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Solid waste division proposes equipment change to cut long-term cover costs; HHW transport remains major expense
Summary
Solid Waste managers told the assembly they plan to replace an aging, expensive alternative-daily-cover system with a simpler canvas unrolling machine mounted on a dozer, which the department says would save roughly $630,000 over 10 years; household hazardous waste (HHW) continues to require costly off-site transport for disposal.
Solid Waste staff told the Assembly Finance Committee that a change in how the borough applies daily/seasonal landfill cover could produce multi-year savings, and that household hazardous waste (HHW) transport to off-site facilities in the Lower 48 remains a significant annual expense.
Landfill cover machine: Solid Waste Division managers said the current alternative daily cover approach uses expensive pre-formed rolls (a recent two-year purchase of rolls was about $130,000) and an older retrofit machine with heavy maintenance needs. The division proposed purchasing a different commercially standard unrolling machine that mounts to a dozer and deploys a weighted canvas cover. Staff said the canvas rolls cost roughly $2,500 each, have a 5-to-10-year shelf life and that, over a 10-year horizon, the change would save an estimated $630,000 compared with continuing to use the current roll system and retrofit dispenser.
Leachate and in-house work: Solid Waste staff said they have historically contracted out many small projects (leachate seeps, localized repairs), but with an almost fully staffed crew they expect to perform more of that work in-house this year, reducing contractor costs previously charged to the landfill budget.
Household hazardous waste (HHW): The department reported that HHW transport and proper disposal continue to be a major cost; staff noted that Alaska has no Hazardous Waste landfill, so many categories of HHW must be shipped to certified Lower 48 facilities. The division said it budgets roughly $306,000 annually for off-site hazardous material transport and handling, and commented that the most common HHW items include flammables, oils, paint, corrosives, batteries and a substantial stream labeled "miscellaneous." Refrigerators are drained and refrigerant removed by a contractor (about $100/appliance) before the appliance carcass is landfilled locally.
Why it matters: HHW costs and landfill operating methods directly affect enterprise fund budgets and future tipping fees. The proposed change in cover equipment, if approved, would lower recurring operating costs for the landfill.
Ending: The department plans to bring the equipment purchase and implementation schedule forward as part of the capital and operational planning process; no final purchases were authorized at the work session.
