MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) — Thousands of people have signed a Change.org petition, asking Murfreesboro city leaders not to put a new waste facility near their neighborhoods.

According to Murfreesboro Assistant Manager Darren Gore, approximately 1,000 tons of trash is produced every day in Rutherford County.

Currently, Murfreesboro relies on Middle Point Landfill, but as this city continues to grow, city leaders want an alternative solution.

“We do have significant odor complaints, water quality violations, air quality violations, debris and mud on the road,” Gore said. “The city is trying to eliminate that on the north side of town.”

Since 2021, city leaders have worked to come up with a solution. They’ve determined the best course of action is to build a waste energy facility, which is operated through Wastaway.

The location is at 2120 Butler Drive on the city’s south side. Wastaway will run operations which converts garbage into biomass fuel. The facility will need 400 tons of trash a day to operate.

Many of these concerns are shared on the petition that has more than 2,000 signatures against the facility. Questions of air pollution and the facility’s affect on South Murfreesboro have arose from people on the petition.

“Everything will be on concrete and under roof, so there will be no trash exposed to the environment, no burning of trash, no burying of trash, or any exposed trash,” Gore said.

The city of Murfreesboro welcomes any comments or questions on the proposed facility.