| Community |
Program |
 Mentasta |
Transfer station. |
| Louden
Village |
Banned plastic shopping bags. |
| Kipnuk |
Sled trash collection system. |
| Nightmute |
Moved dump site 100 feet from the river. Set-up scrap metal
program. |
| Newhalen
Tribal Council |
Dump site cleanup. Set up recycling program. |
| Selawik |
Supersacks. |
| Gustavus |
Small scale solid waste baling operation. |
Success
Story
Louden Village Council - Junk automobile recycling and hazardous
waste program
Louden Village Council helped design a backhaul
program for junk automobiles with five other tribes in the summer
of 2002. The junk automobiles were shipped out of the communities
through the Yutana Barge/DEC backhaul program for free! Here’s
how they did it
:
- Louden
Council first contacted Metal Recycling
Alaska in Anchorage
(who accepts cars and various types of metals) to let them know
how many cars they had for recycling.
- Next, they contacted Yutana Barge to sign up for their free backhaul
service for shipping junk automobiles to Nenana.
- Finally they contacted Alaska Railroad who offered them free transportation
to ship the cars from Nenana to Metal Recycling Alaska in Anchorage.
Lynden Transport had also offered free transport services but since
Alaska Railroad stops right at the doorstep of Metal Recycling
Alaska, no other transportation was needed.
To prepare the automobiles for recycling, Louden Council, in cooperation
with the 
City of Galena, gathered volunteers with HAZWOPER training
and removed all batteries and tires. Then all fluids were drained
from the cars and put into containers with labels for free shipping
on Yutana Barge. Finally, basketball-sized holes were made in the
fuel tanks so any remaining vapors could escape.
Louden Council also has a Household Hazardous Waste
(HHW) program. A Connex container is located at their barge landing
for people
to drop off HHW’s in labeled containers. Also once their
solid waste transfer station is constructed in town, labeled drums
will be available at the transfer station locations for people
to drop off HHW’s. Louden also operates a used oil burner
for disposal of the communities used oil.
Contact Details:
For more information about the Yutana/DEC hazardous waste backhaul
program, click here.
Success Story
Kodiak – Hazardous Waste Program for: junk automobiles, used oil,
household haz waste, and haz waste storage sheds.
Six Villages on the island of Kodiak are starting a hazardous
waste program. The six Villages are: Port Lions, Ouzinkie, Karluk,
Larsen Bay, Old Harbor,
and Akhiok. Funding for the program is coming from Exxon Valdez
(EVOS) funds which have already been used to produce a hazardous
waste management plan
for the Villages.
The program will involve collecting and recycling junk automobiles,
batteries, household hazardous waste, used oil, and antifreeze.
Training
One of the first steps taken for this program was to arrange training
for at least one staff member from each of the Villages. Deric Marcorelle
and Dennis Lundine from DEC travelled to Kodiak to give the hazardous
waste training.
For information about getting hazardous waste training from DEC,
contact:
Deric Marcorelle at DEC at 262 5210 ext 249 or by email at deric_marcorell@dec.state.ak.us
For more training information, click
here.
Hazardous waste sheds
Hazardous waste sheds will also be purchased in the near future
for each Village. Ouzinkie has already purchased and constructed their
shed. The shed is a simple structure about 18’x10’ and is
located at their landfill for people to drop off their hazardous wastes.
They used spruce for the main structure and siding and roof materials
were salvaged from local projects. A geosynthetic liner was purchased
to line the floor of the shed and a double door was installed on the side.
Lastly, a sign was put up to let people know what they can and cannot
drop-off.
If you would like to talk to Ouzinkie about their hazardous waste
shed contact:
Tom Quick at 680-2209
For more information about
hazardous waste sheds, click here . 
