MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — In Thursday's Central Tennessee Regional Solid Waste Board meeting, Rutherford County Representative Donna Barrett introduced a resolution that would prohibit the acceptance of trash from outside counties.
“This move will stop all out of region garbage, including Davidson County, from coming into Rutherford County by the end of the year, which represents a 70% reduction of waste entering the landfill," said Rutherford County Mayor Bill Ketron.
The resolution is based on the Solid Waste Management Act of 1991.
The Act states that regions can not prohibit acceptance of waste from outside if a landfill agreed to accept it prior to July 1, 1991. However, if acceptance of outside waste significantly impairs the region's plan, it could then consider banning it.
As much as 70.27% of the waste being accepted by the Middle Point landfill in Rutherford County has been outside the Central Tennessee Region (Cannon, Coffee, Rutherford and Warren Counties). Davidson County waste makes up 46.90%.
Accepting the outside waste has created hazardous chemical reactions at Middle Point, forcing sections of the landfill to close prematurely.
The Central Tennessee Regional Solid Waste Planning Board unanimously voted to conduct a public hearing on the resolution. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on April 25 at the Warren County administrative building in McMinnville.
If approved, acceptance of the outside waste would officially cease no later than December 31, 2022.
“It is important that Rutherford County citizens attend this public hearing” Ketron said.
