As space in Tennessee’s landfills grows more scarce, the state is aiming to ramp up recycling markets through a new advisory council and revamped Office of Cooperative Marketing for Recyclables.
Together, the entities will serve as a sort of matchmaking service between recycling programs and private companies that are seeking to buy recycled materials.
The state Senate gave final approval to a bill creating the committee — which will assess Tennessee’s recycling marketplace and recommend ways to recruit businesses, expand the marketplace and educate the public — on Wednesday. It will issue annual reports, with the first report due by Dec. 31.
The Tennessee General Assembly may request additional reports from the council.
The council will have 18 voting members, including representatives from private industry, the legislature, state departments, local waste officials, a conservation organization and recycling associations and companies. It will sunset on June 30, 2030, unless extended by the state legislature.