Resolved shipping dispute reopens recycling center

April 15, 2007

By Will Elliott

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - Valley residents and businesses looking to reduce their landfill impact got a reprieve last week when the local recycling facility reopened.

The nonprofit Valley Community for Recycling Solutions, shut down abruptly April 7 when its shippers declined to move VCRS's materials. Previously, Wal-Mart lent its empty shipping containers to VCRS to fill with recyclables. Shipping companies Totem Ocean Trailer Express, or TOTE, and Horizon Lines of Alaska, then backhauled the trailers from Anchorage to Seattle.

TOTE also has an arrangement with an Anchorage nonprofit recycling agency, Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling, or ALPAR. Last week, TOTE announced that VCRS would need to turn their materials over to ALPAR first, or TOTE would not ship.

Boyer said that arrangement would not be ideal.

&#8220We carry our materials straight to market in Seattle. It adds significant cost to go through ALPAR, and we have no records of how much material is being moved. A separate agreement will give us clarity,” she said.

VCRS currently occupies a retrofitted welding shop near the Mat-Su Borough landfill. Because VCRS lacks a permanent recycling facility to stockpile materials, the outfit depends on shippers to move trash regularly from their drop-off point to market in Seattle.

When shipping is interrupted, recycling operations must cease.

&#8220We don't have anywhere here to keep the recyclables,” explained Boyer. &#8220After a few days, we simply don't have any more room.”

Wal-Mart took the lead in working out a solution to the logjam

&#8220Everyone is working together,” Boyer said. &#8220Wal-Mart has been rooting for us on this. They've been our hero.”

Friday, VCRS, Wal-Mart and shippers met to agree on a contract. Saturday, VCRS board president Pete Praetorius said a tentative agreement had been reached.

&#8220There's still a few details to iron out, but I think we've got it pretty much under control,” he said. &#8220We're really happy. It's working out great.”

Boyer said the controversy highlights the Valley's need for a permanent recycling facility.

&#8220The borough has donated us the land near the landfill and our current site,” she said. &#8220All we need now is to raise the money.”

When completed, the center will function as a collection site and processing plant for recyclable items. According to VCRS, it will also serve as a brokerage for recovered resources, and a clearinghouse for information. From the center, VCRS will provide educational outreach for schools, residents and businesses, promote wise waste management and encourage the &#8220three R's” (reduce, reuse and recycle).

VCRS is open for drop-off of household materials on Thursday and Friday from noon to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit the VCRS Web site, www.valleyrecycling.org, for a list of recyclable materials. For more information, call 745-5544.

Contact Will Elliott at 352-2250 or will.elliott@frontiersman.com.