The most restrictive requires local governments to pass ordinances which mandate both residential and commercial separation of materials for recycling. Less restrictive legislation requires local governments to provide recycling services, but does not mandate residential or commercial participation. Tenn. Code Ann. The least restrictive type of legislation simply sets a waste reduction goal and leaves it up to local governments to determine whether a recycling program is necessary to meet that goal. Oregon was the first state to require all cities with populations over 4,000 to establish curbside recycling programs back in 1983.
Counties are responsible for reporting on the progress of cities within their boundaries.
One of the requirements of the legislation is for most local governments in the state to implement in-house programs for separation and collection of all recyclable wastes generated. The state health agency is required to design a composting system, and local solid waste plans are to include both composting and recycling programs. State agency procurement and other market development programs are part of the package. Tenn. Code Ann. All three collection methods have both positive and negative attributes.