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

The borough has its eyes on two parcels of state land near the Lutak Dock to store cars and clean metal waiting to be recycled. A decade after the municipality began taxing residents for junk-car disposal, Haines residents still have no way to dispose of unwanted vehicles. For a time, the borough and at least one local business accepted scrap cars, but as the price for scrap metal dropped, the service was suspended. Although a long-term solution is still being developed, the borough is working to adopt a short-term fix, at least for this year.

“It’s an awful problem, and we really do want to work to solve it,” said borough manager Annette Kreitzer. “It’s just not as easy as a barge pulling up and we just throw all these vehicles on there.”

The borough has been in the process of acquiring or leasing a state-owned parcel near Lutak Dock to store cars and scrap metals. The project is currently stalled as the borough waits on a lease agreement with the Department of Natural Resources.

Another hurdle has been negotiating with barging companies, Kreitzer said. Historically, barge companies have sent ships to Haines no more than once or twice a year. The borough has shipped cars through Alaska Marine Lines, but spent more money on shipping than they made from scrap sales.

“We are thinking about it, trying to work our way through all the logistical issues and will give people enough notice and try to make it a much more orderly process,” Kreitzer said. “The most important thing people can do now is make sure they have the title to the vehicle they are getting rid of.”

In years past, Bigfoot Auto has accepted junk vehicles, but stopped accepting scrap vehicles around three years ago.

“The reason we have stopped taking them is because disposal is rather difficult,” Bigfoot employee Brian Clay said. “We still take a few on and off if somebody pays us, but we have cut back quite a bit since the last barge at least a couple years ago. They’re just hard to dispose of.”

In order to be recycled, junk vehicles must be crushed, removed of batteries and tires, and drained of all fluids. The borough is still sorting through the cost of the project, what machinery is needed and where to store the vehicle fluids, Kreitzer said.

Haines residents pay a $22 tax when registering a vehicle, which is allocated to a junk car disposal fund of roughly $27,000 a year. However, the money from this fund is still not enough to cover the costs of the project, Kreitzer said.

The most important thing residents with junk vehicles can do is find the title to their vehicle, Kreitzer said. Titles that have been lost or damaged can be duplicated by the DMV.

Residents interested in recycling a used vehicle should email deputy clerk Kiersten Long at planner@haines.ak.us or by calling (907) 766-6400. An announcement will also be made to the public on the borough’s webpage, Facebook page a month before the program takes place, Kreitzer said.