MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) — The City of Murfreesboro has claimed victory after BFI Waste Systems dropped an appeal to expand Middle Point Landfill to the north. However, as of publication, the landfill is still actively pursuing its proposal to expand its facility to the south.
Since 1988, Middle Point Landfill — also known as Mount Trashmore — has been the dumping ground for much of Middle Tennessee’s trash. According to Middle Point Landfill’s website, it takes on roughly 3,700 tons of waste each day.
Many residents, like Tom Hollins, have voiced their hope to see the landfill close one day.
“The real estate agent lied and told me they weren’t going to reopen,” Hollins, who bought his home 35 years ago, said. “…No way I would’ve bought this property if I had known the landfill was going to reopen.”
The landfill is expected to run out of capacity within the next four years. Leaders with Middle Point Landfill had looked to expand 99 acres to the north. After a four-year long court battle, BFI Waste Systems dropped its latest appeal for that expansion last week.
“The City has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Board in opposing BFI’s expansion efforts, and while our concerns about BFI and the effect of the landfill on our community are far from over, we are thankful for this latest development,” Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland said in a statement Tuesday. “The City has been and remains steadfastly opposed to any expansion of the landfilling operations at Middle Point, be it an expansion to the north as was at issue in this lawsuit or an expansion to the south onto the old Rutherford County Landfill that BFI and its parent corporation, Republic Services, are currently lobbying the County Commission to approve.”
However, on Tuesday, Middle Point Landfill’s management told News 2 their proposal to expand the landfill southward is still on the table. Republic Services’ area director and Middle Point Landfill’s general manager Mike Classen presented the proposal to Rutherford County Commissioners during the first week of February.
“It includes a reduction in the amount of waste we’re taking in by over 50%, a significant cap on any out-of-county volume, as well as a commitment for environmental accountability and some recycling programs here in Rutherford County so we can modernize our waste management system while continuing to be a place for free disposal for citizens of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County,” Classen told News 2. “…Right now, citizens of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County don’t pay to dispose of their waste at Middle Point Landfill. If Middle Point doesn’t exist, those costs immediately increase. On average, that’s going to be about $200 per household per year for citizens in Rutherford County outside of the City of Murfreesboro, and almost double that for citizens who live within the city limits.”
The City of Murfreesboro’s Tuesday statement also included the following quote from City Attorney Adam Tucker: “It is telling that BFI filed to dismiss its appeal only after oral argument but before the Court rendered its decision. It would seem that BFI had serious concerns that an adverse ruling by the Court of Appeals — one upholding the Board’s decision — could have had on any future application to expand its operations to the south.”
Tucker also noted that BFI’s request to dismiss its appeal has no bearing on the city’s lawsuit against BFI and Republic Services under the federal Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.
Middle Point Landfill’s proposal to expand to the south currently lies in the hands of Rutherford County commissioners.
