Recycle Saline

This year, as the first colors of fall begin to spread across Saline County, one of the area’’s very own businesses will participate in the Great Arkansas Clean-up with Keep Saline Clean and Keep Bryant Beautiful. You will also see Recycle Saline at several community events promoting recycling, according to Executive Director Tiffany Dunn. 

Dunn has been with Recycle Saline for 13 years, starting in 2012 as the Marketing and Education Coordinator and then entering the Executive Director role in 2017. 

She moved with her family to Saline County in 2001 after growing up in Little Rock and graduating from McClellan High School, and so “this community truly feels like home,” Dunn said. “My daughter Katelynn, who is 16, is a proud Saline County native who attends Bryant School and plays volleyball for Bryant High School as well as Elite Volleyball Academy. It keeps both of us very busy in the area!”

Dunn takes pride in explaining in detail how Recycle Saline first came into fruition in the community. 

“In 1991, Act 752 renamed the Solid Waste Planning Boards to “Regional Solid Waste Management Districts,” she said. “The Act expanded powers and duties to include recycling and the waste tire programs and allowed for boundary modifications. Recycle Saline is a state agency and one of nineteen regional solid waste districts established by the Arkansas Legislature.”

The Board took its first action on April 1, 1993. On that date, the district purchased the Sardis Road Landfill and equipment from the City of Benton. The district continued to operate the Saline County District Class I and Class IV permitted sanitary landfill until its sale to Republic Services in February 2011, which now owns and operates the Saline County Republic Services Landfill. 

After the sale of the landfill, the district relocated to Downtown Benton. From there, they developed the Landfill Coupon Program and hosted numerous community cleanups throughout Saline County and held community events for the recycling of electronics and household hazardous waste.

In 2016, the Saline County Regional Solid Waste Management District launched its newbusiness name, Recycle Saline, to reflect the district’s mission.

In 2022, Recycle Saline purchased the facility at 520 Edison Avenue in Benton. “This move allowed us to open a recycling center and expand our programs to include a recycling collection center, yard waste collection, and waste tire disposal,” Dunn explained. “In 2024, we completed the construction of our training room, which has opened the door for even more opportunities to partner with the community by hosting training workshops and meetings.”

The Recycle Saline Recycle Center is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm and the first Saturday of the month from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.

They offer quarterly household hazardous waste drop-off at CTS Services, with the next and last event for 2025 scheduled for Saturday, October 25, from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.

A new program offered by Recycle Saline is the yard waste program, which began in the spring of 2025. The program accepts leaves, small limbs, and yard clippings for $10 a load on days that the Recycle Center is open.

Recycle Saline helps our community “go green” by making it easier for residents to properly dispose of materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill or are harmful to the environment,” Dunn said. “Through our Recycle Center, we provide access to recycling for a variety of items, including collecting yard waste and managing the disposal of waste tires and household hazardous waste.” 

In addition to the regular items collected in the Recycle Center, they also collect electronics like televisions, computers, cell phones, DVD players, and gaming consoles. Once items are collected, Recycle Saline partners with electronic recycling companies to properly dismantle and recycle the materials.

“We also focus heavily on education and outreach, from school programs to community events designed to show people how small changes in daily habits can make a big difference for our environment,” Dunn said.

By offering both services and education, Recycle Saline can give Saline County residents the tools and opportunities they need to keep the community clean and sustainable.

“And it’s more than just recycling,” Dunn explains. “It is about building a cleaner and stronger community.” 

“The Recycle Saline team includes Hunter Schelle and Andy Smith, who play a big role in keeping our recycling and collection programs running smoothly,” Dunn said. “In the office, Sue Gaston, our office administrator, helps keep everything organized and on track.”

Along with providing recycling programs and education, Recycle Saline also oversees the Environmental Enforcement Program. This program keeps Saline County clean and safe by addressing illegal dumping in the area.  

“It truly takes every one of us working together to make our programs successful,” Dunn said.  “From serving residents at the Recycle Center to coordinating community cleanups and educational outreach, we may be a small team, but we are dedicated to making a big impact in Saline County.”