HB 2134 prohibits Tennessee municipalities and counties from disposing of solid waste in landfills outside their boundaries unless the host community (the county or city where the landfill is located) has signed a written agreement approving the disposal. This requirement applies to all new waste disposal contracts entered after July 1, 2026, and mandates agreements to cover duration, fees, truck routes, environmental protections, and public approval. Existing contracts in place before July 1, 2026, and waste disposal during emergencies declared by officials are exempt. The bill directly affects local governments managing waste disposal by requiring formal agreements with host communities before out-of-area landfill use.
SB 2551 requires Tennessee counties and municipalities to obtain a written "host community agreement" from the local government where a landfill is located before disposing of solid waste outside their own boundaries. This applies to all new waste disposal contracts entered after July 1, 2026, and mandates agreements include details like duration, fees, environmental protections, and truck routes. Existing contracts in place before July 2026 are exempt until their expiration. The law aims to ensure local communities consent to accepting waste from other jurisdictions, with the state department verifying agreements before issuing disposal permits.
SB 2552, the Tennessee Secondary Aluminum Waste Management Act, regulates how secondary aluminum waste (like smelting byproducts and recycling dust) must be disposed of in landfills. It prohibits commingling this waste with municipal trash and requires dedicated landfill units (such as separate cells or monofills) for its disposal. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation must create rules for permitting these units, including standards for liners, groundwater protection, and monitoring. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, affecting landfill operators and secondary aluminum smelting facilities.
HB 2133 creates the "Tennessee Secondary Aluminum Waste Management Act" to regulate disposal of aluminum recycling byproducts. It directly affects landfill operators and aluminum recycling facilities by prohibiting mixing secondary aluminum waste (like dross or furnace dust) with regular trash and requiring dedicated landfill units for this waste. The law mandates new rules for landfill permits, liner design, and environmental protection, with the Department of Environment and Conservation developing these standards. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, applying to all such waste disposal after that date.
SB 2651 clarifies the rules for counties and municipal solid waste regions that fail to follow Tennessee's Solid Waste Management Act. It defines four specific ways a local entity can be noncompliant (like missing plan deadlines or failing to implement approved plans) and outlines a clear, step-by-step penalty system. If noncompliance continues for 30 days after a warning, the entity loses access to state solid waste management funds; after 60 days, it faces daily civil penalties up to $5,000. This bill directly affects local governments managing waste, ensuring they must meet state standards to receive funding or avoid financial penalties.
HB 600, the "Tennessee Waste to Jobs Act," requires companies that produce packaging materials to join a new organization responsible for funding recycling, reuse, and composting systems for covered packaging. It directly affects packaging producers (like those making food containers or product wrappers), mandating they help finance local recycling infrastructure instead of relying solely on government programs. The bill covers most packaging types but excludes medical products, beverage containers under future deposit systems, and long-term storage packaging. Its key goal is to divert recyclable waste from landfills, create jobs in recycling, and recover materials that would otherwise be discarded.
SB 725 would remove a two-mile buffer requirement that currently prohibits new or expanded landfills from being built within two miles of class II scenic rivers in Tennessee. This change would directly affect landfill operators and developers seeking to site facilities near these protected river areas. The bill deletes specific sections of state law (TCA Sections 11-13-111(b) and 68-211-118, 68-212-120, 68-212-223) that enforced the buffer. Consequently, landfills could be located closer to scenic rivers without the current setback.
SB 1274 updates Tennessee's environmental fee structure and regulates coal combustion residuals (like ash from power plants). It increases fees for regular landfill permits ($10,000) and annual maintenance ($15,000), while excluding coal ash disposal units from these charges. The bill requires new liners and caps for coal ash disposal facilities (except for specific uses like agricultural or engineering applications) and allows the Department of Environment and Conservation to recover regulatory costs for coal ash units through capped fees. These changes directly affect power plants, waste management facilities handling coal ash, and environmental regulatory programs.
HB 667 creates a state advisory task force to examine solid waste management issues and authorizes Tennessee's Department of Environment and Conservation to accept private company donations and apply for grants for recycling infrastructure, projects, and composting. The bill requires the department to publish its findings online and amends multiple environmental codes to support these provisions. It directly affects the state department, private waste management companies, and communities managing recycling efforts. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, after becoming Public Chapter 429.
SB 438 creates an advisory task force to examine solid waste management issues in Tennessee and authorizes the Department of Environment and Conservation to accept voluntary contributions and apply for private grants for recycling infrastructure, recycling projects, and composting initiatives. The bill requires the department to publish a report on its website regarding these efforts. It amends multiple sections of Tennessee law related to waste management, including provisions for grant funding and reporting. The bill became effective on May 9, 2025.
