Paper. Plastic. Cans. Cardboard. Used appliances. The list is virtually endless. Our modern conveniences, while time-saving, also create space-consuming garbage.
During 1994, Tennesseans generated more than 7.3 million tons of garbage — more than a ton per person. Surveys of the state’s solid waste landfills reveal that much of our waste (37 percent) comes from households, with industrial and commercial waste mak ing up most of the remainder.
A 1968 statewide survey determined that there were approximately 270 organized municipal dump sites across the state, most of which were simply open dumps that were frequently burned to reduce waste volume. Little attention was given to what was being du mped on or buried in the ground, allowing hazardous and toxic materials to get into our ground and surface waters.
The passage of the Tennessee Solid Waste Disposal Act in 1969 marked a major milestone for environmental protection, giving the state authority to regulate local dumps and to manage solid waste disposal. Solid waste management remains a top environmental priority in Tennessee.
Over the last 25 years, many positive changes have come about in the way we manage solid waste. Tighter controls on construction and operation have made landfills much more protective of the environment and much more expensive to construct and operate.
As landfill costs continue to escalate, it is estimated that more than 20 of Tennessee’s 73 active municipal solid waste landfills will close by October 1996 — the effective date of new federal requirements for liners and leachate collection systems.
Following a recent state trend, it is expected that there will be fewer landfills by 1998 and that these will receive much more waste per day than the current statewide average. On an economy of scale, larger landfills are less expensive to operate, and large regional landfills will likely replace many of the smaller, county- or city-owned landfills.
With the help of the state’s Solid Waste Management Act passed in 1991, all of Tennessee’s counties have come a long way in developing 10-year solid waste plans and in providing countywide services, such as garbage collection and recycling. The act also sets an important goal to reduce the amount of waste going to our landfills by 25 percent on a per capita basis by December 1995. This goal has encouraged local governments to expand recycling efforts and to initiate waste reduction and environmental edu cation programs.
Based on 1994 waste collection data, Tennesseans are working to achieve reduction goals. Waste disposal data show that at least 1.6 million tons of waste were diverted from sanitary landfills during 1994, for an annual waste reduction rate of 21.8 percen t. Almost half (47.3 percent) of this waste was recycled, and another 37.8 percent was used for compost or mulch.
Household Hazardous Waste
Whether we live in the country or in the city, potentially hazardous or toxic materials accumulate in our households. These household hazardous wastes include such items as paints, pesticides, cleaners and other common household chemicals.
If poured down the drain, these products can damage sewage treatment plants and septic systems and pollute underground and surface waters. Toxic pollutants can be released into the air if they are burned.
Mobile household hazardous waste collection events operated by the TDEC offer an alternative for safe disposal of unwanted hazardous wastes.
Since September 1993, collection events have been held in 77 counties. Approximately 460 tons of household hazardous wastes have been collected, reused, recycled, treated or placed in a secure hazardous waste landfill.
Most of the wastes collected are latex and oil-based paints, used oil, pesticides and batteries. Other acceptable items include antifreeze and automotive fluids, kerosene, household cleaners, solvents, pool chemicals, fertilizers, drain cleaners, disinfe
ctants and hobby chemicals. Unacceptable items include ammunition and explosives, medical wastes, radioactive materials and dioxin-related chemicals.
The state’s free mobile collection service is available to all counties. In addition, Tennessee’s four metropolitan counties are eligible for a state grant to establish a permanent collection site.
Used motor oil is accepted from do-it-yourselfers at over 390 collection centers across the state. To find the nearest collection center in your area, call the toll-free Used Oil Hotline at 1-800-287-9013.
Twenty-five years ago, Tennesseans - like most Americans - had little or no concept of the potential effects that improperly handled wastes can have on our environment and sometimes our health. Until the mid-’70s, businesses and industry were left virtua lly on their own to find ways to dispose of the waste they generated.
Generally, a substance is considered hazardous if it is ignitable, corrosive, reactive or toxic. Because of these characteristics, hazardous substances can threaten human health and the environment. Both state and federal laws regulate hazardous waste f rom the time it is generated until it is properly recycled or treated and disposed.
In 1990, the General Assembly passed the Hazardous Waste Reduction Act, which required most industries to cut their hazardous waste production by 25 percent (adjusted for economic growth) by June 30, 1995. During 1993, the latest reporting year, Tennesse e businesses and industries exceeded this goal with a combined reduction of 54.3 percent.
State businesses and industries generated 38.6 million tons of hazardous waste during 1993, a 4 percent decrease over the previous year. Also, Tennessee exported 53,360 tons of hazardous waste, primarily to Alabama and South Carolina, and imported 111,46
3 tons of waste, mainly from South Carolina and Mississippi.
Across Tennessee, there are hundreds of inactive hazardous substance sites with the potential to pollute our soil, streams and wells. Most were created years ago, before the passage of federal and state laws governing proper handling and disposal.
Cleaning up these sites requires a great deal of time and money. Because many sites have been abandoned, it is often difficult to determine who was responsible for their creation.
In 1983, the state General Assembly established the Hazardous Waste Remedial Action Fund as Tennessee’s counterpart to the national Superfund. Its purpose is to address those inactive hazardous substance sites that threaten public health and/or the envir onment but are not included on the EPA National Priorities List. Approximately $2.6 million in fees from hazardous waste generators, shippers and transporters finances most of Tennessee’s Superfund, supplemented with a $1 million annual state appropriati on.
The state Superfund attempts to determine the potentially responsible parties (PRPs) who created each of these sites and require them to pay for investigation and cleanup costs, as well as oversight costs incurred by the state. At those sites where the P RPs are either unwilling or unable to pay or where no PRP can be identified, the fund pays for the cleanup. Legal actions are initiated to recover fund monies spent to clean up those sites where the PRP was unwilling to pay.
In 1994, the General Assembly established a program to encourage more voluntary cleanups. This program gives the state oversight responsibility and input into cleanup operations and expedites site cleanup.
Leaking petroleum underground storage tanks are another potential source of soil and groundwater contamination. Petroleum products contain harmful components that can contaminate water wells, the soil and streams.
Drive through any town or city across the state, and you will likely see excavation activities at a local service station. In most instances, old bare steel tanks are being replaced with structurally sound tank systems that are protected against corrosio n and equipped for early leak detection.
As of July 1995, there were approximately 27,450 operational petroleum underground tanks in Tennessee. Of these, 12,066 tanks meet tougher new environmental standards.Since Tennessee’s underground storage tank program began in 1988, more than 2,450 leaki
ng tank problems have been discovered. Through July 1995, 29 percent of these sites have been cleaned up, and another 29 percent are involved in either corrective action or routine monitoring.