Solid waste management has become one of the most controversial and challenging issues affecting us today. Over the last few years, people have become more aware and concerned about proper waste disposal. While new solid waste laws and regulations are more protective of the environment, they also require major changes in the way we manage our wastes.
It is estimated that the cost for garbage collection and disposal in 1989 was $6 per month per household. In the future, we may expect to pay double or even triple that amount, depending upon the level of collection service provided (back door, curbside, convenience center drop-off, etc.).
Most of our waste comes from commercial and industrial establishments such as offices, retail shops and restaurants. Much of it also comes from our homes.
Surveys of Tennessee's municipal solid waste landfills show that we dispose of enough waste to fill the University of Tennessee's Neyland Stadium to the top every two weeks!
Tennesseans throw away approximately one ton of garbage per person per year. This figure has remained relatively constant for the last several years, even with increased emphasis and incentives to reduce waste. Generally, this can be attributed to the growth in population, to the fact that people are individually throwing away more waste each year and to improved collection systems across the state.
Some waste entering the solid waste stream is recycled or diverted for beneficial use. However, a 1989 study estimates that 10 percent to 20 percent of the waste generated in Tennessee never reached an appropriate disposal facility. This unmanaged waste typically could be seen littering the sides of roads, fouling our creeks or dumped in sinkholes.
Historically, solid waste collection in Tennessee has been very inconsistent, ranging from door-to-door collection services in some counties to no collection in others. In 1989, approximately one-third of Tennessee counties had no countywide collection available. Another third had collection services that would be considered inadequate by today's standards.
The Solid Waste Management Act of 1991 has had a significant impact on the way
we manage waste. The act requires all counties in Tennessee to assure adequate collection
services by January 1, 1996. At a minimum, counties must provide an attended convenience center where residents can drop off their waste. The chart on this page shows
the progress made in garbage collection systems since 1989.
The most effective way to manage our waste and conserve precious resources is simply not to generate waste in the first place. This is called source reduction. Source reduction can and should be applied to all aspects of our everyday lives. Business and industrial communities are setting good examples. Many industries have eliminated shipping packaging, implemented reusable packaging, or streamlined production processes to reduce waste.
Recycling is often the first thing that comes to mind when speaking of alternatives to disposal. By January 1, 1996, every county must provide at least one site to collect recyclables. To comply with Tennessee's 25 percent waste reduction goal, most counties will implement some type of residential recycling program, either curbside or drop off.
Many communities are realizing there are significant advantages to even a simple
composting program to divert organic waste such as leaves and brush from the landfill.
Composting not only creates products for beneficial uses, but it also conserves
valuable landfill space.
Even as costs for operating landfills rise significantly in the next few years, most of Tennessee's counties will continue to rely primarily upon land disposal. In Tennessee, as well as the nation, land disposal may still be the most economical alternative, as other options on a large scale may not be available or appropriate for some communities.
As landfill space becomes more expensive, however, it becomes more important to operate our landfills efficiently. One of the first considerations in landfill efficiency is economy of scale. Typically, the more tonnage a landfill receives per day, the lower the cost per ton for disposal. Also, larger facilities usually have better equipment and more personnel to manage the site and, therefore, tend to be more environmentally sound.
Following a recent trend in Tennessee, we anticipate that there will be fewer landfills
by 1998 and that those facilities will receive, on the average, much more waste per
day than the current statewide average.
Although landfills are safer now than ever before, they use a precious and limited resource -- our land. Tennessee has made every effort to manage this resource diligently and conservatively. The General Assembly passed comprehensive legislation which encourages regional planning among local governments to limit the number of landfills to just those necessary for meeting statewide needs for disposal. At every opportunity, state leaders have encouraged our representatives in Washington to work toward enacting legislation that would allow local governments some measure of control, thereby assuring the resources needed for future generations of Tennesseans.