com/news/local/as-middle-point-landfill-concerns-grow-lawmakers-weigh-recycling-and-waste-solutions-murfreesboro-rutherford-county-tennessee

As debate continues over the proposed expansion of the Middle Point Landfill, many neighbors are asking a bigger question: What’s the long-term plan?

02/21/2026

"Does a vertical expansion count as an “expansion” that requires regional approval — or not?

That interpretation could determine how landfill modifications are handled across Tennessee.

If the judge sides with TDEC, the expansion review process could resume.

If the court upholds the writ, the expansion remains paused until regional review requirements are resolved."

Full article:

The legal fight over the expansion of Middle Point Landfill is escalating.

02/17/2026

Tennessee is currently 48th in the nation for recycling. Could this business-centric model be the key to moving up the ranks?

Summary:
Tennessee is taking a unique approach to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Unlike the sweeping mandates seen in other states, the proposed Tennessee Waste to Jobs Act is being pitched as a massive economic engine rather than just an environmental regulation. The Highlights:

*Economic Impact: Estimated to create 7,000+ local jobs and generate up to $300M annually for recycling infrastructure.

*The "Tennessee Twist": To win over skeptics, the bill includes major exemptions—businesses with under $10M in revenue and counties with fewer than 200,000 residents can opt out.

*Corporate Accountability: While small businesses get a pass, international brands would be required to fund local recycling services, shifting the cost from taxpayers to producers.

***The Goal: Address the state’s looming landfill capacity crisis by keeping valuable materials (like aluminum and glass) in the local manufacturing loop.

Learn more: www.tnwastetojobs.com
Read more here:
https://www.wastedive.com/news/tennessee-extended-producer-responsibility-packaging-landfill/811813/

The bill takes a business-centric approach to recycling, a key difference from other state EPR programs. It also allows certain small businesses and counties with fewer than 200,000 residents to opt out of the program.