(a) Each county shall assure that one (1) or more municipal solid waste collection and disposal systems are available to meet the needs of the residents of the county. Such systems shall complement and supplement those provided by any municipality. The minimum level of service that the county shall assure is a system consisting of a network of convenience centers throughout the county. Unless a higher level of service, such as household garbage pickup, is available to the residents, a county shall provide directly, by contract, or through a solid waste authority, convenience centers which shall meet minimum design standards to be developed by the department and established by regulation. The department shall also develop regulations to be promulgated by the board for determining the minimum requirements for and number of convenience centers or other forms of collection that a county shall maintain. Such regulations shall consider county population, area, distances to possible convenience center sites, and staffing requirements.

(b) As part of the local plan required by § 68-211-814, each county or multi-county municipal solid waste disposal region shall submit a plan for the adequate provision of collection services to the department. Such plan shall identify unmet needs and shall be updated annually.

(c) If requested, the University of Tennessee county technical assistance service and municipal technical advisory service shall provide technical assistance to a county or region for siting, designing, constructing, upgrading and developing and maintaining a system of convenience centers which meets the minimum design standards which the department will establish by regulation. The county shall develop an operating manual, and the department shall offer training to operators and attendants.

(d)

(1) Not later than July 1, 1997, each county which maintains and uses receptacles for the collection of municipal solid waste from the general public at sites separate from a convenience center for the needs of the residents of the county shall submit the following information to the department:

(A) The number of receptacles in the county;

(B) The location of all receptacles;

(C) Collection times for such receptacles;

(D) Operation procedures and security measures adopted and enforced to maintain and service the receptacles and to ensure the protection of public health and safety; and

(E) Such other information required by the department.

(2) The board created pursuant to § 68-211-111 shall promulgate rules and regulations on the requirements for operation and use of such receptacles as it deems necessary to ensure the protection of public health and safety and to provide for the proper management of solid waste disposed in such receptacles. Any county which does not submit the information required by subdivision (d)(1) or which violates the rules and regulations of the board created pursuant to § 68-211-111 shall not use such receptacles for such purposes.

(3) This subsection (d) shall only apply to counties which had receptacles in use on January 1, 1996. A county which did not have receptacles in use on January 1, 1996, or which subsequent to such date discontinues use of any receptacle permitted under this section, shall be prohibited from installing or maintaining additional receptacles after July 1, 1996.