SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT
"Working with Pride, Countywide"
The Garland County Solid Waste Department is authorized by the Quorum Court to handle all aspects of solid waste collection, transport, and disposal within the unincorporated areas of the County. Under the supervision of the County Judge, the Department has approximately 30 employees servicing over 50,000 permanent residents and 600 business. The total waste handled by the County is roughly 110-160 tons each working day. This wide range of volume is due to the seasonal nature of tourism and solid waste generation within the County.
By the end of 1998 we will have finished our first year of
operations under our new collection systems. So far we have weathered one major test by
absorbing a 43% increase in our waste volume over last year without a disruption of
service of any kind. Our Department's motto "Working with Pride, Countywide”
reflects our commitment to providing the citizens of Garland County an economical,
reliable, and clean waste collection service of which we can all be proud. Our workers and
contractors have labored long and hard to make that commitment a reality throughout the
County
The Department provides trash collection service for approximately 19,000 homes and businesses. Residents and small businesses receive roadside service provided by three County supervised private contractors. The County is divided into three zones with one contractor servicing each zone. Each customer in a zone is provided a 65 or 95-gallon plastic cart for once-a-week roadside pickup service.
The service fee for this service is $7.50 each month per cart plus $0.50 for each tip. Although the service is mandatory, customers can save by not setting out their trash cart every week.
The County services larger commercial customers with large metal
containers that are serviced weekly or twice monthly by County-owned front-load or
roll-off trucks that go to the business site for pickup. Those businesses that generate
smelly or rapidly decaying waste must be serviced weekly.
The Department operates three waste transfer stations where the contracted and county collection trucks unload the Class 1 (putrescible) waste into larger and more economical transport trailers for hauling to a landfill in Little Rock. Construction and demolition debris can be sent to the County operated Class 4 (non-putrescible) waste landfill north of the city of Hot Springs.
All loads are charged by weight with a minimum $5.00 fee for any one load. For information, call the landfill at 623-8243.
At each transfer station is a Recycling Convenience Center for all residents and small businesses. One center is located at the landfill off Wildcat Road, one is on Hwy 70W at 2630 Airport Road, and the other is located on Hwy 7N at 685 North Highway 7. Each center is equipped to receive, at no charge, drop-offs of appliances, steel and aluminum cans and scrap, cardboard, newspaper, waste oil, clear glass, automotive batteries, and passenger car tires. Open hours are from 9am-6pm. For more information, call the main office at 622-3658.