Murfreesboro Partners With WastAway to Reduce Landfill Waste
The city aims to divert 85% of municipal trash from landfills by the end of 2027 through a new processing agreement.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Environmental
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Murfreesboro signed a letter of intent with Morrison-based company WastAway to process city trash. The initiative is designed to reduce the city's dependence on the local Middle Point Landfill.
Why it matters
The move responds to citizen demand for a recycling program while the city maintains ongoing federal litigation against the operators of the Middle Point Landfill. The project aims to protect the East Fork Stones River, which provides drinking water for Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.
The city projects it will divert 85% of collected material from traditional landfills through the WastAway processing system. This goal follows a 2025 inspection period where state regulators identified seven distinct observations at the Middle Point Landfill.
The players
WastAway
A Tennessee-based waste processing company that specializes in sorting and repurposing material to divert it from landfills.
Middle Point Landfill
A waste disposal site currently involved in federal litigation regarding its environmental impacts and operations in the region.
The details
Residents will continue to use their existing trash bins for weekly collection on their regular pickup days as the city prepares to transition processing to the company in Morrison. This agreement coincides with an active federal lawsuit against Middle Point Landfill, Republic Services, and BFI, in which the city alleges violations of the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.
Timeline
State environmental inspectors identified seven landfill observations in 2025.
City officials announced the letter of intent on October 29, 2026.
The city targets a program start date by the end of 2027.
The Big Picture
Murfreesboro is leveraging the Clean Air Act in its federal litigation to establish a new standard for local environmental accountability. This legal strategy signals a paradigm shift toward more aggressive municipal oversight of waste disposal facilities.
Residents can continue using their current trash bins for weekly collection as the city plans to implement this new processing system by late 2027. This program offers a long-term solution to reduce local waste and address concerns regarding the nearby landfill's impact on regional water sources.
The takeaway
The city is prioritizing waste diversion to mitigate its reliance on the Middle Point Landfill while addressing public interest in sustainable disposal practices. Residents should monitor future city updates to see how the new collection logistics will eventually integrate into their weekly routines.
Further reading
Learn more about local Environmental initiatives and regional regulatory oversight.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WZTV.
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