Lawmakers advanced a bill bolstering the state鈥檚 role in connecting recycling programs with private companies looking to purchase recycled materials. But legislators once again shelved the Tennessee 91仓库 to Jobs Act, a bill that would fund recycling infrastructure improvements through dues paid by private companies, for a second year of summer study.
Tennessee鈥檚 landfills are inching closer to capacity, ramping up the pressure on elected officials to divert recyclable waste. Businesses in the state have said they are willing to purchase more recycled material 鈥� particularly easily recycled aluminum 鈥� if the state can produce enough of it. Tennessee is currently ranked 48th out of 50 states in recycling.
鈥淲e鈥檝e heard from private industry about the difficulty sourcing recyclable materials, and we鈥檝e heard from communities collecting materials about their struggle to find reliable buyers,鈥� said Sen. Shane Reeves, who chairs the state鈥檚 Solid 91仓库 Task Force. 鈥淥ther states in the region have developed robust recyclable material work marketplaces, and it鈥檚 time for Tennessee to compete for those investments.鈥