Saturday, May 25, 2013

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Glass Recycling Returns to Anchorage
Must be delivered to recycling center rather than deposited curbside
By Lauren Maxwell
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ANCHORAGE - It’s news that many people have been waiting years to hear -- Anchorage residents can once again recycle glass. The program was suspended in 2009 when a local company went out of business, but a new company has committed to using the glass in Alaska.

“The bottom line is that we need to use glass locally if we are going to make glass recyling work,” said Mary Fisher, director of Alaskans For Litter Prevention and Recycling (ALPAR). “Shipping our glass to the Lower 48 for such a low value material is just not economically feasible.”

Central Recycling is the local company that will be using glass to make a brand new product. The company plans to grind it up and market it as a fill material for construction projects around the state.

Central’s Kauai Alpha said part of the hold-up in bringing the program back was that the company had to wait for the state and city to rewrite regulations so that ground glass would be allowed in public works projects. She said the specifications have been changed and they are ready to go.

Residents who wish to recycle glass can drop it off at the Anchorage Recycling Center off Dowling Road in specially marked bins. The center is open for drop-offs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. One thing residents can’t do is put glass into their curbside recycling bins, the program is for drop-off only.

Officials with ALPAR say they hope to offer more drop-off sites in the springtime. They also hope that eventually waste management companies will consider providing bins for pick-up to local businesses that use a lot of glass such as bars and restaurants.