Zero Waste In a State That Landfills

BURNT is on the Tennessee Solid Waste Reduction Task Force which is developing initial guidelines for new State Solid Waste Regulations. This Task Force is largely comprised of large city and rural public works officials with long experience with solid waste. It was a revelation to hear them discussing "ZERO WASTE" with specific examples such as the City of Oakland. There is widespread acceptance that solid waste has a higher value as raw material in business and composting rather than as landfill material. The major haulers and landfill owners can comply with whatever standards the State implements. Presently, Tennessee is very much landfill oriented and are not too picky about dumping solid waste and hazardous waste in the water. But, as the long time solid waste managers on the Task Force discussed, the multi-national solid waste corporations will adjust and profit from whatever regulations Tennessee develops.

Construction and Demolition Landfills are prime areas of reduction. In Tennessee, since 1996, the State has credited materials landfilled in Construction and Demolition Landfills toward the 25% waste reduction goal. The consensus of the group was to attack this waste and eliminate the 25% credit for landfilling material which is altogether suitable for recycling. The City of Chicago guidelines on Construction and Demolition Waste were brought up.

BURNT appreciates the opportunity to be part of this effort which comes from our years of work at the State Legislature and landfill hearings. There is emphasis on continuing the past policy of the 1991 Solid Waste Act which emphasizes formal reporting to claim 25% waste reduction while landfilling, landfilling, landfilling.   See attached file for what BURNT distributed at the meeting 23 Ooctober 2007 Task Force meeting

Other sites for ZERO WASTE include:

       Institute for Local Self Reliance........www.ilsr.org

       Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives........www.no-burn.org

       Center for Health, Environment, & Justice........www.chej.org