Fort Smith, AR Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)

Fort Smith's residential refuse program is municipally operated - not contracted out - by the Department of Solid Waste Services under Chapter 25, Article VII (Solid Waste) of the Code of Ordinances. The program covers all single-family residences through four-plexes within the city limits; multi-family buildings with more than four units must contract with a private hauler such as WM. Pickup is weekly, with route days varying by address; residents enter their address in the City's collection-schedule map (fortsmithar.gov/resident-services/waste-recycling-management) to determine their day. The Department's customer-service lines are 479-784-2350 (Sanitation) and 479-784-1070 (Admin), with email at sanitation@fortsmithar.gov. Carts must be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on collection day - the trucks begin routes at 7 and the City does not guarantee a fixed pass time. Walk-out service (the Department picks up the cart from the side of the house, takes it to the truck, and returns it) is offered free of charge to elderly residents or residents with disabilities who cannot physically move the cart to the curb; enrollment is by phone at 479-784-2350. Yard waste and bulk items are collected on the same weekly route as trash but with separate set-out rules (see yard-waste and bulk-disposal entries). The City conducts a twice-yearly Citywide Cleanup in April and October at four manned dumpster locations where residents can drop off household trash free of charge with proof of residency. Authority: A.C.A. §14-54-101 et seq. (municipal sanitation powers); A.C.A. §8-9-401 et seq. (Arkansas Solid Waste Management Act).