Drum crushers
Each of the Villages will also receive drum crushers. They are
purchasing the drum crushers from Oberg Industries and they will
be retrofitted to run on diesel or gasoline (as opposed to electric) so
they will be
able to use the crushers anywhere. Drum crushers will crush empty
55 gallon drums down to 8 inch high disks and the disks can then be shipped
out
as scrap metal. Crushing the drums will greatly reduce storage
space requirements and significantly reduce transport fees.
For more information about drum crushers,
click here.
Junk auto recycling
Port Lions has already started their junk vehicle recycling program.
They have set up a staging area where the fluids are drained from the
cars and batteries are removed. The ready-to-go cars are then set in a
separate area.
If you would like to talk to Port Lions about their junk auto recycling
contact: Wayne Lukin at 454-2234
For more information about junk auto recycling,
click here.
Used Oil
Used oil that is collected in the villages fuels used oil burners
housed in all six villages.
For more information about used oil, click here.
Shipping 
Once the Villages have stockpiled a good amount of junk cars, batteries
and antifreeze the Villages will work with the Kodiak Borough
to ship them down to Seattle. They are looking into Samson Barge or Philip
Services
to ship their hazardous wastes.
For more information about shipping hazardous waste, click here.
Contacts
For more information about the Kodiak Village Hazardous Waste Program,
contact:
Tracy Mitchell
Kodiak Island Borough
Phone: 907 486 9348
Email: tmitchell@kib.co.kodiak.ak.us
Success Story
Mentasta ’s Transfer Station
Mentasta (population 110) has five 10 yd3 dumpsters that fill up
once a month on average (a little more often in the summer and less often
in the winter).
Who pays for the operation and maintenance, and landfill disposal fees?
 |
The Village Council pays for two of the dumpsters that the majority of
the community uses. The dumpsters are located by the Council office and
the clinic. |
|
The school pays for one dumpster (fills up every 3 weeks). |
|
The apartments (HUD) pay for two dumpsters which are located by the
laundromat and the edge of the apartments. |
What does the facility look like?
The Village built wooden access platforms for the two community
dumpsters they operate. The platforms are at the same level of the top
of the dumpsters. You can walk up and easily drop- off your trash, instead
of having to sling the bags up to the dumpster.
What did it cost?
The costs for the two platforms (in Yr 2001 dollars) were:
| Labor 4 men, 60 hrs= 240 hrs @ $19.10/hr |
$4,584 |
| Indirect (27%) |
$1,238 |
| Materials 120 sq. ft. lumber per dumpster @ $21.22/sq. ft. |
$5,093 |
| Total |
$10,915 |
What are the hauling arrangements and fees?
Mentasta is on the road system. J & D Refuse in Tok charges
$110/dumpster/trip to come to Mentasta and haul the dumpsters to
the Tok Landfill.
What are the dumpster hauling, renting, and purchasing costs?
Mentasta rents the dumpsters from J&D, but this cost is included in
the $110/dumpster/trip. Many barge container companies operate similarly.
Contact:
Lottie Wolf, Mentasta, Phone: 291-2319
Success Story
Fort Yukon’s Hazardous Waste Program
Fort Yukon has organized a great storage and backhaul program
for hazardous wastes and recyclables. Through an EPA grant, Fort
Yukon leases out a garage in the community to store recyclables
and to operate a small scale used clothing/goods store. Used oil from businesses
in the community fuels a used oil burner in the garage which
provides heat for customers and staff working in the garage. Used oil from residences
is collected in labeled drums located under a shelter next to
the garage.
Ft. Yukon Used oil burner and thrift store
The hazardous waste shelter was built locally using a simple
design and inexpensive parts (two by fours, posts and tin roofing)
and protects the hazardous waste from rain and snow. The whole structure
only
cost a couple hundred dollars and you can view a picture of it below.
Batteries are also stored under the shelter in labeled
plastic totes and soon labeled drums will be available for people
to drop off their antifreeze and transmission fuel. Fort Yukon also ordered
liners to be placed underneath the drums to prevent leakage to
the ground.
