Solid Waste

Administrative Office

(907) 262-9667
47140 E Poppy Ln, Soldotna, AK 99669
Monday-Friday 8:00AM - 5:00PM
Closed all major holidays

CENTRAL PENINSULA LANDFILL (CPL)

LOCATION, HOURS & CONTACT INFO: See Overview

Location & Permits
The CPL is a Class I Landfill located at Mile 98.5 Sterling Highway, 2.5 miles south of Soldotna, in Sec. 12 and 13, T4N, R11W, S.M., AK. The CPL is required by ADEC regulations to have two (2) permits - Solid Waste Disposal and AK Pollution, Discharge & Elimination.  

Waste Segregation
One of the many facets of managing waste is the proper disposal and handling of a wide variety of materials. Because not all materials are managed in the same way, it is important to separate them into categories, each with its own disposal location within the landfill.

Lined Cell: MSW
The public deposits MSW onto the tipping floor of the baler building where it is loaded into a roll-off truck container and deposited into the active lined cell. Commercial haulers deposit their loads directly into the active lined cell. All MSW is ultimately compacted and buried. Types of materials accepted in the lined cell include animal carcasses, electronics, fish waste, kitchen trash, lawn clippings and leaves, sludge, special waste, etc. 

Inert Waste Monofill: C/D, Metals, WLC
C/D: Both the public and commercial haulers deposit this waste stream directly into an unlined cell where it is ultimately compacted and buried. Types of materials accepted in the C/D cell include building materials, concrete, dry wall, furniture, roofing materials, tires, treated wood/lumber products, etc. 

Metals: Metals used to be deposited into the C/D cell but are now separated out, because a local metals recycling company occasionally hauls it off site and sends it to market. Accepted materials include appliances, automobiles, copper, iron, tanks, etc. Items with engines must have all fluids drained and gas tanks and batteries removed (if applicable) prior to disposal.

WLC: Also known as the "brush pile," the stockpiled material is periodically burned, which saves space for this waste stream from burial. Logs must be cut into 4’ lengths. Dirt, stumps, and trash are not accepted and will be turned away.

Asbestos Cell: Asbestos
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral recognized for its heat resistance, tensile strength, and insulating properties and was once used extensively in construction. Unfortunately for all its versatility, it was discovered to also be highly toxic to humans. Ongoing asbestos abatement efforts results in the need for a place to dispose of it. CPL is the only location within the KPB that accepts asbestos, which requires KPB Special Waste permitting and an appointment prior to disposal.

Reuse & Recycling
CPL collects aluminum cans for a local metals recycler to ship to market. Glass is also collected but is used on site for building roads and as a cover and drainage material.

Salvage Tent
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” is an idiom often used to convey that something one person considers worthless may be considered valuable by another. For many years it has become a best practice to reuse items rather than recycle or discard them. With this in mind a Reuse Area was designated in 2023 for disposers to leave usable items in good condition for others to reuse.

Hazardous & Misc. Waste
Fluorescent bulbs, used oil, and lead acid and household batteries are accepted daily. The KPB contracts out used oil management hauling while the lead acid batteries are periodically picked up by a local battery recycling company. Hazardous Waste Collection Events are conducted seven (7) times annually by a hazardous waste management contractor. The contractor manages the events; the CPL provides the location. 

Disposal Fees
The CPL has commercial disposer scales and charges fees to commercial vehicles for specific waste items based on tonnage. Residents are charged for asbestos and vehicles. All vehicles – both residential and commercial - are weighed on the inbound and outbound scales for waste tracking and reporting purposes. 

Fees apply to Hazardous Waste Management for commercial businesses; households are free. 

HOMER MONOFILL/TRANSFER FACILITY (HMF/TF)

LOCATION, HOURS & CONTACT INFO: See Overview

Location & Permits
The HMF/TF is located at Mile 169.3 Sterling Highway, 3.5 miles northwest of downtown Homer in Sec. 15, T6S, R14W, S.M., AK. The Monofill is required by ADEC regulations to have two (2) permits - Inert Waste and AK Pollution, Discharge & Elimination. No ADEC permit is required to operate the Transfer Facility portion. 

