Fort Smith, AR Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Fort Smith's primary anti-dumping authority is Chapter 25, Article VII of the Code of Ordinances (Solid Waste), particularly Section 25-267 (prohibition on sweeping/throwing garbage onto public ways) and Section 25-279(d) (transport-cover requirement). Sec. 25-267 makes it unlawful for any person to sweep, blow, throw, or otherwise deposit any garbage, leaves, grass or weed clippings, or litter into or on any public street, ditch, culvert, alley, sidewalk, park, or the property of another person within Fort Smith's corporate limits and police jurisdiction. This captures everything from intentional dumping of construction debris in an alley to homeowners blowing grass clippings off a lawn into the street (a frequent storm-drain pollution issue). Sec. 25-279(d) requires that all motor vehicles hauling garbage, trash, or other waste to the city landfill be appropriately covered or enclosed to prevent contents from leaking, blowing, dropping, or falling off - addressing the common Interstate-540 trash-trail problem where uncovered pickup loads shed material onto highways. The Arkansas state backstop is A.C.A. §8-6-406 (Littering and commercial littering, in the Arkansas Litter Control Act). State penalties: upon conviction the court imposes community service of not more than 8 hours for a first offense or not more than 24 hours for a second or subsequent offense, plus a fine - first-offense fines typically $100-$1,000 depending on the volume and intent. Larger-scale or commercial dumping may be referred to the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) under the Arkansas Solid Waste Management Act (A.C.A. §8-9-401 et seq.) for administrative orders and civil penalties up to $10,000 per day per violation. Reporting: call the Fort Smith Police non-emergency line for in-progress dumping; use the myFortSmith application or 479-784-2350 for already-dumped material on public or private property. The Fort Smith Police Department's Neighborhood Services partnership has authority to issue citations alongside the Code Inspectors.