Solid Waste Management Division

(CLICK HERE to go to the Solid Waste Management Division Home Page)

Solid Waste is what we commonly think of as trash or garbage. It consists of everyday items such as product packaging, furniture, yard wastes, food scraps, newspapers and appliances.

ADEQ is committed to sound, protective disposal measures and to activities promoting the “three R’s’ – to reduce, reuse, and recycle solid waste.

The Solid Waste Management Division's staff of 42 regulates the handling, processing, recycling and disposal of non-hazardous solid waste. The Division is divided into four branches:

• The Enforcement Branch ensures permitted facilities are operating according to federal and state requirements and specific requirements identified in their permit.
   
• The Programs Branch collects fees, administers programs for waste tires, electronic waste and landfill post-closure trust fund grants, licensing, and automotive mercury switch removal, and provides assistance pursuant to regulation and legislation proposals, updates, changes, and amendments. The Programs Branch provides oversight concerning the compliance requirements of Regional Boards with respect to their solid waste management plans and financial audits.
   
• The Market Development and Recycling Branch offers a variety of programs designed to foster recycling and waste reduction. Market Development provides support for the Arkansas Marketing Board for Recyclables and assists in the development of markets for recyclable materials.

Compliance and Enforcement

The Solid Waste Management Division inspects all permitted facilities quarterly. In addition to scheduled, unannounced inspections, staff responds to complaints from the public.

Statewide Response

Six of the eight ADEQ solid waste inspectors live and work outside of Pulaski County so that the Department can quickly respond to environmental emergencies and concerns.

Solid Waste Permitted Facilities

Class 1 Landfills - Landfills are engineered with liner systems and other safeguards to prevent groundwater contamination from buried wastes.  Class 1 landfills can accept household waste, non-hazardous commercial waste and approved industrial waste.

Class 3 Landfills - Are designed for the disposal of a specific industrial waste generated solely by a facility.

Class 3 Tire (3T) Monofill Landfills - accept only waste tires for disposal.

Class 4 Landfills - Can only accept solid wastes that do not degrade, such as construction and demolition waste, appliances and furniture, and other bulky wastes not normally collected with other household or commercial waste.

Composting Facilities are permitted to dispose of certain wastes by composting. Different classifications are used according to the waste authorized. Wastes may include yard wastes, food wastes, papers wastes and some organic industrial wastes.

General Permits - Some compost facilities and waste tire collection centers, and most transfer stations and waste recovery facilities have the option of being regulated through a general permit with simplified reporting and procedures.

Tire Processing (TP) Facilities - process waste tires for recycling, beneficial uses or disposal.

Transfer Stations (TS) receive solid waste from collection vehicles or the public for transfer to larger vehicles for long distance transport (general permit).

Waste Recovery (WR) Facilities sort out recyclable materials from the waste stream.

Waste Tire (WT) Collection Centers - store no more than 3,000 loose waste  tires or up to a maximum of 10,000 tires which have been compacted or baled at any one time.

Recycling and Market Development

ADEQ offers programs that assist businesses, industries, schools, non-profits, governments and others in establishing recycling and waste reduction programs as an alternative to landfill disposal.

The Recycling Work Group helps communities, businesses, and schools develop an integrated solid waste management plan by providing waste audits, technical planning, and development of educational materials. Arkansas recycles about two million tons of waste each year. The Recycling Grants Program distributes about $3 million in annual grants to communities to develop and maintain local recycling infrastructure.

The Market Development Work Group assists in the development of markets for recyclable materials, works with the Region VI states on a material exchange program, serves as liaison for the State Marketing Board for Recyclables, and administers the Recycling Tax Credit Program. The program certifies 30% income tax credits for purchasing recycling equipment.

The E-Waste Grants Program pursuant to ACA §25-3-101, encourages environmentally conscious steps when disposing of computers and other electronics statewide. The grants are awarded on an annual basis, depending on the funding available. Between 2006 and 2009, 60 e-waste recycling grants totaling $782,568 were dedicated to funding various e-cycling projects.

The E-Waste Eminent Need Grants Program (E-WEN), pursuant to the Special Revenue Electronic Recycling Act 512 of 2007, provides for transportation costs to Regional Solid Waste Management Districts to haul waste computers and other electronics to a designated site for the purposes of recycling the e-waste.  The grants are awarded on an annual basis, depending on the funding available. In 2009, 17 E-WEN transportation grants totaling $520,017 were dedicated to funding various e-cycling projects.

Recycling Summary - Year 2009

Recycling Grants Authorized	948
Total Amount of Grants	402
Income Tax Credits Authorized	205
Recycling Equipment Certified through Tax Credit Program	40

Waste Tires - The Solid Waste Division coordinates the disposal of about 2.6 million Arkansas waste tires each year. Ten local Waste Tire Management Districts manage waste tires. The Waste Tire Program distributes about $4.3 million in grants to districts to defray the cost of waste tire recycling, beneficial use or disposal.

Fiscal Year 2009 Totals

Waste Tires Grants
WT Processing Facilities	10
WT Collection Centers	9
WT Transporters Licenses	236
WT Abatement Projects	2
WT Fuel End Users	3