Skagway advisory committee backs municipal support for Haines plastic recycling, approves compost outreach materials

The Skagway Solid Waste Advisory Committee on April 7 recommended that the municipality send a letter of support to Haines Friends Recycling, approved an amended hay-and-straw compost sticker for use at the transfer facility, and voted to update the municipal solid-waste outreach calendar to list the annual hazmat collection in July while removing a fall clean-sweep reference.

The committee said the measures aim to bolster local recycling and outreach. Members also discussed starting a local program to bale clean plastics at the transfer facility, updating marine-debris signage, finishing a virtual composter tour, and asking municipal staff to draft a commercial food-composting code amendment for restaurants.

A motion asking the municipality to send a letter of support to Haines Friends Recycling passed without opposition. Committee members discussed recent communication from Haines Friends Recycling that said the organization currently lacks funding after a federal grant ended; the committee agreed to advise municipal leaders to send a support letter and to begin local steps to store and bale clean plastics while broader transportation or processing arrangements are worked out. Committee discussion described an initial work plan that would accept milk jugs in a first phase and water bottles in a second phase and flagged potential sorting and storage constraints at receiving facilities.

The committee approved an updated hay-and-straw compost sticker to clarify that “straw” refers to drinking straws versus agricultural straw and to call out hay and straw as acceptable or not depending on contamination; members asked that the top line (prohibition language) be made more prominent so users can readily see what must not go into the compost dumpster. That motion passed with no opposition.

On outreach materials the committee voted to revise the municipal solid-waste event flyer: the committee decided to list the annual household hazardous-waste (hazmat) collection as occurring in July (no specific date given on the flyer) and to remove a separate “clean sweep” listing. The committee instructed staff to publish the updated flyer in time for upcoming spring outreach.

Other items the committee discussed but did not vote on included a proposal to codify commercial food-composting requirements for restaurants. Members said most local restaurants already compost but that a draft code amendment from municipal staff would help address the small number of businesses that are not participating. The committee asked municipal staff (Emily) to prepare a draft ordinance for future review.

The committee also reviewed a delay in a planned virtual composter tour after a public-works staffer (Tyson) said current workloads mean the video will be postponed; a volunteer (Steve) offered to record a short iPhone-style walk-through once staff can accommodate it. For marine-debris outreach the committee asked staff to map proposed sign locations (the group reaffirmed a previously approved sign by the trail restrooms) and to find the earlier box-design drawing to share with the outreach lead.

On vehicle washing outreach, members noted that a local ordinance prohibits discharging detergents into storm drains and discussed whether staff should follow up about observed washing practices at a local commercial site; no formal enforcement action was recorded at the meeting.

Votes at a glance: - Recommend municipality send letter of support to Haines Friends Recycling — Outcome: approved; vote: 3 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain; notes: committee also directed staff to begin local plastics collection steps (phase 1: milk jugs; phase 2: water bottles) and to coordinate storage/palletizing and transport logistics. - Approve hay-and-straw compost sticker as amended — Outcome: approved; vote: 3 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain; notes: larger top-line prohibition text requested, clarification to list hay and straw explicitly. - Update solid-waste events flyer (list hazmat in July; remove clean-sweep listing) — Outcome: approved; vote: 3 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain. - Add two items (garbage-can stickers and save-the-date flyer) to today’s agenda — Outcome: approved; vote: 3 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain.

Next steps and context: municipal staff (Emily) was asked to draft an ordinance to codify commercial food composting, to update and publish the events flyer, and to coordinate with public-works staff (Tyson) on plastics collection logistics. Committee members also assigned a volunteer to help with the composter tour when staff schedules permit. The group said the transfer facility will begin accepting clean plastics for baling locally while longer-term processing arrangements are finalized.

The committee meeting was held with a quorum of members present; several agenda items were tabled for future meetings so staff could circulate drafts and visual proofs for review.