Tennessee’s Solid Waste Management Act of 1991 established a $0.90 surcharge on each ton of waste disposed at Class I landfills and incinerators (§68-211-835). The revenue is deposited into the Tennessee Solid Waste Management Fund, administered by the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation (TDEC), from which annual waste reduction grants are awarded. Disposal facility operators subject to the surcharge are permitted to retain 1% of the surcharge revenue collected at their facility:
The operator of the municipal solid waste disposal facility or incinerator shall collect this surcharge and remit it to the state treasury, except that the operator shall be allowed a deduction of the surcharge due, reported and paid to the department in the amount of one percent (1%) of the amount due on the report. No deduction from the fee shall be allowed if the report or payment of the surcharge is delinquent.
Tennessee Code §68-211-835
For a period of 3 years (2009-2012), up to $2.6 million of the surcharge revenue was credited to the General Fund. Since July 1, 2012, all funds received from the surcharge are credited to the solid waste management fund.
Waste Reduction Grants – Organics Management
TDEC offers annual waste reduction grants, including Organics Management grants, Education/Outreach grants, Convenience Center grants, Used Automotive Oil grants, Recycling Equipment grants, Household Hazardous Waste grants, and Recycling Rebates. A total of $2.45 million was available for grants in 2024.
Organics Management Grants are available to Tennessee counties, cities, solid waste authorities, and nonprofit organizations, with priority for entities engaged in public-private partnerships. The emphasis on public-private partnerships is an opportunity for local governments to partner with and support community composters that provide services in their region.
Projects prioritized for funding include the provision of new or expanded organics management services and the reduction of wasted food via education, food recovery, donation, feeding animals, composting, anaerobic digestion, and more. Some limitations of this program include a required 10%-50% funding match and restrictions on items eligible for funding:
Equipment and/or items eligible for funding should fall into three categories:
(1) Organics waste reduction equipment or items, which may include educational materials, or similar equipment;
(2) Organics waste recovery and donation equipment or items, which may include bins in food service retail establishments designed to collect unconsumed fruits and vegetables, equipment that may support existing food recovery or donation operations, or similar activities;
(3) Organics waste diversion equipment or items, which may include equipment necessary for general organics processing, for composting operations, or similar activities. Any strategy that aids in the increased disposal of materials in Class I disposal facilities is not eligible under the terms of the grant.
More Information
- TDEC – Organics Management Grants
- TDEC – Grants Portal
- TDEC – Residential Composting
- Tennessee Composting Council (USCC Chapter)
- Model State Legislation: Funding Waste Diversion and On-Farm Composting via a Disposal Surcharge – Institute for Local Self-Reliance
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Original post from September 13, 2024