Our Neighborhood Deserves Clean Air
North Bentonville residents have filed numerous complaints about the Bentonville Compost Facility with ADEQ. Zero enforcement actions were taken. It is time to organize, document, and demand accountability through the proper channels.
What the Records Show
Our investigation uncovered a documented pattern of complaints, regulatory inaction, and a credibility gap between the city's public claims and the lived experience of residents.
The Credibility Gap
In December 2025, the city won an Arkansas Municipal League "Trendsetter City" award. The accompanying article stated that "odor complaints have been completely eliminated" following the in-vessel upgrade.[Arkansas Business] Yet in February 2026, residents reported gagging when opening their doors, sinus irritation, and particles in the air.
"The odor was easily noticeable downwind from the facility."
— ADEQ Inspector, December 2021[ADEQ SEEK Complaints Database]
34 Complaints, Zero Enforcement
Between December 2021 and July 2022, residents filed 34 formal complaints with the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality.[ADEQ SEEK Complaints Database] Key findings from the complaint records:
Deodorizer system had not been used since September 2021 — a 3-month gap when the inspector arrived in December[ADEQ SEEK Complaints Database]
Residents reported the masking chemicals themselves caused coughing and nasal sensitivity[ADEQ SEEK Complaints Database]
A powder-like substance was being released into the neighborhood[ADEQ SEEK Complaints Database]
Complaints came from specific North Bentonville addresses including NW Tall Oaks Ave and NW Willow St[ADEQ SEEK Complaints Database]
ADEQ inspections lasted as little as 40 minutes with blank comment fields on all checklist items[ADEQ Facility Inspections]
The only violation ever found (Sept 2017) was for drainage — not odor — despite peak complaint years[ADEQ Facility Inspections]
Despite confirming the odor was real and the deodorizer was not running, ADEQ consistently concluded "no violations observed" across all 34 complaints.[ADEQ SEEK Complaints Database]
$400M+ Expansion Incoming
The WRRF capacity is doubling from 4M to 8M gallons/day ($152.7M upgrade, construction began June 2025).[Bentonville Bulletin] A separate $239M sewer overhaul was approved Dec 2025.[Bentonville Bulletin] More sewage means more biosolids feeding the compost facility — with no public plan to manage the increase.
Legal Precedent Exists
The Eco-Vista Landfill class action (Case 72CV-25-1748, filed April 2025) addresses similar nuisance claims in Arkansas.[Eco-Vista Class Action] Arkansas Code § 8-4-107 authorizes the AG or DEQ to prosecute public nuisance actions.[Arkansas Code § 8-4-107]
6,435 Cubic Yards in One Month
The August 2025 ADEQ inspection recorded 6,435 cubic yards of waste received in a single month — a massive volume for a 10-acre facility processing biosolids from the city's sewage system.[ADEQ Facility Inspections]
Who Is Hauling the Biosolids?
Denali Water Solutions holds the contract to dispose of Bentonville's biosolids. Denali was sued in Fort Smith, Arkansas in October 2024 for creating "overwhelming fumes" at a separate facility. Chris Earl attributed the February 2026 odor spike to "hauling operations" — raising the question of whether a company already sued for odor violations is adequately managing Bentonville's waste transport.
What Poorly Managed Compost Means for Your Health
Compost piles producing sewage-like odors are generating hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and other byproducts of anaerobic decomposition. Here is what the science says about the health implications.
Respiratory & Immediate Effects
Hydrogen sulfide (the "rotten egg" smell) causes eye and throat irritation at low concentrations, and headaches, nausea, and dizziness at moderate levels. Ammonia off-gassing similarly irritates the respiratory tract. People with asthma or other respiratory conditions are especially vulnerable.[NCCEH Evidence Brief]
Pathogen Exposure
Anaerobic conditions mean the pile is not reaching temperatures high enough to kill harmful bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria. Sewage-smelling piles may also attract flies and rodents, which serve as additional disease vectors.[NCCEH Evidence Brief]
Bioaerosol Risks
Disturbing a poorly managed pile releases Aspergillus fumigatus spores and other fungal bioaerosols. Inhaling these is a concern for immunocompromised individuals and can cause allergic reactions or respiratory infections in otherwise healthy people.[NCCEH Evidence Brief]
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Anaerobic decomposition produces a cocktail of VOCs beyond hydrogen sulfide, including mercaptans and various sulfur compounds. Chronic low-level exposure can contribute to ongoing headaches, fatigue, and general malaise — sometimes described as "compost flu" by neighbors of poorly run facilities.[NCCEH Evidence Brief]
Water Contamination
Leachate from waterlogged, anaerobic piles can carry nitrates, pathogens, and organic pollutants into groundwater or nearby surface water if there is no containment. The 2017 ADEQ violation at this facility was specifically for drainage/ponding issues.[ADEQ Facility Inspections]
Proximity Risk Zone
Peer-reviewed research shows 80% of residents within 500m downwind of composting facilities report odor annoyance. Residents within 250m face elevated respiratory health risks from bioaerosol exposure. North Bentonville neighborhoods are approximately 480m from the facility — and some homes may be as close as 150–200m from active compost operations.[NCCEH Evidence Brief]
See For Yourself
These are real photographs of the Bentonville Compost Facility and the adjacent North Bentonville neighborhoods. The satellite view shows the shocking proximity between homes and active compost operations.
