TN Waste To Jobs

09/15/2026

What is possible when packaging producers invest directly in recycling infrastructure? Oregon just gave us the playbook. 📈

The first annual report on Oregon’s Packaging EPR program (under Circular Action Alliance) reveals early, high-impact results from its first six months:

• 144k+ tons of material processed & kept out of disposal sites
• 42k+ recycling carts and 12 trucks funded directly by producers
• 20 new collection sites opened, expanding statewide access

Relieving Tennessee's Impending Landfill Crisis:

Tennessee is on the clock. With major facilities approaching end-of-life and permitting new capacity taking up to a decade, our state cannot afford to bury nearly 1 million tons of recyclable packaging every year. Right now, paper and packaging make up nearly a third of our local waste stream, and Tennessee landfills 88% of these valuable materials—ranking 48th in the nation for packaging recycling.

When states pass Extended Producer Responsibility, like the proposed Tennessee Waste to Jobs Act, we shift the financial and logistical burden of packaging waste off taxpayers and city budgets. Producer-funded capital directly targets our capacity crisis by:

~Diverting Waste & Preserving Space: Keeping up to 1 million tons of recyclable paper and packaging out of rapidly filling landfills every year, extending the lifespan of our regional disposal sites.

~Modernizing Processing: Upgrading regional Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) with advanced sorting tech to handle higher throughput and lower contamination.

~Powering Local Industry: Supplying Tennessee manufacturers with clean, domestic recycled feedstock to build regional supply chains and create long-term green jobs.

Oregon’s progress proves that producer-funded recycling isn't just an environmental policy—it's an essential economic and infrastructure strategy. Let's pass EPR in Tennessee!!!

Read full article from the CAA: https://circularactionalliance.org/news-feed/first-oregon-epr-report-shows-early-implementation-of-producer-funded-recycling-system

Learn more about EPR in TN & join the movement: tnwastetojobs.com

Circular Action Alliance (CAA) Oregon released its first annual report on the state’s paper and packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, highlighting how producer-funded investments are beginning to roll out across the recycling system. New collection sites, equipment and support ...

09/14/2026

Big shift in sustainability! ♻️ Oregon’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program completed its first year—shifting recycling costs from taxpayers back to product manufacturers.

Key Takeaways:
• $190M+ projected in Year 1 producer fees
• Federal courts just upheld the law's constitutionality ⚖️
• Blueprint for nationwide packaging & waste reform

Read the full breakdown ⬇️

The rollout of the state’s Recycling Modernization Act offers insights for those looking at future policy implementation.

08/27/2026

What happens when trash cooks underground at 200°F?

200°F inside a landfill? It sounds unthinkable, but runaway chemical heat reactions in buried waste are becoming a major crisis nationwide, as a new Bloomberg report highlights.

But we don't have to wait for landfills in Tennessee to reach a tipping point. The smartest way to manage landfill crises is to stop burying the wrong materials in the first place.

That's where Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and the Tennessee Waste to Jobs Act come in:

*Diverts Waste* Shifting packaging waste into recycling and composting streams keeps chemical reaction fuel out of landfills.

*Zero Taxpayer Cost* Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) shift end-of-life costs onto packaging producers, saving local governments and taxpayers millions.

*Creates Local Opportunity* Repurposing nearly 1 million tons of waste per year will create thousands of local jobs and supply Tennessee manufacturers with needed raw materials.

Waste isn't just something to throw away—it's a resource that belongs in our economy, not cooking underground.

Check out the full story:

https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2026-america-overheating-landfills/?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc4NzI0MjAwMSwiZXhwIjoxNzg3ODQ2ODAxLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUSzI5ME9LSVAzSjMwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJFMDA1NTk0OTFEREE0MUU5OThFQjBDQzE5MjQ0M0VEMSJ9.YTVTrb3DfMGHYpWKUpeoA28xZnnTMJgbYJTeVX0EZdo&leadSource=article-gifting

Hot waste piles can become environmental disasters. A Bloomberg Businessweek analysis finds that many landfill operators and regulators aren’t intervening at the level experts say is needed.

06/10/2026

Today's Solid Waste Task Force Meeting, if you missed it:

Joint Solid Waste Task Force- June 9, 2026- House Hearing Room 3

06/08/2026

Ever feel like local voices get drowned out by massive corporations? 🛑 Not on our watch.

Swipe through to learn about the Jackson Law (T.C.A. § 68-211-701 et seq.)—a powerful tool that hands the decision-making power back to Tennessee communities when it comes to landfill developments and expansions.

If a county or city adopts this law, it has the final say on whether a landfill fits its community impact standards. It’s local democracy at its finest. 🗺️✨

🚨 CRITICAL UPDATE: Task Force Meeting Tomorrow! 🚨
We need your boots on the ground. The Solid Waste Task Force is meeting TOMORROW, and we need a strong community showing to prove that we care about sustainable local jobs, not just becoming a dumping ground.

What you can do right now:
1️⃣ Swipe through to understand how the Jackson Law protects your neighborhood.
2️⃣ Check the last post we made for the exact time and location of tomorrow's meeting.
3️⃣ Show up and speak out! 🗣️

Let's turn waste into jobs, protect our environment, and keep local decisions in local hands. See you tomorrow! 👇

06/05/2026

🚨 TN SOLID WASTE TASK FORCE MEETING THIS TUESDAY! 🚨

Important state solid waste policies are up for discussion next week, and we need Tennessee voices in the room! If you care about protecting our local communities, land, and water, this is the moment to show up.

📅 When: Tuesday, June 9th at 9:30 AM CT
📍 Where: Cordell Hull Building, Nashville, TN

🗣️ Action: Attend in person, stand with your neighbors, and participate in public comment (typically held at the end of the meeting).

What’s on the table?

The task force will be hearing key presentations regarding two foundational pieces of Tennessee environmental policy:

* The Jackson Law: A 40-year-old framework that guarantees local governments and residents have a direct seat at the table and the ultimate voice in deciding where commercial landfills can be built or expanded in their communities.

* The Scenic Rivers Act: A vital law that helps protect our state’s most ecologically valuable, free-flowing, and beautiful rivers from nearby pollution—including maintaining essential protective buffers against landfill development.

Why we need to be there:

Tennessee currently ranks 48th in the nation for recycling. As our state plans its long-term infrastructure, we need to show policymakers that citizens favor forward-thinking circular economy solutions—like the Tennessee Waste to Jobs Act—over simply expanding landfilling at the expense of local communities and clean water.

Let’s flood the room, keep our message positive, and ensure Tennessee communities always maintain a strong, permanent voice in the decisions that shape our environment for generations! 🌿💧

05/20/2026

If you haven't seen this article, here's where we left off last session...What do you think about another "Council" to further recycling, rather than our EPR policy, that would generate the funding we need to build the recycling infrastructure Tennessee desperately needs?

"The Office of Cooperative Marketing for Recyclables within Tennessee’s Department of Environment and Conservation will create an “interactive information clearinghouse and marketing service” using voluntary information collected from recycling programs and private businesses...

Lawmakers once again chose not to advance the Tennessee Waste to Jobs Act, a bill that would improve Tennessee’s recycling infrastructure and education through dues paid by private companies in an “Extended Producer Responsibility” model. "

Read the full article below:

Tennessee is aiming to ramp up recycling markets through a new advisory council and revamped Office of Cooperative Marketing for Recyclables.

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