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.  

Background
The landfill was established in 1969 and operated by the City of Soldotna until 1974 when the KPB assumed boroughwide solid waste authority. In 1990 the KPB Assembly adopted a Resolution designating the site as a regional landfill. Shortly thereafter, properties adjacent to the existing landfill were acquired to assure that a development and operational area would be available for at least thirty years. Since then, the Homer, Kenai, and Seward Landfills have closed and the Transfer Facilities and Sites consolidated, constructed, and upgraded. Wastes from all areas along the KPB road system are now routed to Soldotna. 

The construction of a 13,000 square foot baling facility along with major site improvements was completed in 1992. The first in a series of lined landfill cells was constructed in 2005. Operations transitioned from baling to loose-fill of MSW in the first lined cell in 2006. The original unlined landfill was closed with a geosynthetic clay geocomposite liner system in 2007.

Leachate management occurred primarily through on-site recirculation and off-site disposal at the Cities of Kenai and Homer wastewater treatment plants through 2014. Due to multiple factors including unpredictability of offsite disposal, the KPB funded a management study in 2012 which identified the use of a thermal leachate evaporation system as the best long-term solution for leachate management. 

The CPL serves all municipalities and unincorporated communities located on the KPB road system. An estimated 98% of the KPB population is served by this landfill.

Construction
Lined Cells
Federal and State regulations require liner installation and extensive environmental controls with any new or expanded landfill. To address these requirements, improvements were constructed at the CPL from 2003-2011. $12,000,000 in General Obligation Bonds funded the construction in 2 Phases for two (2) cells including construction of the 9.3-acre Cell 1 and 4.88-acre Cell 2. Related improvements included a leachate collection system (lagoon, tank, loading station, heat trace, and recirculation), gas collection system, stormwater lagoon, mechanical/pump building, fencing, parking pads, and roads. 

The current ADEC permitted design includes five (5) adjoining lined cells in one (1) footprint. Each cell has a useable capacity of approximately five years, so planning, funding, and constructing new lined cells is an ongoing process. Cells 1 and 2 are active and will continue to receive MSW. Cell 3 construction was completed in the fall of 2018 and will move to active status when operations require it to be commissioned for use. The associated leachate management systems will be in use for the life of all cells.

C/D Cell Expansion
In FY18, the assembly appropriated $350,000 for the construction of Phase 3 C/D cell expansion, which included a cell perimeter berm, storm water piping, and stormwater management structure. Construction was completed in the fall of 2018.  The decommissioning and relocation of ground water monitoring wells and landfill gas probes located within the expansion area was complete in December 2019. KPB Solid Waste staff are excavating the cell in a phased approach, utilizing all grades of material from active MSW and C/D cells as cover material, as staffing and resources allow. Phase 3 C/D cell is estimated to have a service life of approximately 15 years.

Leachate Evaporation System
Management
Waste is deposited into the active lined cell where it is compacted and covered. Leachate is generated by liquid (primarily precipitation) percolating through the landfill. Regulatory requirements require leachate be monitored and managed on a continual basis. The CPL accomplishes this through the collection, recirculation, and evaporation systems. 

The benefits of recirculating the collected leachate back through the waste are: accelerates decomposition, providing more space for more waste; accelerates waste stabilization, reducing long term closure cost; and increases landfill gas production with the expectation of extracting the resulting energy value to be used as an alternative fuel source.

Operations
In May of 2014 the KPB began Evaporation operations further enhancing landfill capabilities of managing leachate production from the MSW lined cells. The CPL currently evaporates 1.5-2 million gallons per year. The evaporator was grant funded through the State of Alaska in 2013.

Landfill Operations
The CPL is run by in-house by KPB Solid Waste staff. The total estimated annual tonnage received from all materials is 60,000 tons.

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. Accepted materials include branches, Christmas trees, tree stumps, etc. Dirt is not accepted and must be removed from these materials prior to disposing.

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. 

Permitting & Environmental Management
ADEC Solid Waste Disposal Permit – SW1A006
18 AAC 60 Solid Waste Management regulations require MSW landfills be designed, built, and operated to minimize health and safety threats, pollution, and nuisances and operated in compliance with a comprehensive permit. The permit period is for five years and the application process includes drawings, documents, and plans demonstrating the applicant meets all applicable standards pertaining to location, design, operations, monitoring, closure, and post-closure, and financial assurance. 

