Fayetteville has experienced high growth in recent years and is striving to maintain waste generation levels at reasonable levels. The Pay-As-You-Throw residential trash program, along with recycling and yard waste services provided by the city, is encouraging residents to examine their waste habits or pay more for trash service. Since Arkansas has no mandatory recycling laws this incentive-based program, endorsed by the EPA, is effective in raising revenues while providing a reduction in household waste collected at each residence.

The City also offers recycling programs for schools and businesses and hopes are high that increased revenues will allow the expansion of recycling services to other commercial settings in the future. The Pay-As-You-Throw trash program has resulted in a 57% curbside recycling participation rate from 18,473 residential stops. In 2006, 13,298 tons or 26,596,000 pounds of materials were collected for recycling or composting/mulch programs through City operations.