SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): Talkeetna residents recycled more in 2023. Nearly 53 tons of materials, including plastic, cans, paper and cardboard were recycled during the year. The recycling volumes were up by almost 5 tons when compared with 2022. It must be noted that Talkeetna residents have doubled the recycling tonnage every year since 2016.

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According to Jeff Smith, Mat-Su Borough Solid Waste Division Manager, the recycling weights have seen significant increase, since Talkeetna commenced cardboard collections. As per numbers, the increase is more than 30 tons. Among all remote sites in Mat-Su Valley, the Talkeetna recycling station reported the most number of visits, with monthly visits averaging at around 270.

Out of the total 95,600 tons collected during the previous year, about 9,600 tons were diverted to recycling, Smith said.

The cardboard collected at the recycling stations are being used widely in Alaska for various purposes. The cardboard baler has helped in cutting the costs of transporting the materials to Valley Community for Recycling Solutions (VCRS), where they are processed. The plastics are processed by Alaska Plastic Recovery, by melting them to lumber.

Talkeetna Transfer Station has put up a metals collection box at the Talkeetna Transfer Station on a trial basis.