Resource Recovery Facilities
T.C.A. §§ 68-211-501–505 empower any city to construct and operate an "energy or resource recovery facility ... within its corporate limits or within the limits of the county wherein it is located," and a 1974 act authorizes state loans for such purposes. A 1976 act intending primarily to permit local governments to participate in a TVA-sponsored plan for using solid waste as fuel empowers cities and counties to join in any such enterprise. The act is sufficiently general to permit participation in any such plan, not necessarily only those sponsored by TVA. The act would apply to any facility with a primary objective of recovering energy and a secondary objective of recovering recyclable materials. T.C.A. §§ 7-58-101–110.

Contracts for using solid waste for resource and fuel recovery or among counties and cities for cooperative solid waste operations may not exceed 40 years. T.C.A. §§ 7-58-103–104.

Used Oil Collection Act of 1993
The Used Oil Collection Act allows the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to make grants or loans to cities to establish and operate used oil collection centers. Grants and subsidies also may be available to local governments to buy equipment that burns used oil as fuel. In awarding the latter grants, priority will be given to local governments that have created used oil collection centers. The grants are funded by a 2 cents per quart fee on automotive oil, paid by distributors. The act contains extensive regulations governing used oil collection centers. T.C.A. §§ 68-211-1001, et seq.