The most effective way to manage our waste and conserve precious resources is simply not to generate waste in the first place. This is called source reduction. Source reduction can and should be applied to all aspects of our everyday lives. Business and industrial communities are setting good examples. Many industries have eliminated shipping packaging, implemented reusable packaging, or streamlined production processes to reduce waste.
Recycling is often the first thing that comes to mind when speaking of alternatives to disposal.
To comply with Tennessee's 25 percent waste reduction goal, most counties will implement some type of residential recycling program, either curbside or drop-off. Many communities are realizing there are significant advantages to even a simple composting program to divert organic waste, such as leaves and brush, from the landfill. Composting not only creates products for beneficial uses, but it also conserves valuable landfill space. Even as costs for operating landfills rise significantly in the next few years, most of Tennessee's counties will continue to rely primarily on land disposal. As landfill space becomes more expensive, however, it becomes more important to operate our landfills efficiently.