Chilkat Valley News - Serving Haines and Klukwan, Alaska since 1966

To all of those who took the time to respond to our Solid Waste Survey for Haines, I wanted to extend my sincere appreciation. Your input definitely helps shape how we view your needs and our role in Solid Waste Management in the Haines Community. I’ve included a summary of survey responses in recognition of your participation in the survey process.

While we must structure our responses in ways that balance both your needs, and maintain economic viability for the Landfill, we have heard your concerns. As proof of our commitment to listening to your concerns, we have reversed course on our intention to institute a minimum landfill fee at this time. We do, however, plan to institute the minimum credit card charge at $ 5.00 out of necessity to offset processing fees for those credit card transactions.

We also recognize that a significant majority of you desire additional days and/or hours to access the landfill. Weighing the costs of fully staffing the landfill for additional days/hours against your desire for access, we’ve come up with, what I believe, to be a very workable compromise.

Beginning on April 1, 2022, we’ll allow access for disposal of MSW (Household trash) six days per week from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. But… Here’s the catch. Our program will rely on pre-sold, bio-degradable bags which you will purchase in packs of ten bags. Once you have your bags, you can access our “Drop & Drive” container/s at any time from Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7:00 am and 4:00 pm. Again, this is for household trash only at this time.

As a collateral benefit to this program, we will allow an “express lane” during the days we are normally open to the public (Tues, Thurs & Sat) so those of you with prepaid bags can bypass “the line”! This will vastly shorten the wait queue to access the scale house (another significant area of dissatisfaction among survey responses). In a win/win, it should reduce the queue time for both those with ONLY prepaid trash AND for those waiting in line for disposal of other inert waste, recyclables and C&D materials.

As we move forward, we hope to find ways to increase recycling opportunities and to expand our Drop & Drive program to additional waste streams beyond MSW (household trash). We appreciate both your patience and your continued support as we look for ways to meet your waste disposal needs in a sustainable, environmentally responsible, and affordable manner. Please stay tuned for details of the Drop & Drive Program as we approach April.

Community and Solutions are two thirds of our name, after all, and all of us here at CWS are committed to finding ways to service the solid waste needs of this community. As such, we remain…… On the Move with Haines. Here’s to a safe, healthy, happy and successful 2022!

Craig Franke

General Manager, Haines Sanitation, Inc.