Decade of hard work pays off

More than a decade of work and talking trash is paying off for Valley Community Recycling Solutions, and for all Mat-Su Borough residents. With the final $3 million in funding secured from a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the way is clear for construction to begin on a new $6.5 million recycling center.

American history is replete with examples of not taking “no” for an answer. So, following failed ballot attempts to secure money for a recycling center, the borough and Valley Community Recycling found several sources to fund this worthwhile project without affecting our tax assessments. In addition to the $3 million grant, the center will be build with $1 million from the state Legislature, $50,000 from the Mat-Su Health Foundation, $50,000 from the federal Economic Development Administration and a $2.5 million low-interest loan from the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Work is expected to start in the spring on the 23,600-square-foot facility, and we look forward to what a full-service recycling facility can bring to the Valley. Not only will the center provide an ecologically friendly alternative for waste disposal, it also has potential to relieve pressure on our local landfill. As the Mat-Su area continues to experience the state’s fastest growth, improvements, updates and additions to our local services are sorely needed.

In addition to extending the life of the landfill, the borough estimates the new recycling center has the potential to create as many as 145 jobs, including waste haulers and efforts to prepare the recycling byproducts used for the construction industry.

Located near the landfill, the new recycling center is already accepting materials at a temporary facility in advance of construction of a new building. Kudos to Valley Community Recycling Solutions, which will operate the new center, and has been working to keep the Valley a bit greener for 11 years. Seeing that final $3 million grant come through to complete the financing of the project is a testament to the group and borough for not giving up on a good project that will serve the Valley well.