The City of Memphis and Shelby County are collaborating on a comprehensive long-term plan to enhance regional waste management. The Solid Waste Management Plan, currently in development, aims to reduce landfill use and promote more sustainable practices in homes, businesses, and schools over the next 30 years.
The Solid Waste Management Plan will be designed to align with the larger environmental objectives outlined in the Memphis Area Climate Action Plan and the Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan. These plans emphasize the importance of reducing landfill usage and promoting long-term behavioral changes regarding waste management.
In 2023, the City and County each committed $200,000, resulting in a total of $400,000 in local funding for the initiative. The Office of Sustainability and Resilience (OSR) is managing the project and has also secured additional support from state and federal sources. This includes a $250,000 Planning and Technical Assistance Waste Characterization Study Grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), as well as $142,304.15 from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG). Overall, the project has received a total of $792,304.15 in funding.
At the heart of the plan is setting data-driven strategies that balance cost and operations with long-term environmental benefits. A key early step was conducting a waste characterization study to understand better the types of materials being discarded in Shelby County. Two waste sorting events were held in 2024—one in June and another in October. The results, along with an assessment of the existing solid waste system, will help shape the goals of the final plan.
As of spring 2025, the Waste Characterization Report is nearly complete. Now, the project team wants to hear directly from residents. As work continues, the project team is now asking for public input. A survey is available for residents of Shelby County and its municipalities to share their personal experiences with waste—at home, work, or school—and to suggest ways the local government could improve, expand, or sustain its waste services.
The Solid Waste Management Plan is set to be finialized by fall of 2025.
Learn more about the Solid Waste Management Plan and survey >
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