ADEC Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Multi-Sector General Permit – AKR06AA70 ADEC regulations require a permit for storm water discharges associated with industrial activity that includes the industrial activity category Sector L-Landfills. The CPL is covered under a Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP) which requires submission of a Notice of Intent to ADEC and compliance with a site-specific Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). The permit period is five years. This permit requires additional monitoring separate from other permits, regular recordkeeping, and, at a minimum, annual filing with ADEC throughout the permit period. 

Environmental Monitoring
Environmental monitoring programs are in place for analytical testing of groundwater, surface water, and landfill gases. Eight (8) groundwater monitoring wells surrounding the facility are sampled two (2) times per year and nearby Arc Lake is sampled annually. Landfill gas monitoring including methane, carbon dioxide, and oxygen, is conducted quarterly by KPB Solid Waste staff. 

Environmental monitoring for waste stabilization and settlement associated with the lined cells is also periodically performed. Per ADEC regulations, a geotechnical stability analysis of the waste mass is performed annually.  

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. 

Background
The site was established by the KPB in 1979 as a landfill and converted to a baling facility in 1983. Site specific studies in the 1990’s identified several long-term alternatives for waste management in the Homer area. The KPB determined that landfill closure, construction of a transfer facility, and transfer of MSW to the CPL for burial with daily operations contracted out was the best long-term plan for waste management from this area. Groundwater quality concerns identified in 2010, necessitated by the ADEC permit, confirmed the KPB’s decision. The baling facility was closed in August 2013 and the HMF/TF began operating. 

The site sits on roughly 90 acres of KPB owned land, 45 of which are associated with the closed landfill, HMF/TF and buffer property. It serves a population of approximately 10,000 residents of the southern Peninsula from Anchor Point to all communities along Kachemak Bay.

Construction
In June 2011 the baling facility received approximately $9,000,000 from a State of Alaska Legislative Grant for design and construction of the transfer facility. Construction included site civil work and construction of a 9,600 square foot transfer building with a waste tipping area, transfer trailer bay, administrative space, a partially paved parking and driving area, and a commercial weigh scale for disposers of chargeable waste streams. Construction was completed in July 2013 and the facility opened in August 2013.

The facility also includes features that were a carryover from the Baling Facility operations including a recycle tent, recycling storage/baler building (formerly used to bale MSW and recyclables but is now used exclusively for recyclables), a used oil collection tank, a hazardous waste storage container, an equipment maintenance building, and stockpile and burial areas. A salvage tent was constructed in spring 2014. No contracted construction was required for the monofill since the areas to be utilized were already well established.

Facility Operations
KPB Solid Waste staff operates the transfer facility and monofill concurrently. 

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. 

Permitting & Environmental Management
ADEC Solid Waste Disposal Permit – SW2A011
18 AAC 60 Solid Waste Management regulations require inert waste monofills be managed and operated in accordance with all applicable permits and regulations.   The permit period is for five (5) years and the application process includes drawings, documents, and plans demonstrating the applicant meets all applicable standards pertaining to location, design, operations, monitoring, closure, and post-closure, and financial assurance. 

ADEC Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Multi-Sector General Permit – AKR06GB56 ADEC regulations require a permit for storm water discharges associated with industrial activity that includes the industrial activity category Sector L-Landfills. The HMF/TF is covered under a Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP) which requires submission of a Notice of Intent to ADEC and compliance with a site- specific Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). The permit period is five (5) years. This permit requires additional monitoring separate from other permits, regular recordkeeping, and, at a minimum, annual filing with ADEC throughout the permit period. 

Environmental Monitoring
A KPB contractor samples seven groundwater monitoring wells around the site perimeter biannually and surface water from Diamond Creek annually, both in accordance with the ADEC permit. Landfill gas monitoring including methane, carbon dioxide, and oxygen, is conducted quarterly by KPB Solid Waste staff. 

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.

Background
The site was established by the City of Seward and operated as an open dump for many years. The KPB assumed site operations in 1974 and operated it as the Seward Landfill. Due to space limitations, in 1991 it was determined that the landfill should be relocated. Several locations were considered but all were either publicly opposed to or not suitable for landfill use. It was ultimately deemed the best course of action to close the landfill, open a transfer facility, and haul the MSW to the Central Peninsula Landfill (CPL) with daily operations contracted out. Initially, the majority of inert waste was hauled from Seward to the CPL but this soon proved too costly. The monofill began operating in 1997 as a cost effective alternative.

