Talkeetna residents recycled nearly 53 tons of plastic, cans, paper, and cardboard in 2023. That’s about five more tons than the prior year.
Cici Schoenberger (SHOW-en-bur-gur), chair of the Talkeetna Recycling Committee, says the Talkeetna recycling station had the most number of visits of all the remote sites in the Mat-Su Valley. The station saw an average of 270 visits each month.
Since 2016, which was the first full year of recycling in Talkeetna, residents have doubled the tonnage. Jeff Smith, Mat-Su Borough Solid Waste Division Manager, says there was a significant increase in recycling weights when Talkeetna began collecting cardboard. The numbers show that the increase is more than 30 tons.
Smith says there is plenty of use for cardboard in Alaska. Spray insulation is the most common use for it. It also can be broken down and made into paper bags and more cardboard. Schoenberger says the cardboard baler has reduced the cost of getting material to Valley Community for Recycling Solutions, or VCRS.
Alaska Plastic Recovery takes plastic that VCRS can’t take, like bottle caps, clam shells, straws, plastic pots, and other items. Those plastics can be melted and made into lumber.
A metals collection box is now at the Talkeetna Transfer Station, at the request of residents. Smith says it has only been out there for a couple weeks and it’s a trial for now to determine if it’s feasible.
Of the 95,600 tons collected in 2023, Smith says about 9,600 tons are diverted to recycling. Other items like construction and demolition debris, scrap metal, and yard waste are also diverted. The diversions equal about 32 percent of the total. Smith says the Borough will continue to improve recycling efforts in the near future with yard waste and glass.
Schoenberger says Denali Education Center is organizing an electronic waste collection day on April 20th at the transfer station. This is the third year for the event and is free for residents.
