Successes

• OSP staff facilitated the successful reuse of fiber drums from a manufacturer in Tennessee for use by the TBI to collect unwanted pharmaceuticals for proper disposal. This materials reuse transaction has supported communities across the state in safely managing unwanted pharmaceuticals, while also providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings for governments.
• OSP assisted a Jackson industry with repurposing and recycling nearly 3,000 light fixtures after a complete upgrade of all lights in the facility.
• OSP staff assisted a major chemical company in Memphis with an off-spec low grade acid that the company was going to have disposed of as hazardous waste. Nearly 300,000 gallons of the material was purchased and repurposed by various vendors and other users. 
• A Tennessee Green Star Partner industry has engaged in a partnership with Tennessee State Parks to provide waste drywall material to be included in the various parks’ composting piles. Drywall material can enhance the quality of compost and is an excellent alternative to landfill disposal. The Green Star Partner industry received the 2021 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards for materials management.

Tennessee Materials Marketplace Success Stories

Below we’ve provided additional links to specific case studies of successful materials reuse transactions facilitated through the Tennessee Materials Marketplace. For more information and examples, please visit: 

• OSP’s Tennessee Materials Marketplace landing page: https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/opsp-policy-and-sustainable-practices/business-and-private-sector/waste-reduction-and-reuse-assistance-for-businesses/tennessee-materials-marketplace.html
• With technical assistance, via the Tennessee Materials Marketplace, a Tennessee jelly maker repurposes shrink wrap for a local recycler: https://tennessee.materialsmarketplace.org/blog/2018/12/13/success-story-the-jm-smucker-company-and-dynamic-lifecycle-innovations-reuse-amp-recycle-shrink-wrap
• OSP provided the connections for a Tennessee tile manufacturer to incorporate recycled glass into products: https://tennessee.materialsmarketplace.org/blog/2019/6/26/recycled-materials-complete-the-circle-in-tennessee