Solid Waste

The Solid Waste Division provides proper and efficient solid waste management, disposal, recycling, and waste-to-energy programs. Solid waste disposal provides areawide solid waste services. Solid waste services include:

  • Future landfill capacity construction and planning
  • Household hazardous waste collection, recycling, and waste-to-energy programs
  • Landfill management and operations

Recycling / Household Hazardous Waste

Recycling/household hazardous waste provides safe, proper, and efficient management of recyclables, waste-to-energy fuels, and household hazardous waste. Programs that promote and provide for energy conservation, recycling, waste-to-energy, and household hazardous waste management will continue in the future as technology advances provide an ongoing amount of household hazardous waste byproducts. 

Efforts will focus on utilizing the most environmentally friendly, energy conservation, and cost-effective options to this ongoing waste stream. Fortunately, a very high percentage of collected hazardous waste can be either recycled or used as a waste-to-energy fuel. Additionally, the scrap metal recycling program, primarily consisting of junk automobiles, will continue to provide recycling opportunities for unwanted vehicles.

Solid Waste Collection District

The Solid Waste Collection District provides management and transport of recyclables, waste-to-energy fuels, and waste from the transfer sites to the solid waste facility. The Solid Waste Collection District provides services to residents that are part of the Borough, outside the City of Fairbanks. The services include the management of transfer sites for the collection and transfer of recyclables, waste-to-energy fuels, waste, and areas for reuse (reuse platforms).

Solid waste hauling and disposal costs represent approximately 93% of this Division’s budget. A new 10-year contract started July 1, 2021 and ends June 30, 2031. Total tonnage at transfer sites 5-year average is 2% with variations from -2% to 5%. A total of $8,081,500 was appropriated for the major maintenance and improvements projects at transfer sites. The last major maintenance and improvement project is scheduled for the summer of 2022 at Chena Pump. Commercial and City of Fairbanks residents use is prohibited by Borough Code. This usage along with other undesirable activities such as littering, vandalism, and graffiti are occurring on a regular basis. A code enforcement program was approved in 2020, and during the spring of 2021 the public education campaign portion was initiated. The public campaign is expected to continue in 2022 and into 2023.