The site sits on a 10-acre KPB owned parcel and includes the closed landfill, SMF/TF, and buffer property. It serves about 5,000 year round residents from Seward to Moose Pass along with numerous summer fishing businesses and cruise ships.

Construction
In 1990 funding was appropriated through State of Alaska and ADEC Grants and KPB General Obligation Bonds to close out the old landfill and build a transfer facility. Construction consisted of a 6,000 square foot transfer building with a waste tipping area, a trailer bay, administrative space, a recycling room, a used oil collection tank, a hazardous waste storage container, a waste water evaporator and evaporator shed, a storage shed, a partially paved parking and driving areas, and stockpile and burial areas. The facility opened in 1992. No contracted construction was required for the monofill since the areas to be utilized were already well established.

The monofill is located along the edge of the Resurrection River in an area with a high water table and highly permeable soils. A dike was constructed along the river in 1979 and a 1,200-foot extension added in 1991 to protect the closed landfill from flooding during heavy rains.

Operations
An Operator under contract with the KPB operates the transfer facility and monofill concurrently. The Operator is responsible for supplying the equipment, manpower, and supplies necessary to perform all operation and maintenance duties of the facility in a safe and orderly manner. Contract services include, but are not limited to, monitoring activities during operating hours, inert waste and recyclables management, screening incoming waste, waste transfer to the CPL, conducting litter cleanup, snow removal, and access road maintenance. The contract duration is five years with a renewal option of three years, which is subject to contract compliance, the agreement of both parties, and annual approval of funding.

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.

Environmental Monitoring
A KPB contractor samples four monitoring wells around the monofill perimeter annually in accordance with the ADEC permit.

Waste water produced from daily tipping floor operations is collected in a 3,000 gallon underground storage tank. A hauler contracted with the Borough hauls it off site.

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.

Background
During public hearing in the 1980’s the community expressed concerns related to local industrial business activity and the possibility of hazardous waste being disposed in the landfill. In response to these concerns, the KPB began contracting an Operator to run the site.

The BLF sits on a 40-acre KPB owned parcel and serves about 20 year round residents along with summer fishing businesses and numerous industrial/business entities.

Construction
In 1989 D&L Construction Company, under KPB contract, and ARCO combined efforts to construct the first community landfill. Prior to the construction, the community used the Chugach Electric open dump. 

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.

Environmental Monitoring
Water samples have been periodically collected from surface water drainage located southwest of the landfill.

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.

Background
The English Bay/Nanwalek Townsite Trustees granted the KPB a long-term rights-of-way permit in 1986 to utilize three acres of this 70-acre Native owned parcel for landfill activities. It serves about 250 year round residents.

The KPB has been working for years with the Nanwalek IRA Council to evaluate potential relocation. Due to extremely limited suitable land, efforts have been directed to alternative options instead. A proposed new airport with a road linking the communities of Port Graham and Nanwalek offers the possible option of consolidation into one landfill somewhere between the two villages. This option will be re-evaluated in the next few years as the airport construction project progresses.

Construction
Site improvements were performed in 2007 including the manufacture and installation of the burn box. Further site improvements are needed, including boundary expansion and improved drainage.

Operations
Historically, the Council provided only minimal manpower, equipment, and maintenance, causing ongoing operational problems. When unmonitored waste is dumped on the ground, it scatters throughout the site making it difficult to consolidate and cover. Also, unless the burn box is burned regularly, it gets too full to operate safely and effectively. The Solid Waste Department has staged a track loader at the NLF and sends staff over periodically for minimal operations and maintenance tasks including MSW and inert waste burial.

An estimated 220 cubic yards of landfill capacity is consumed annually with a projected life of 5-10 more years.

Environmental Monitoring
There is no environmental water monitoring of this site.

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.

Background
The Port Graham Townsite Trustees issued a Trustee Permit to the KPB in 1977 for the indefinite use of 4 acres of this 280-acre Native owned parcel for landfill activities. It serves about 180 year round residents. The site’s close proximity to homes coupled with its small size has prompted the community and the KPB to search new potential sites since the 1990’s. In 2010 the KPB contracted with a professional consultant to perform a feasibility study of a 160-acre privately owned parcel for sale. Unfortunately, the study concluded there were too many costly surface water issues to make this a viable option.

Construction
Site improvements were performed in 2007 including the manufacture and installation of the burn box and Homer Transfer Facility staff expanding the site perimeter along the northwest edge by relocating the existing fence.

