Joint Solid Waste Task Force Meets
A joint House and Senate Solid Waste Task Force met on June 9, 2026, to consider challenges facing solid waste disposal in Tennessee. The task force is chaired by Senator Shane Reeves of Rutherford County and Representative Chris Todd of Madison County. Much of the meeting focused on the process for permitting and approving new landfills or expansions of existing facilities. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) provided a detailed overview of the process, including time frames, landfill requirements, placement restrictions, and state and local permitting and approval processes. TDEC staff noted that while there have been numerous expansions in recent years, it has been a very long time since a new Class 1 landfill for municipal solid waste was approved in Tennessee.
Much of the discussion focused on a state law enacted in 1989 commonly known as the Jackson Law. It is a local option law that has been adopted by 53 counties and a number of municipalities since its enactment. While it was originally intended to expire, the law remains on the books. In jurisdictions operating under the Jackson Law, landfills must be approved by the governing body of the city or county where they are proposed. There are broad grounds in the law to allow for rejection of a landfill, including general health, safety, and welfare concerns.
While the decision is subject to judicial review, TDEC staff testified that they are aware of only one case in which a local decision to reject a landfill was overturned by a court. Some representatives from the industry have raised concerns that this approval process is limiting the ability for Tennessee to have the necessary facilities to manage the amount of waste being generated. There was discussion about whether the law was intended to only apply in jurisdictions without zoning, but an analysis of maps of jurisdictions under the law shows that about half of the 48 counties with zoning have also adopted the Jackson Law for added protection.
