Section 68-211-1005 - Toll-free telephone number of used oil and other automotive fluids - Use of moneys in fund - PersonnelThe fund may be used as follows:
(1) A toll-free telephone number shall be established by the department and maintained for the purpose of disseminating information concerning the locations and operating hours of automotive fluid collection centers within the state; information concerning the availability, dates and requirements for collection where available; information regarding alternate locations that accept commercial used oil and other automotive fluids; and other information regarding used oil and other automotive fluids.(2) The department may award grants, subsidies and/or loans to municipalities, counties and counties having a metropolitan form of government to establish and operate automotive fluid collection centers at publicly owned facilities or other suitable public or private locations; and provide technical assistance to persons who organize such programs.(3) The department may award grants or subsidies to local governments to purchase equipment which burns used oil as fuel. In awarding such grants or subsidies, priority shall be given to local governments who establish used oil collection centers.(4) The department shall provide technical assistance to and reimburse public or private operators of used oil collection centers to dilute, decontaminate or dispose of used oil which has been contaminated by any substance which would require such contaminated oil to be disposed of as a hazardous waste in accordance with chapter 212 of this title if such dilution, decontamination or disposal is approved by the department prior to such dilution, decontamination or disposal. However, such reimbursement shall only be awarded to operators who have complied with management standards and rules and regulations of the department and shall be limited to no more than eight thousand dollars ($8,000) per year per used oil collection center. No reimbursement shall be made to any operator who is disqualified pursuant to rules or regulations of the department.(5) The department may award grants to develop and implement educational programs to encourage proper handling, disposal and recycling of used oil and other automotive fluids.(6) The department may award grants to develop and implement programs to provide direct incentives to DIYers to properly handle and dispose of used oil and other automotive fluids.(7) The department may award grants to develop and implement programs to provide direct incentives to for-profit and not-for-profit entities to establish and operate automotive fluid collection centers.(8) The department shall provide signs in accordance with § 68-211-1017.(9) The department may hire personnel necessary to implement this part and expend moneys in the fund for other necessary administrative costs; provided, that only direct costs of administration and implementation of this part shall be expended from the fund and only that portion of salaries and benefits of personnel which are directly utilized to implement and administer this part shall be expended from the fund.Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 771, s 6, eff. 7/1/2016.