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ARTICLE · 12 SEPTEMBER 2025

Upcoming Tennessee Rule Changes Will Create Clarity And Cost Savings For Managing Contaminated Soil On Construction And Development Sites

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On 13 August 2025, the Tennessee Underground Storage Tanks and Solid Waste Disposal Control Board voted to adopt new regulations for managing contaminated soil at redevelopment sites

United StatesEnvironment
Ellery Richardson
Ellery Richardson
Timothy Hobbs
Timothy Hobbs

On 13 August 2025, the Tennessee Underground Storage Tanks and Solid Waste Disposal Control Board voted to adopt new regulations for managing contaminated soil at redevelopment sites. These new rules will give developers several options for reuse and disposal that may result in significant cost savings for construction and development projects in the state. Developers should start planning now to take advantage of the new regulations and potential cost savings when the regulations take effect early next year.

Background

For years, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) did not have specific regulations for managing contaminated soils. This lack of clarity meant that anything other than pristine and perfectly clean soil was treated as a solid waste. This legal framework incentivized sending unneeded dirt to landfills as waste, resulting in considerable costs for almost any redevelopment project that required moving a significant amount

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