By Katie Northcott, News Director
HB2518/SB1793 is headed to Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s desk after being passed by the General Assembly last week.
The bill strengthens the existing Office of Cooperative Marketing for Recyclables. The legislation also establishes the Recycling Market Development and Diversion Advisory Council.
Find more details in the press release that is copied below.
Last week, the Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation to improve Tennessee’s recycling marketplace, positioning the state to better compete for investment while addressing growing landfill capacity challenges. HB2518/SB1793 is sponsored by Senator Shane Reeves (R-Murfreesboro) and Representative Chris Todd (R-Madison County), who serve as chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Energy, Agriculture, and Natural Resources.
HB2518/SB1793 strengthens the existing Office of Cooperative Marketing for Recyclables within the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation by modernizing its role to support a statewide recyclable materials marketplace. The office will maintain a database of regional buyers while tracking available recyclable materials through a statewide marketplace, providing a central resource to connect recyclable materials with end users.
“Tennessee is home to thriving industries that could benefit from materials currently ending up in our landfills, many of which are nearing capacity,” said Chairman Reeves. “This is a pro-growth, pro-business solution that treats recycling as an economic development opportunity, not a regulatory burden. There are no new mandates, no new taxes, and no expansion of regulatory authority. Instead, we’re bringing the right partners to the table—state government, private industry, and local communities—to build a system that works.”
The legislation also establishes an 18-member Recycling Market Development and Diversion Advisory Council, which will include representatives from private industry, local solid waste management leadership, and other stakeholders. The council will study Tennessee’s recycling market and provide recommendations on market development and best practices.
Chairman Todd, co-chair of Tennessee’s Advisory Task Force on Solid Waste alongside Chairman Reeves, is focused on promoting the use of Tennessee materials by in-state businesses.
“This is about making Tennessee’s recycling system work smarter,” said Chairman Todd. “We’re giving businesses the tools they need to turn waste into a dependable resource.”
The Pew Charitable Trusts noted that Tennessee’s recycling challenges provided an opportunity for collaboration among a diverse group of stakeholders, including the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the National Waste & Recycling Association.
“This legislation is a strong example of bringing everyone to the table to strengthen recycling markets and better connect Tennessean industries to the materials they need,” said Isabel Jarrett, a senior manager with Pew’s preventing plastic pollution project. “In the U.S., an estimated $7 billion worth of plastics are sent to landfills each year. Improving the market for recycled materials, including plastic, is one of several essential steps to using these resources productively and reducing pollution through smart policy and market design.”
With passage in both the House and Senate, this bill now moves to Governor Bill Lee’s desk to be signed into law.
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