Waste Segregation
One of the many facets to managing waste is the proper disposal and handling of a wide variety of materials. Because not all materials are managed in the same way, it is important to separate them into categories, each with its own disposal location. 

Tipping Floor: MSW
Both public and commercial haulers deposit MSW onto the tipping floor of the transfer building where it is loaded into a transfer trailer and ultimately hauled to the CPL. Incoming waste is screened prior to loading the transfer trailer and materials not suitable for burial in the lined cell at the CPL are segregated out. Types of materials accepted include animal carcasses, electronics, fish waste, kitchen trash, small quantities of lawn clippings and leaves, etc. An average of 8,000 tons of MSW is transported annually to the CPL.

Inert Waste Monofill: C/D, Metals, WLC
Inert waste is segregated into these three separate piles. The C/D is currently being placed over the existing footprint of the former landfill that was not filled to capacity at the time of transition to a transfer facility. An estimated 9,000 cubic yards is consumed annually in the C/D cell with a projected life of 20-30 more years.

C/D: Both the public and commercial haulers deposit this waste stream directly into the unlined cell where it is ultimately compacted and buried. Types of materials accepted include inert waste such as building materials, concrete, dry wall, furniture, roofing material, tires, treated wood/lumber products, etc. 

Metals: Accepted materials include appliances, copper, iron, tanks, etc. Refrigerators and freezers are placed in the C/D cell after refrigerants are removed. Vehicles are not accepted at this site.

WLC: Also known as the ‘brush pile,’ the stockpiled material is periodically burned, which saves space for this waste stream from burial. Accepted materials include branches, Christmas trees, tree stumps, untreated lumber without nails or hardware, etc. Dirt is not accepted and must be removed from these materials prior to disposing.

Recycling Containers
Collection bins are set up in the large tent across the parking lot from the baler building for convenient public disposal. Accepted materials include aluminum cans, glass, newspaper, PETE #1 twist-top containers, HDPE #2 plastics, and tin. Corrugated cardboard and mixed paper are collected in the baler building. Recyclables are baled by KPB Solid Waste staff and hauled to market by a contractor.

Glass is collected for reuse onsite for building roads and as a cover and drainage material. 

Salvage Tent
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” is an idiom often used to convey that something one person considers worthless may be considered valuable by another. For many years it has become a best practice to reuse items rather than recycle or discard them. With this in mind a salvage tent was constructed in 2014 for disposers to leave usable items in good condition for others to reuse.

Hazardous & Misc. Waste
Fluorescent bulbs, used oil, and lead acid and household batteries are accepted daily. The KPB contracts out used oil management hauling while the lead acid batteries are periodically picked up by a local battery recycling company. Hazardous Waste Collection Events are conducted four times annually by a hazardous waste management contractor. The contractor manages the events; the HMF/TF provides the location. 

Disposal Fees
HMF/TF has one commercial disposer scale which is located on a separate access road from that of public access. Currently, scale charges based on tonnage for specific waste items are limited to commercial vehicles with a Solid Waste Charge Account. Commercial vehicles without an account are charged by volume. Residents are charged for asbestos and vehicles. Commercial jobs have a 250 cubic yard limit per job. 

Fees apply to Hazardous Waste Management for commercial businesses; households are free. 

SEWARD MONOFILL/TRANSFER FACILITY (SMF/TF)

(907) 224-5327

OPERATING HOURS: See Overview

Location
The SMF/TF is located at 3200 Dimond Blvd., 3 miles north of downtown Seward, in the NE ¼ of Sec. 28, T1N, R1E, S.M., AK. The current ADEC Inert Waste Permit, SWZA031-22, expires in April 2022. No ADEC permit is required to operate the transfer facility.

