Solid Waste Reduction, Diversion and Recycling Master Plan

On February 21, 2017, Fayetteville City Council adopted a new Solid Waste Reduction, Diversion and Recycling Master Plan. The plan aims to maximize solid waste reduction, diversion, and recycling, achieving a goal of 40% waste diversion by 2027, which is double the 2017 diversion rate.

To develop an environmentally and economically sustainable materials management system
that maximizes waste diversion and minimizes waste disposal, the Master Plan recommends the following steps be taken (Status of each step is in bold text):

Recommendations

  1. Provide conceptual approval of the proposed action plan with implementation of key elements dependent on acceptance of detailed implementation plans. 
    • Status: COMPLETE
  2. Obtain a Type CO permit for the City’s compost facility. 
    • Status: COMPLETE
  3. Develop a detailed plan and schedule for initiating a voluntary organics recovery program, focusing initially on large food waste generators and schools. 
    • Status: IN PROCESS
  4. Release an RFP to secure a contract with a processor for the recovery and recycling of construction and demolition material. 
    • Status: NOT YET STARTED
  5. Develop a communications plan to announce the City’s commitment to waste diversion and to get buy-in to new initiatives. 
    • Status: IN PROCESS
  6. Develop a technical assistance program to inform businesses, institutions, and multifamily complexes of the City’s waste diversion commitment and help them prepare for new recycling initiatives.
    • Status: IN PROCESS
  7. Adopt a Green City Initiative directing all city-owned or operated buildings to establish comprehensive recycling, organics recovery, and environmentally preferable purchasing programs. 
    • Status: IN PROCESS
  8. Modify City building codes to require new commercial and multi-family developments to provide adequate space and access for recycling and organics recovery (for large commercial food waste generators). 
    • Status: COMPLETE

History of the Planning Process

The planning process began in 2013, when the City Council of Fayetteville, Arkansas passed Resolution No. 260-13 directing City Staff to develop a Request for Proposals to hire a professional consultant to assist the City in developing a 10 year Solid Waste Reduction, Diversion and Recycling Master Plan with the goal of attaining a city wide solid waste diversion rate of 80% by January 1, 2025. 

A rigorous selection process identified Kessler Consulting Inc. (KCI) of Tampa Florida as the most qualified consultant to assist the City in this effort: Kessler Consulting Contract and Scope of Work

A waste composition study was recently completed by Kessler Consulting, Inc. The percentage breakdown of materials discarded in Fayetteville was as follows:

Material TypePercent Discarded in Fayetteville
Composted11%
Residential Compostables7%
Commercial Compostables12%
Drop Box Materials15%
Commercial Waste13%
Residential Waste8%
Recycled9%
Residential Paper and Containers6%
Commercial Paper and Containers13%
Other Residential Recyclables2%
Other Commercial Recyclables5%
Pie chart of waste breakdown in Fayetteville showing 11 categories including recycled, composted etc

Public Input

One of the most important parts of a new master plan is public input. The City has reached out for public input in several ways:

  • Public Meeting: On April 6, 2015 at Woodland Junior High School. 40 participants showed up and voiced their opinion at this meeting
  • Month Long Survey : launched at the public input session, the City received 496 responses and comments. See the table below for public support of various aspects of the plan. 

Support or Strongly Support:

ActionResidentialCommercial
Develop and implement plan to divert 80% of waste from landfill95%97%
Add more types of recyclables to curbside recycling program97%91%
Single stream recycling81%87%
Food waste collection59%69%

Memos

As part of the project, Kessler Consulting has prepared the following documents:

Plan Updates