Air & Waste Management AssociationSouthern Section

Tennessee Solid Waste UpdateBarry R. Stephens, P. E.September 12, 2012

Department of Environment and Conservation

Presentation Outline

Rulemaking initiated by the Department:

Renumber the current regulations from the Department of Health rule chapter 1200-01-07 to the Department of Environment rule chapter 0400-11-01. These rules were adopted by the Solid Waste Disposal Control Board and will become effective on September 17, 2012.

Clarification of the process for local approval for permitting of new solid waste facilities within the counties and solid waste regions (Jackson Law). The Solid Waste Disposal Control Board adopted the proposed regulations and they are now under review by the Attorney General’s Office. Once this is complete, they will be filed with the Secretary of State’s Office. Ninety days from this filing they will become effective. 

Presentation Outline - Continued

The Division addressed legislative changes in 2006 to make the existing waste reduction goal ongoing by dropping the 2003 references and to move existing language to more appropriate locations in the rule without substantive changes at this time. The proposed language also focused on the development of a plan to eliminate and/or convert the county public collection receptacles (greenbox sites) to permitted, manned convenience centers. These proposed rules were adopted by the Solid Waste Disposal Control Board on August 7, 2012 and are now in review by the Attorney General’s Office. Once this review is complete, the proposed rules will be filed with the Secretary of State’s Office. Ninety days from this filing they will become effective.

Presentation Outline - Continued

The Division, in cooperation with the regulated community, is streamlining the special waste approval process. A meeting with stakeholders was held in the fall of 2011 to discuss the first draft proposed language. Changes were made to this language and resubmitted to the stakeholders for comment in March 2012 with comments due in May 2012. These comments are to be evaluated and a second meeting with stakeholders is expected to be held in the fall of 2012 to complete the initial draft language for presentation to the Solid Waste Disposal Control Board. With the Board’s approval the proposed language will begin the formal process with a notice of rulemaking hearing.