Valley Recycling Center remains open amid COVID-19 outbreak

PALMER — Valley Community Recycling Solutions has remained open since the COVID-19 outbreak first hit Alaska and establishments started to shut down or limit service one after another.

About 80 customers made their way through the center toward the end of the day April 9. According to operations manager James Santiago their overall business may have taken a hit but it certainly isn’t slow. He said they’ve been very busy keeping up with an average of 100 vehicles per day.

“But then again, we are essential,” Santiago said.

While the recycling center has been able to retain its normal hours, they’ve taken extreme measures to maintain effective social distancing. They’ve closed the main office to the public, they handle transactions with a homemade bucket out the drive-thru window, and they no longer help people directly as they unload from their vehicles.

Keeping six feet distance from the customers without being able to help them lift something heavy or grab a box for them what’s the team the hardest.

“That’s how we’ve done it for years. It takes some getting used to,” Santiago said.

Santiago has worked at the recycling center for over 11 years and feels very invested in his workplace. He said that he’s stuck around because of the job satisfaction, not the paycheck.

“I just love the work,” Santiago said.

As more and more people find themselves suddenly unemployed, the gravity of the situation becomes more evident. Santiago said that his heart goes out to the people out of work right now.

“I appreciate the paycheck and I think there’s a lot of guys here who are like me. They’re happy to still be working,” Santiago said.

Santiago urges the public to hold onto their recyclables as long as they can mitigate unnecessary trips, thus overall exposure.

The VCRS drive-thru drop off center is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. on Saturday. They’re closed Sunday and Monday.

VCRS officials regularly post updates on their website and social media. They urge the public to stay home if they feel ill or are potentially exposed.

They also encourage people to thoroughly sort their recyclables prior to leaving their homes. They have sorting guides and other helpful information on their website.

For more information, call 907-745-5544 or visit valleyrecycling.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com. Support local journalism. By subscribing you help local journalism continue to thrive. For our latest digital subscription information, see frontiersman.com/site/forms/subscription_services/