Recycling FAQ
How can people learn more about recycling?
You can find many links to sites with information about recycling on our "Resource Links" page. To learn about recycling in Sebastian County, email us at recycling@eccopartners.org.
How does recycling help the environment?
Recycling helps the environment by slowing down the rate we use up our landfills. With fewer landfills we can have more space for people to farm, live, and work. Recycling also helps by reducing our need to consume fresh natural resources to make new products. As a result we can save these resources for use by future generations. Most importantly, recycling saves energy and reduces pollution. This could help slow down global climate change, another environmental problem caused by burning fossil fuels like oil and gas.
Which communities in Sebastian County currently participate in a recycling program?
- City of Fort Smith - Weekly curbside collections available
- City of Greenwood Recyle Center - 104 Bell Road, Monday through Friday 7am - 4pm; 8am - 12pm every second Saturday of the month.
- City of Lavaca Recycle Center - 904 North Davis, Fridays 8am - 3pm; Saturdays 9am - 2pm.
- City of Mansfield Recycle Center- 601 East Center, Monday through Friday 7am - 3:30pm.
What is recyclable?
The items below are recyclable and should not be disposed of in the trash.
• Aluminum and steel cans
• Plastic beverage containers (e.g. water and soda bottles)
• Clear glass bottles and jars
• Plastic six-pack rings
• Glossy magazines and catalogs
• Newspaper
• Corrugated cardboard (broken down, flatten)
• Mixed paper - phone books, brochures, computer paper, notebook paper, paycheck envelopes, white office paper, colored office paper, soft cover booklets, manila folders, card stock
What is not recyclable?
• Pizza boxes - The grease on pizza boxes interferes with the recycling process.
• Plastic bags - These should be reused and then recycled at your local grocery store.
• Plastic tubs (like margarine containers) - Even though some plastic tubs have the right number on the bottom, they are not made the same way as plastic bottles are made. Because of their different chemical characteristics, including melting temperature, plastic tubs cannot be recycled together with bottles.
• Styrofoam
• Tops and lids of plastic and glass bottles and jars - No tops can be recycled in Fort Smith. Please remove them before recycling.
• Wax-coated cardboard
• Plastic utensils - These can be washed and reused.
• Plastic oil and pesticide containers
• Ceramics, mirrors, window glass and drinking glasses.
Can leave the lids on my plastic containers and jars?
As the materials used to make plastic bottle lids and jars are different to the body of the container they need to be separated to be recycled. Items are being unnecessarily sent to landfill due to still having a lid on them.
How can one person make a difference?
If you don’t, who will? If we each contribute to the solution, it all adds up. Together we can make a difference. To look at it another way, each of us contributes individually to the waste problem so we each need to work toward the solution. All the millions of tons of waste that currently goes into landfills started at somebody's house — or even your house!
How can I identify the Recyclable & Recycled symbols on paper, plastics, glass and cardboard?
http://www.earthodyssey.com/symbols.html
Remember the three R's- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
More Recycling in Our Area
City of Fort Smith Sanitation www.sanitation.fsark.com (479) 784-2350
Davis Iron & Metal Inc www.davisironmetal.com (479) 783-8931
Yaffe Iron & Metal Corporation www.yaffeco.net (479) 782-8294
Fort Smith Waste Paper Co www.fortsmithwastepaper.com (479) 783-6478
Shred-It www.shredit.com - (479) 424-1196
Bud's Recycling (479) 783-8969
Mena Recycling (479) 394-4757
Bud's Iron & Metal (479) 474-8722
