ALPAR

ALPAR is excited to announce the return of glass recycling to Anchorage just in time for America Recycles Day and Anchorage Recycles Day!

The program will be drop off only for clean, empty glass bottles and jars – all colors – no caps or lids and no other materials like boxes or bags can go in the bin. The Anchorage Recycling Center will be the only collection point for glass for now. Bins here are open for drop off 24/7.

“It’s really important to make sure we don’t put anything in the bin other than glass and that residents understand they can’t put glass in their curbside carts,” says Mary Fisher, Executive Director of ALPAR. Curbside recyclables go directly to Seattle for sorting but glass will stay in Anchorage for processing.

The program is a culmination of extensive research and planning by Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling (ALPAR), Muni Solid Waste Services and most importantly Central Recycling Services who will be recycling the glass into new construction products here in Anchorage.

ALPAR and the Anchorage Recycling Center will manage the glass drop-off program partnering with Muni Solid Waste Services to cover the cost of hauling the glass to Central Recycling Services. The program is a great partnership between the public and private sectors.

Many residents will be excited that glass recycling is back again. Some folks have been saving up their glass for quite a while in anticipation of this start up. ALPAR’s goal has been to create a sustainable program with the highest potential that local markets for the glass will be robust and stable.

Key to this new program start up has been the development of new local markets for the glass. The State of Alaska Department of Transportation and the Municipality of Anchorage have added new specifications that allows glass to be used in construction projects such as road underlayment, trench backfill and pipe bedding. These approvals open up sustainable markets for the glass which will help make glass recycling feasible and able to grow.

ALPAR wants to thank our member companies, Muni Solid Waste Services, Central Recycling Service, RockTenn Recycling, Alaska Waste, State of Alaska DOT&PF, Muni Public Works, Mayor Sullivan, AWWU, Green Star, Alaska Center for the Environment, Anchorage Media Group and everyone who has worked toward this for the last several years. Persistence pays off! Thanks to Anchorage Recyclers for your patience and enthusiasm!

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America Recycles Day is fast approaching. 41 America Recycles Day Events are registered in Alaska so far! Here’s the rundown as of 11/13/12. Keep it up, Alaska!

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November 15 is America Recycles Day, the only nationally recognized day dedicated to promoting recycling in the United States. Recycling is the easiest thing we can all do to reduce waste and pollution, conserve natural resources, and create green jobs. It’s something we can ALL agree on! Together we can make recycling bigger and better 365 days a year.

Last year, Alaskan Non-profits, Youth, Community Groups, Schools, City Governments, Tribal Councils, and businesses created 14 events and promotions across Alaska to celebrate America Recycles Day and Alaska’s own version – Alaska Recycles Day and Anchorage Recycles Day. This year our goal is to register 49 Alaskan events in the 49th state with the official America Recycles Day organization.

So, how can you participate? Visit the America Recycles Day website where you can take the Pledge to Recycle and groups or businesses can register to HOST AN EVENT. By registering your event soon, you will receive a kit containing posters, pencils, buttons, stickers and more!  Call ALPAR (907)644-7968 to learn how your group may be eligible for a small grant to support your event. Let’s put Alaska on the map and join with all Americans in celebrating recycling! Check out our 2010 Alaska Recycles Day event on YouTube!

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ALPAR’s 6h Annual Plastic Garden Pot Recycling event came in this year at 2.8 TONS: 4,580 pounds of plastic pots and trays recycled and over 1,000 pounds of pots taken away for reuse again next year. The event was held on August 18th where enthusiastic recyclers and gardeners conserved resources and greened up Anchorage in more ways than one! Thank you to our volunteers who worked so hard. You help make this popular recycling event possible for everyone Many thanks to the Alaska Botanical Garden, Faltz Nursery and their great volunteers and employees for participating and educating recyclers about recycling and composting. PS: We’re waiting to hear from Guinness if we made the record books!
Special thanks to our event sponsors and supporters:
The Businesses of ALPAR
Our shippers who contribute the shipping of these pots and all the recyclables in the Railbelt to Seattle markets:
Totem Ocean Trailer Express
Horizon Lines
Alaska Marine Lines / Lynden
Northland Services
Alaska Botanical Garden
Alaska Waste
Anchorage Media Group Radio Stations:KBRJ,KEAG,KFQD,KHAR,KMXS,KWHL
Anchorage Daily News
Jeff Lowenfels and The Garden Party on KBYR

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Gardeners start saving your pots for the upcoming Garden and Nursery Pot Recycling Drop off event on August 18 at the Alaska Botanical Garden. This year we are going for the record books with a goal of recycling over 3 tons of plastic pots, trays and cell packs.

All plastic garden containers will be accepted. Separate in 2 groups: #2 and all the rest. Pots will be baled and shipped to markets in Seattle by RockTenn’s Anchorage Recycling Center and turned into plastic lumber or other plastic products. Recyclers are also welcome to take pots home for re-use. Commercial plant sellers can drop off pots directly at the recycling center the week prior to this event (August 13 -17.) Please contact ALPAR for instructions or RockTenn Recycling for details.

Drop off details:
1. SORT in 2 groups: #2 HDPE plastic pots in one and the rest in the other. (There are many pots and trays without numbers. Please bring them, too.
2. Shake out loose soil or rinse.
3. Remove metal hangers.
4. STACK like-sized pots to save space.
5. ONLY BRING POTS DURING THE EVENT – NO PRE OR POST DROP OFF!
6. Greenhouses, sellers and landscapers should drop off at the recycling center August 13-17.

ALPAR, the Alaska Botanical Garden, RockTenn Recycling (Anchorage Recycling Center) and Alaska Waste have teamed up to sponsor this recycling one-stop event. Media sponsors include the Anchorage Media Group Radio Stations, Anchorage Daily News and the Anchorage Press. For information, call Mary Fisher of ALPAR at 644-7968.

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Begich Middle School - Winner of the Outstanding Anchorage School Recycling Program

ALPAR’s Annual Awards Banquet took place on May 10, 2012 with over 150 attending.  Eleven deserving individuals, organizations and businesses were recognized for their outstanding contributions in 2011 to litter prevention and recycling in Alaska.  The ALPAR banquet is always a rollicking event with a theme.  This year’s “Going For the Green” theme brought out lots of golf attire.  Golfers recycle, too! Check out our list of outstanding award winners for this year. See the slideshow!

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While driving down the Glenn Highway yesterday, I, yet again, was confronted with the situation that causes at the very least an eye-roll. The pickup truck in front of me let loose a plastic bag out of the back that flew off to the roadside. The back of the pickup was filled with all manner of stuff and, to my eye, not covered and not secured. I know it was not the pickup truck’s fault and it was not the bag’s fault either. The driver (who was talking happily on his cell phone) was clueless. Litter happens intentionally and sometimes unintentionally. Let’s remember that uncovered and unsecured loads not only cause litter, they can cause roadway accidents and deaths. There is good reason why it’s unlawful to drive with an unsecured load. So, no excuses! Littering is not unintentional when you don’t secure your load. It’s just like throwing that cup or cigarette butt out of the window. Please remind your friends, family and fellow workers that not securing your load is uncool and against the law.

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