The State Marketing Board for Recyclables was created in 1991. The Board is appointed by the Governor and is comprised of a business leader from each congressional district and a member of the recycling community. Duties of the Marketing Board are mandated by Act 749 of 1991.

To help fulfill their duties of developing a program for the coordination for all existing marketing programs for recyclables and conducting an inventory of markets for recyclables in Arkansas and surrounding areas, the Arkansas Marketing Directory was established, with the assistance of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, Marketing Development Section. This Directory provides information on locations throughout Arkansas that accept recyclables.

The Board and ADEQ have also joined a secondary material exchange program with the Region VI states, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico and Arkansas. Arkansans can post for free materials they are trying to recycle or they can find materials they are interested in obtaining on the RENEW, Material Exchange website.

The Board is tasked with working with existing industry to encourage the use of recyclables in their manufacturing processes and recruiting new industries that use recyclables in their manufacturing processes. The Board has visited numerous businesses and industries in Arkansas to learn about their recycling efforts and assist them in any of their recycling concerns or needs. They provide businesses and industries with information concerning the Arkansas Tax Credit Program, which assists them in saving money on purchasing qualifying recycling equipment.

The Board’s quarterly meetings are held all over the State of Arkansas in order to encourage the Solid Waste Districts and city and local officials to participate. They are assigned the duty of advising and assisting state and local officials in all areas of recycling. The Board assists with any and all recycling issues that are brought to their attention.

The duties of the Board shall include:

(1) Developing a program for the coordination of all existing marketing programs for recyclables;
(2) Developing an overall marketing plan for Arkansas recyclables;
(3) Conducting an inventory of marketing for recyclables in Arkansas and the surrounding states;
(4) Working with existing industry to encourage the use of recyclables in their manufacturing processes;
(5) Recruiting new industries that use recyclables in their manufacturing processes;
(6) Maintaining current information on market prices and trends; and
(7) Advising and assisting state and local officials in all areas of recyclables marketing.