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 the landfill in a safe and orderly manner. Contracted services include, but are not limited to, conducting litter clean up, managing burn box operations, compacting and covering MSW and inert waste on a regular basis, and access maintenance.

An estimated 150 cubic yards of landfill capacity is consumed annually with a projected life of 5-7 more years left.

Environmental Monitoring 
There is no environmental water monitoring of 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.

Background
The KPB previously operated the Class III Seldovia Landfill from 1978-2004 on land leased from the Seldovia Native Association.

In 2003 the KPB contracted a professional consultant to perform a feasibility study of a 125-acre parcel found for sale by the University of Alaska for possible relocation. It was determined the selected parcel met the long-term solid waste needs of the community and the parcel was purchased. The landfill sits on 20 acres of this parcel, 7.5 of which are designated for landfill activities, with the other 12.5 reserved as a buffer. It serves about 420 year round residents. RRL is the largest of the KPB’s Class III landfills.

Construction
The site was constructed in the spring of 2004 and opened July 1 of that year. Site development for Cell 1 and Cell 2 included the a 3.5-acre footprint for Cell 1, an access road, driving pads, a waste fill area, and an attendant building. The burn box was manufactured and installed at the site in 2005.

Landfill expansion, as waste fill progresses, requires blasting and rock removal to generate airspace according to the site development plan. The first phase of an expansion project was planned as a capital project in FY14. An opportunity to allow rock extraction and export for a Homer project presented itself in 2014, and a commercial quantity material contract was executed between KPB and a general contractor. KPB Land Management obtained a conditional land use permit in September 2014 to use 2.6 acres of the parcel as a material site for the production and processing of hard rock and related materials. The materials contract was administered by KPB Land Management in 2014-2015 and created approximately 35,000 cubic yards of airspace and generated an estimated 2,000 cubic yards of cover material which greatly benefits the KPB at no cost.

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 500 to 1,500 cubic yards of landfill capacity is consumed annually with a projected life of 25+ more years.

Woody Debris/Brush is open burned on the ground periodically as weather permits with the remaining ash buried in the landfill.

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.

Environmental Monitoring
Five surface water sample points surrounding the landfill footprint are sampled bi-annually by a Borough contractor and tested for a wide variety of parameters. Baseline samples were collected in April 2004 before the landfill was constructed. Current sample data is compared to the baseline sample results to promptly identify any impacts the landfill may be having on surrounding surface water systems. No impacts have been identified to date.

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. 

Background
This site has been in operation since the 1970’s. The TLF sits on a portion of this 600-acre Native owned parcel and serves about 170 year round residents.

The KPB has worked unsuccessfully for years with local landowners, the Native Village of Tyonek, Tyonek Native Corporation, and the Cook Inlet Regional Corporation to evaluate potential relocation. A plausible option may be transporting waste to the KPB owned landfill in Beluga. The KPB will work on developing a long term waste management plan for the community.  

Construction
The burn box was manufactured and installed at the site in 2005.

Operations
An Operator under contract with the KPB operates this 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, 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 950 cubic yards of landfill capacity is consumed annually with a projected life of 8 to 10 more years.

Environmental Monitoring
There is no environmental water monitoring of this site.

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.

Construction
Each facility includes a roofed and sided solid waste transfer bay (which accommodates a walking floor transfer trailer), an attendant building, a recycle shed for used oil and battery collection, recycle material collection bins, one open top dumpster for bulky waste, a paved road with a parking pad, and security fencing. Sterling has the same basic construction with a few minor changes including a longer transfer building.

Operations
An Operator contracted with the KPB operates all three sites simultaneously under the same contract and is responsible for supplying the equipment, manpower, and supplies necessary to perform the operational and maintenance duties of the transfer facilities in a safe and orderly manner. Contract services include, but are not limited to, monitoring activities during operating hours, conducting litter cleanup, snow removal, and access road maintenance. The contract duration is three years with a renewal option of two years, which is subject to contract compliance, the agreement of both parties, and annual approval of funding.

The public deposits MSW directly into the walking floor trailers, which are transported to the Central Peninsula Landfill (CPL). Disposers are limited to 2 pickup loads per week, per source. No full loads larger than a 1-ton pickup or carrying capacity of over 3 cubic yards are accepted and must be delivered to the CPL. A collective average of 6,000 tons of MSW is transported to the CPL each year. 

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.

Monitoring
The Operator is responsible for waste screening and segregation of materials.

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.