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Franklin County solid‑waste board to explore mass‑burn facility; recycling focused on 'big four' commodities
Summary
Solid Waste Director William Anderson told the board the county will explore a mass‑burn waste‑to‑energy facility to reduce landfill reliance and will concentrate recycling on cardboard, paper, plastic jugs/bottles and metals; the board will tour a facility in Huntsville and pursue a TDEC grant for convenience‑center upgrades.
Franklin County’s Solid Waste Board is examining whether to acquire or host a modern mass‑burn waste‑to‑energy facility, Solid Waste Director William Anderson told commissioners during the Oct. 15 meeting.
"The Solid Waste Board has decided to explore the option of acquiring and placing a Mass Burn Facility in Franklin County much like the one that is currently operating in Huntsville, AL," Anderson said in the written report provided to commissioners. "These are not the mass burn facilities of the past and the new technology presents very little contaminants into the atmosphere." He said the board plans a site tour of the Huntsville facility and will invite commissioners to attend.
Anderson framed the proposal as a response to shrinking Tennessee landfill capacity and changing recycling markets. He said the county is narrowing recycling efforts to the four commodities vendors are still purchasing — cardboard, paper, plastic jugs and bottles, and metals — and will simplify its recycling program accordingly. The solid‑waste packet included monthly recycling tallies and a September month total showing roughly 191.7 tons handled and $17,560.66 in recycling‑related receipts for the month, per the report included with the minutes.
The board also reported infrastructure work at county convenience centers. Winchester Springs convenience center is the target of a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation grant application to replace compactors, add fencing and repave the site; Joyce Lane convenience center recently received repaving work the director described as improving public experience and increasing recycling participation.
The Solid Waste Board emphasized that moving toward waste‑to‑energy would be a multi‑step process requiring feasibility study, vendor vetting, public outreach, permitting and possible grant or bond financing; no formal purchase or contract was approved at the Oct. 15 commission meeting. The commission received and filed the Solid Waste quarterly report.
