Every year, Tennessee sends nearly one million tons of recyclable materials worth $150 million to its landfills, contributing to a growing waste crisis. One state lawmaker is turning to a solution that鈥檚 been used in Europe since the 1990s: Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR.
It would shift the cost of recycling programs from taxpayers to the companies that produce the waste. And with half of the landfills across the state rapidly approaching capacity, including Middle Point Landfill in Murfreesboro, the need for action is urgent.
Middle Point is the largest landfill in the state. It was first opened in 1989, but with rapid growth in Middle Tennessee it now takes in more than 1,000 tons of waste every day from Nashville and surrounding areas. And unless something changes, it鈥檚 slated to close in just four years. Regional Operator Mike Classen says that鈥檚 when it will run out of room.