The liners were ordered from www.newpig.com and other types of
safety products can be found at their website. For more information about
safety
products click here.
Once the plastic totes, drums and recycle containers are
full, they are taken to a Connex container which sits next to their
barge landing. Fort Yukon is serviced by Yutana barge and when they
stop at
the community, they pick up the hazardous wastes and recyclables
and take them away for free! For
more information about the Yutana/DEC hazardous
waste backhaul program, click here.
Fort Yukon also organized a community cleanup and education campaign
for hazardous wastes and recyclables.
If you would like more information about Fort Yukon’s hazardous
waste program and setup, contact: Vicki Thomas, Fort Yukon Village Council at 662-2581.
Success Story
Fort Yukon – used oil burner
Through an EPA grant, Fort Yukon leases
out a garage in the community to store recyclables and
to operate a small scale used clothing/goods store. Used
oil from businesses in the community fuels a used oil burner
in the garage which provides heat for customers and staff
working in the garage. Used oil from residences is collected
in labeled drums located under a shelter next to the garage.
Their Used Oil Burner is a Shenandoah (size 235,000 BTU’s)
and they are very happy with it. If you would like to talk
to Fort Yukon about their used oil burner or thrift store,
contact:Vicki Thomas, Fort Yukon Village Council at 662-2581.
Below are some pictures
of their burner and their used goods store.
Used Oil Burner (Shenandoah) setup at the back of Ft. Yukon’s second hand thrift store
Burner Assembly
Success Story
Native Village of Nightmute
Representative: Christopher George
In April 2003 the people of Nightmute recognized an environmental
disaster was ready to hit their village. Due to erosion, one edge
of the solid waste dump for the village was on the bank of the
Toksook River. Usually heavy equipment is used each winter to
push the solid
waste inland and away from the river bank so th
at breakup and
the natural erosion of the river doesn’t result in all of the
trash falling into the river. This year the ice was not thick
enough for the heavy
equipment to go across the river to the dump, and weeks before
breakup more than 3 TONS of trash was at the edge of the river
ready to fall
in.
With the assistance of the former EPA Tribal Coordinator, Jimmy George
and his assistant, Ferdinand Matthias, the people, the city and tribal
governments, the school, businesses, and other organizations of the
village came together to tackle the problem. The dump site was moved
100 feet from the river, a salvage area was set up for metal waste,
and fencing and signs were put up to help direct people to the best
place to dump their trash. If you ever see the before and after pictures
you will not believe it.
Congratulations to the Native Village of Nightmute!
Note: Write-up by Joe Sarcone, EPA, from the 2003 Alaska Native Health
Board Tribal Environmental Management Conference, Nominations for Awards.
Success Story
Newhalen Tribal Council
Representative: Ron Wassillie
Several years ago participants in a Tribal Solid Waste
Management workshop held in Illiamna visited the Newhalen dump
site to view an example of an uncontrolled burning open dump.
Ron Wassilie, Environmental
Coordinator for the Newhalen Tribal Council recognized that reductions
in State funding to support city governments in villages had
made it tough on the City of Newhalen to operate and maintain
the site and thought the
Tribal government should give it try.
Working with others in
the community, including former Seattle recycling technician now resident
of Newhalen,
Jay Thompson, Ron took lots of training and researched a lot
of solid waste management information in coming up with ways to reduce
solid waste
volumes, separate recyclable materials, and find ways to get
the recyclables to market. With the help and support of his environmental
assistant Ray
Wassllie, Raven Ameri-Corps member Wassillie Wassillie, Jay Thompson,
the Tribal Council and others Ron and the Newhalen Tribal Council
now operate and manage a solid waste site that bears no resemblance to
the
way it used to look (and smell).
Congratulations to Ron and all
those that work with him at the Newhalen Tribal Council.
Note: Write-up by Joe Sarcone, EPA, from the 2003 Alaska Native Health
Board Tribal Environmental Management Conference, Nominations for Awards.
