In 1991, the General Assembly passed a model Solid Waste Act -- T.C.A. 68-211-101. This act was preceded by two years of planning and research. The original bill required 25% reduction of solid waste landiflled in line, Class I landfills and submission of Regional Solid Waste Plans. However, this bill was quickly gutted by insider local and county governments afraid of costs and performance accountability associated with waste reduction to Class I landfills. Now, instead of reducing waste in Class I landfills and good planning, we have:
-Unlined, Class IV Construction landfills increased from 15 (in 1991) to 75 (in 2002). This is how solid waste in Class I landfills was reduced!
-Regional Solid Waste Plans are empty exercises. Metro Nashville plan requires that all solid waste be screened for recycling and composting before it is landfilled. Yet, two (and soon three) Solid Waste Transfew Stations repackage solid waste from little trucks to bigger trucks for transport to landfills.
-Composting is a natural alternative to landfills in Tennessee...NOT!
-Our Class I landfills are leaky and poorly managed. Nashville paid $7.6 million in one year to landfill solid waste and 'sludge' [human and industrial waste] in this landfill. Yum-yum...landfills leak into rivers - drinking water.
Key Provisions of Solid Waste Act -- Amount and Distribution of Fees -- are up for renewal in year 2004. But, the very people who ruined this law are writing the year 2004 law. The General Assembly had a Key Accomplishment in 1991 Stolen by Local and County Governments and TDEC. Please, Get Back to Recycling and Composting.
Respectfully, BURNT's suggested Rules for General Assembly:
1. Your job is to reject legislation not to pass it. Get rid of bad laws fast!
2. Scarce resources - salary, staff, research, offices -keep you barefoot & pregnant.
3. The big abuse - few hearings on implementing present laws by the Departments.
4. Professional lobbyists rule. If the people were heard, laws would not be subverted.
*General Assembly -19 March 2003
BURNT PO Box 128555
ph. (615) 385-7214
