A Safe Clean and Livable City

Sub-Theme: Franklin will be a leader in residential recycling efforts.

Having a safe, clean, and livable city is a primary requisite for our citizens and they are supportive of the means necessary to assure the idyllic yet progressive character of Franklin. Residents want to live healthier, sustainable lives and will support services that deliver high standards. Franklin takes pride in the professionalism and quality of our police, fire, and emergency response teams. We understand the importance of code enforcement as a means of precluding declining and unsafe neighborhoods and business districts. The City recognizes its role as a steward of the environment as we deliver essential services while preserving the natural beauty of the community.

There are three goals contained within this sub-theme:

Goal: To increase the percent of diversion through recycling programs by 3% per year.
Recycling promotes many good behaviors - conservation of resources and waste, thoughtful consumption patterns to name a few. But one of the major goals is the reduction of overall waste streaming into landfills. The more waste that can be recycled, the longer landfills can remain open and the less environmental hazards can seep into groundwater sources.
The City has set a goal of increasing the percent of diversion - the act of diverting tonnage from landfills and recycling it instead - by 3% annually. For the first three years, the City hits its three percent target, and increased the diversion rate again in FY 2014. In FY 2015, however, the City took a step back. FY 2016 and 2017 returned to the norm, reaching a high of 18% diversion at the end of FY 2017 and has stayed there ever since. Careful observation of the diversion rates will be necessary moving forward to see if an increasing 3% target annually is a practical goal.

Baseline: Diversion of blue bag tonnage was 16% as a percent of the total tons of household garbage collected by City of Franklin. (March, 2013).

Goal: To reach 75% participation by 2030 in the residential curbside recycling program.

As shown above, the City is steadily increasing its residential participation rate in curbside recycling. The goal was to achieve on average a 3% increase annually with a goal to achieve at least 60% participation by 2020. As of the end of FY 2016, the City is well on its way. Starting at a 40% participation rate in FY 2011, the City achieved its goal of 60% participation rate in just seven years - and increase of 20% overall and exceeding the 3%/year target - three years earlier than anticipated.

The decline in 2020 is the result of the combination of converting recycling programs from blue bags to bins and the onset of COVID-19. Further analysis of recycling data is forth coming. 

Baseline: Household participation was 49% as a percent of the total number of household refuse stops by the City of Franklin. (March 2013)

Goal: Reduce dangerous and polluting chemicals in our city by collecting BOPAE (batteries, oil, paint, anti‐freeze, electronics). 

Curbside recycling is one way to reduce pollution into groundwater streams and into the air. But to make a major difference, particularly dangerous chemicals and materials need to be purposefully recycled at a special facility. The City of Franklin Sanitation and Environmental Services Department provides a free service to Williamson County residents. Residents are able to drop-off batteries, oil, paint, antifreeze, and electronics (BOPAE) at its facility on Century Court.

Originally, the strategic plan set a goal to increase collections of hazardous BOPAE materials by 5% annually. For items such as Batteries, Oil and Paint, this was achieved in the early years. Anti-freeze collections are more volatile, but have increased by more than double since FY 2011. But the nature of electronics has made this goal not practical. As time has gone by, electronics are lighter, smaller and more compact than ever, thus setting a goal for a continued increase in pounds of electronics collected is impractical. The sheer weight of these collections may decrease year over year, but not be indicative of a failed goal.

Baseline: As of 2012, collections were: Batteries = 9,341 lbs.; Oil = 576 gallons; Paint = 142,684 lbs.; Anti‐freeze = 651 gallons; Electronics = 216,820 lbs.