Nashville-based Tennessee Environmental Council is coming to Middle Tennessee State University on Nov. 7 to host a high-level dialogue about the state’s growing solid waste crisis, featuring local, regional and national leaders from industry, conservation groups, higher education and policymakers.
The public is invited to attend the TEC’s 2025 Annual Policy and Practice Forum: Tennessee Solid Waste Solutions, co-hosted by MTSU’s Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability.
The event is set for Friday, Nov. 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT (doors open at 8 a.m.) at MTSU’s James Union Building, 516 Alma Mater Drive. Early bird tickets are $35 through Friday, Oct. 31, and regular admission tickets are $50. Tickets include a catered lunch and free reserved parking in the Bell Street and nearby lots. Register at this link. Student rate tickets are available at this link.
“Tennessee ranks 48th in the nation for recycling, and our landfills are reaching capacity,” says Jeffrey Barrie, CEO of TEC, in a council news release. “We need everyone at the table to help solve these problems, and we’re excited to host this important conversation.”
Richard Tarpey, MTSU associate professor and director of the Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability, which was launched over a year ago, said the center was honored to co-host and sponsor the event.
“The event will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, educators, and community members to discuss strategies for reducing landfill waste and advancing a circular economy in Tennessee,” Tarpey said. “Sponsoring and hosting the forum contributes to our mission to promote sustainable practices in supply chain management while connecting academic insights with real-world environmental policy and practice.”
The forum will kick off with a keynote by state Sen. Shane Reeves, R-Murfreesboro, chairman of the Tennessee Solid Waste Task Force, followed by a community conversation with Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland and residents on the impacts of Middle Point Landfill.
That will be followed by a screening of TEC’s documentary short, “Waste To Wages,” and a panel discussion with industry representatives from Kaiser Aluminum and Florim Tile. Jake Morabito will then present the American Legislative Exchange Council’s model Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR, resolution.
Next, a panel will discuss an EPR policy known as the Tennessee Waste to Jobs Act, currently before the General Assembly. After lunch, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation will present a preview of its 2035 Solid Waste Plan, and the forum will conclude with a panel of experts discussing Tennessee’s solid waste future.
Founded in 1970, the Tennessee Environmental Council is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people and communities improve our environment for all. TEC is committed to achieving thriving habitats, a circular economy, and climate balance in Tennessee through initiatives focused on recycling, watershed protection, tree planting, pollinator habitats, and solid waste solutions.
For more information about the Tennessee Environmental Council, visit https://tectn.org, email tec@tectn.org or call 615-248-6500.