Fort Smith sanitation to expand recycling services, education in 2019

Times Record - 8/29/2018

Aug. 29--The Fort Smith Department of Sanitation discussed its goals for the upcoming year at Tuesday's Board of Directors study session. It's biggest concern is recycling.

Three of the department's five primary goals focus on expanding the recycling program and increasing education about the process, according to the meeting's agenda.

First, the department wants to focus on education and outreach. It desires to develop a partnership program with local schools to teach students how recycling works and why it's an important task for them to take part in, encouraging classroom recycling initiatives.

"Education and outreach is the easy part. We've got some contacts at the school district, and that's where I'd like to start," said Kyle Foreman, director of sanitation. "It's been my experience that you start with the schools, the kids take it home and they implement at home what they learned at school."

It also wants to attend various community meetings to discuss the state of recycling in the city, along with the importance of reducing waste and reusing resources. The department hopes the program will give residents the opportunity to see who works in the department and possibly change its public perception.

Foreman said his goal is to do at least one education or outreach event once per month, starting next year, but aims to do more.

Another goal is to start a recycling ordinance for all city facilities. This means putting bins and dumpsters in accessible locations, and the department would provide services for all departments and facilities.

Lastly, sanitation wants to offer free recycling drop-off at the landfill convenience center. Recycling service is not always available for residents living in apartment complexes or other multifamily units. Sebastian County has some recycling drop-off locations, but the city does not currently offer one. This service would allow them to participate. All materials would be evaluated for accepted content and the department would take contributions to Third Rock Recycling, according to its list of goals.

It was revealed to the public in May 2017 that the city dumped the majority of its recycling into the landfill from October 2014 to June 2017. Materials were still being collected, allowing residents to assume they were recycled. A lawsuit filed in June 2017 seeks to make the city reimburse those who were Fort Smith sanitation customers during the time of the dumping.

When asked whether the department's 2019 goals are directly related to the lawsuits, Foreman said yes and no.

"Recycling is a hot topic everywhere," Foreman said. "But the department has taken some licks over the years, and my goal is to get out into the public and try to save face with them. Recycling is (also) just the right thing to do for the environment."

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