Waste Segregation
One of the many facets to managing waste is the proper disposal and handling of a wide variety of materials. Because not all materials are managed in the same way, it is important to separate them into categories, each with its own disposal location.

Tipping Floor: MSW
Both public and commercial haulers deposit MSW onto the tipping floor of the transfer building where it is loaded into a transfer trailer and ultimately hauled to the CPL. The Operator screens the incoming waste prior to loading the transfer trailer and segregates materials not suitable for burial in the lined cell at the CPL. Types of materials accepted include animal carcasses, electronics, fish waste, kitchen trash, small quantities of lawn clippings and leaves, etc. An estimated 4,000 to 5,000 tons of MSW are transported to the CPL each year.

Inert Waste Monofill: C/D, Metals & Woody Debris/Brush
Inert waste is segregated in these three separate piles. An estimated 3,100 cubic yards is consumed annually in the C/D cell with a projected life of 25 more years.

*C/D: Both the public and commercial haulers deposit this waste stream directly into an unlined cell where it is ultimately compacted and buried. Types of materials accepted include inert waste such as building materials, concrete, dry wall, furniture, roofing material, tires, treated wood, etc.

*Metals: Accepted materials include appliances, automobiles, copper, iron, tanks, etc. Items with engines must have all fluids drained and gas tanks and batteries removed (if applicable) prior to disposal. Refrigerators and freezers are either placed in the C/D cell or stockpiled with other metals and shipped to recycle markets after refrigerants are removed. The removal and hauling of this waste stream is the sole responsibility of the Operator.   

*Woody Debris/Brush: Also known as the ‘brush pile,’ the stockpiled material is periodically burned, which saves space for this waste stream from burial. Accepted materials include branches, Christmas trees, large quantities of un-bagged grass clippings and leaves, tree stumps (see site attendant), untreated lumber without nails or hardware, etc. 

Recycling Containers
The SMF/TF has containers located outside the baler building for collecting aluminum cans, corrugated cardboard, container glass, mixed paper, newspaper, and PETE #1 twist top containers and HDPE #2 plastics. A recycling container is also available for cardboard, aluminum cans, and glass at the Seward Boat Harbor. The onsite management of recyclables is the sole responsibility of the Operator.

Hazardous & Misc. Waste
Used oil and lead acid and household batteries are accepted daily. Management of these materials is the same as the Homer Transfer Facility.

Four HWCE are conducted throughout the year by the KPB’s hazardous waste management contractor who manages the events and ships the waste out of Alaska for management.

Disposal Fees
SMF/TF does not have commercial disposer scales. Commercial vehicles with more than five cubic yards are charged for specific waste items based on volume with a 250 cubic yard limit per job. Households are not charged disposal fees.  Households are charged for specific items.

Fees apply to hazardous waste management from businesses that generate very small quantities of this waste stream; households are free.

Rural Landfills Overview

Background
Class III landfills are defined as landfills that are not connected by a road to a Class I landfill, or if connected by road, is located more than 50 miles from a Class I landfill, and accepts less than five tons per day of MSW. The KPB oversees the operations of five Class III rural landfills: Beluga, Nanwalek, Port Graham, Seldovia, and Tyonek. Each is unique and comes with the challenges of geographic location and community compliance and involvement.

Location Issues
The KPB does not own land in Port Graham, Nanwalek, or Tyonek and has had to lease Native land for landfill use. Over the years each of these villages has expressed interest in relocating their existing landfills. However, land option constraints coupled with gridlock negotiations with the Native corporations and local residents has left potential progress at a stalemate. Until other suitable sites can be found and negotiations agreed upon, the KPB and these communities agree that remaining at the existing locations is the best solution for current waste management.

Waste Minimization – Burn Boxes
All of the rural landfills utilize burn boxes. This is known as a “waste minimization technique” and reduces MSW required for burial by an estimated 25%. Burning is strictly controlled in amounts of less than five cubic yards and includes items such as cardboard, paper, and small quantities of wood waste.