Satellite View: The Proximity
Aerial view showing North Bentonville homes (top) sitting directly adjacent to the Bentonville Compost Facility (center-left). Note the thin tree buffer separating residential homes from active compost operations. The Razorback Greenway trail and mountain bike trails run through the area. The WRRF construction site is visible to the southeast.
Compost Facility Entrance (Wide View)
The wooden fence perimeter of the compost facility on NW A Street. Equipment, trucks, and material piles are visible behind the fence. This is the road children bike on to get to school.
Compost Facility Operations
Close-up of the facility entrance showing the chain-link gate, the red 'UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE' sign, massive piles of mulch and compost material, the white warehouse building, and workers/trucks on site. The scale of material piles is significant.
Take Action Now
Every action creates a paper trail. Every paper trail makes it harder for the city and ADEQ to ignore us. Here is what works.
File an ADEQ Complaint
The single most effective action. Filing with the state regulatory agency creates a legal record they must respond to. We have 25 templates ready for you.
File NowContact Your Council Members
Ward 2 representatives Cindy Acree and Chris Sooter are directly responsible for our area. A polite, personal email from a constituent is powerful.
Get ContactsHow to File an ADEQ Complaint
Filing takes about 5 minutes. This creates a formal record with the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality that they are legally required to investigate.
Go to the ADEQ Complaint Portal
Visit adeq.state.ar.us/complaints and click "Report a Complaint on SEEK"
Select "Air Pollution Complaint"
Choose the complaint type that best describes the issue. For odor, select Air Pollution Complaint.
Fill in the facility details
Type: Air Pollution Complaint · County: Benton · Facility: City of Bentonville Composting Facility · Address: 2000 NW A Street, Bentonville, AR 72712
Describe your experience in your own words
Be specific: when did you smell it, what did it smell like (rotten eggs, sewage, chemicals), and how did it affect you or your family?
Submit and save your confirmation number
Keep your confirmation number for follow-up. You can check the status of your complaint through the same SEEK portal.
Need Help Writing Your Complaint?
We have prepared 25 different complaint templates you can use as a starting point. Just copy, edit to fit your personal experience, and submit.
Get Complaint TemplatesKey Details to Include:
- Your address and distance from the facility
- Specific dates and times of odor events
- Wind direction and weather conditions
- Health symptoms experienced by your family
Contact Your Ward 2 Council Members
The compost facility and our neighborhoods are both in Ward 2. These two council members are directly accountable for our quality of life.
Cindy Acree
Ward 2, Position 1
Former Arkansas State Representative. Serving on council since January 2019. Recipient of the Defender of Liberty Award (American Conservative Union).
Former state legislator with connections at the state level. Her address is in the NW area of Bentonville.
Email Cindy (Pre-filled Template)Chris Sooter
Ward 2, Position 2
Longest-serving council member (since 2002, filing for 11th term). Works at The Jones Center.
In July 2025, acknowledged receiving "several emails from residents and businesses showing a lengthy list" of waste service complaints.
Email Chris (Pre-filled Template)Mayor Stephanie Orman
Mayor (re-elected 2024)
Oversees all city operations including the compost facility. The mayor's office sets priorities for city departments and can direct action on odor complaints.
Email Mayor Orman (Pre-filled Template)Nine Years of Broken Promises
City Promises to "Banish the Stench"
40/29 News covers the odor problem. City rents a portable odor control machine after years of complaints.[40/29 News]
Complaint Wave Begins
34 formal ADEQ complaints filed by residents between Dec 2021 and Jul 2022. Inspector confirms odor is "easily noticeable downwind."[ADEQ SEEK Complaints Database]
ADEQ Finds "No Violations"
Despite confirming odor and finding the deodorizer offline for 3 months, ADEQ takes no enforcement action across all 34 complaints.[ADEQ SEEK Complaints Database]
$1M+ In-Vessel Upgrade
Six Brome 632 composters installed by Crossland Heavy Contractors. Permit upgraded from R1 to R2.[Brome Compost Inc.]
"Trendsetter City" Award
City wins award claiming odor complaints "completely eliminated."[Arkansas Business]
Odor Returns
Residents report gagging, sinus irritation, particles in the air, and wood chip debris causing eye injury. The problem is not solved.
We Organize
Filing ADEQ complaints, contacting officials, and building the evidence for accountability.
Frequently Asked Questions
We Are Organized. We Are Documented. We Are Ready.
In January 2025, residents near the Rogers wastewater plant filed 13 ADEQ complaints in just 10 days.[ADEQ SEEK Complaints Database] That concentrated effort created a paper trail impossible to ignore. We can do the same — and more.
This Is About Our Families
Every family deserves to open their windows, play in their yard, and breathe clean air. The city has had nine years to fix this. It is time we made our voices heard through the proper channels.