Recycling
RRL is currently the only rural landfill with a recycling program.

Hazardous Waste
In 1995 the KPB and Chugachmuit funded the construction of small sheds in Nanwalek and Port Graham to temporarily store hazardous waste materials such as used oil and vehicle batteries that cannot be disposed of in the landfill.

The Solid Waste Department holds an annual HWCP event in Seldovia. The hazardous waste in the sheds at Nanwalek and Port Graham are shipped out on an as-needed basis by Solid Waste staff. No hazardous waste is collected at Beluga or Tyonek; the industrial corporations in these areas are responsible for disposing of their own hazardous wastes.

Disposal Fees
Fees are not charged at the unattended landfills - Nanwalek, Port Graham, and Tyonek - because there is no attendant on duty to inspect waste items or collect fees. Beluga and Seldovia do not have commercial disposer scales, so commercial vehicles are charged for specific waste items based on volume. Households are not charged disposal fees. Fees apply to the hazardous waste management of very small quantity generator waste in Seldovia from small businesses; households are free.

BELUGA LANDFILL (BLF)

OPERATING HOURS: See Overview

Location & Permits
The BLF is located across the Cook Inlet from the KPB main road system, 1 mile southwest of the Beluga airstrip in the village of Beluga in Sec. 4, T12N, R10W, S.M., AK. The current Class III Landfill ADEC permit, SW3A025-20, expires in January 2025.

Operations
An Operator under contract with the KPB operates the site and is responsible for supplying the equipment, manpower, and supplies necessary to perform all operational and maintenance duties of the landfill in a safe and orderly manner. Contracted services include, but are not limited to, monitoring activities during operating hours, conducting litter clean up, managing burn box operations, compacting and covering MSW and inert waste on a regular basis, and road access maintenance.

An estimated 800 to 1500 cubic yards of landfill capacity is consumed annually with a projected life of 20 more years.

NANWALEK LANDFILL (NLF)

OPERATING HOURS

Open 24 Hours a Day/365 Days a Year

Location & Permits
The NLF is located across Kachemak Bay from the KPB main road system on the north side of the village of Nanwalek on Saint John St. in Sec. 35, T9S, R16W, S.M., AK. An ADEC permit was unattainable for years, but on May 2, 2017, the ADEC issued Solid Waste Permit SW3A187-22, which expires in May 2022.

PORT GRAHAM LANDFILL (PGL)

OPERATING HOURS

Open 24 Hours a Day/365 Days a Year

Location & Permits
The PGL is located on the northwest side of the village of Port Graham on First St. within Sec. 33, T9S, R15W, S.M., AK. An ADEC permit is required to operate this site.

ROCKY RIDGE LANDFILL (RRL)

OPERATING HOURS: See Overview

Location & Permits
The RRL is located across Kachemak Bay from the KPB main road system, 1.5 miles south of the town of Seldovia on Rocky St. within Sec. 6, T9S, R14W, S.M., AK. The current Class III Landfill ADEC permit, SW3A026-26, expires in June 2024.

Hazardous Waste
An annual HWCE is held in town in the fall allowing households and VSQGs an opportunity to dispose of this waste stream. The KPB’s hazardous waste management contractor manages the event and barges the waste to the Homer Transfer Facility in coordination with a collection event there.

Lead-acid batteries are accepted year round, stored in totes, and shipped out of the community on an as needed basis.

Recycling
Three recycling bins are used to collect aluminum cans and PETE #1 twist top containers and HDPE #2 plastics. When full, the bins are transported by the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry to the Homer Transfer Facility for management.

TYONEK LANDFILL (TLF)

OPERATING HOURS

Open 24 Hours a Day/365 Days a Year

Location & Permits
The TLF is located across the Cook Inlet from the KPB main road system, 2 miles northwest of the village of Tyonek on A St. in Sec. 35, T12N, R11W, S.M., AK. Due to the absence of written consent for and a lack of compliance in landfill operations, an ADEC permit was unobtainable since 1990. However, through the continued efforts of SWD staff, written consent by the Tyonek Native Corporation was obtained and a Class III landfill permit was issued. The new ADEC permit, SW3A17-21, expires in February 2026. 

KENAI, NIKISKI & STERLING TRANSFER FACILITIES 

 Kenai (907) 283-4445    Nikiski (907) 776-7037    Sterling (907) 260-1939

OPERATING HOURS

See Overview for the most up-to-date operating hours.

Location & Permits
Kenai is located in Kenai at 2410 Redoubt Avenue on a portion of the closed Kenai Landfill in Sec. 36, T6N, R12W, S.M., AK.
Nikiski is located in Nikiski at 55410 Poolside Avenue in Sec. 9, T7N, R12W, S.M., AK.
Sterling is located at Mile 85.5 Sterling Highway in Sterling in Sec. 10, T5N, R9, S.M., AK.                    No ADEC permits are required to operate these sites.

Background
Kenai and Nikiski were financed by State of Alaska Legislative and ADEC Grants and began operations in January 1995. Sterling was financed by an ADEC Grant and KPB funds and began operations in January 1997. Project cost for each site was $500,000 - $600,000. 

Hazardous & Misc. Waste
Used oil and lead acid and household batteries are accepted at each site during operational hours. The KPB contracts out used oil and household batteries management. NOTE: Vehicle batteries not accepted.

Recycling
Two compartmentalized recycling containers are placed at each site for the collection of aluminum cans, corrugated cardboard, glass, mixed paper, and newspaper. Kenai has one additional 40-cubic yard containers for PETE #1 twist top containers and HDPE #2 plastics. Disposers with more than the equivalent of two full pickup loads per week must take recyclables to CPL. The collective average of 270 tons of recyclable materials are transported to CPL annually.

Fees
Chargeable waste items are not accepted at these sites and must be delivered to CPL.

LOCATIONS & OPERATING HOURS

Background
Since adoption of the KPB’s Solid Waste Comprehensive Plan in 1991, the SWD has consolidated and/or upgraded numerous Solid Waste Transfer Sites resulting in a manageable hauling program. The Borough currently maintains eight year-round, unmanned sites at Anchor Point, Cooper Landing, Crown Point, Hope, Funny River, Kasilof, Ninilchik and McNeil Canyon.

Operations
An Operator under contract with the KPB is responsible for transporting the containers and disposing the contents at the Central Peninsula Landfill or Homer Transfer Facility in a safe and efficient manner. They also provide a roving attendant working on an alternating schedule to monitor disposal activities and keep each site neat, clean, and litter free.

Depending on the time of year, anywhere from two to four 40-cubic yard containers are located at the sites for MSW disposal with additional 30-cubic yard containers for recyclable items.

Gates and fencing have been installed at most of the sites. Gates are opened and closed at select sites by the contractor with varying daily hours depending on the site and time of year.

Improvements
The Funny River Site was expanded and improved in the summer of 2020. Improvements include features uniform in design and functionality to other KPB Transfer Sites: entrance gates, site fencing, bulk head installation, lighting, and surveillance connectivity improvements.

Site Issues
Improper disposal, vandalism, and people climbing into and on the dumpsters are  on-going problems at these unmanned sites. Prohibited items, including hazardous waste, sometimes are improperly disposed of or dumped on the ground, causing potential health and safety issues. Vandals have destroyed signs and burned containers.

In an effort to resolve these issues and ensure safety, the KPB has designated operating hours and installed gates, fences, bear-proof containers, and surveillance cameras at most of the sites.

Bear problems at some of the sites had escalated over the years since 2001. Fortunately, most of these issues were eliminated by installing bear resistant modified containers, performing daily site clean-up, and promptly closing and opening the containers and gates. 

Additionally, surveillance cameras were installed in 2009 at all the sites except Hope, which will be added as funds allow. The cameras help provide live feedback on site activities.