Environmental

City and Borough of Sitka

• Wastewater Treatment Plant waste (sludge disposal) goes to the landfill in the Granite Creek Industrial Park

• Alaska Waste - Sitka, LLC has been contracted to run all aspects of solid waste in Sitka: the transfer station, the recycling center, and trash collection.
  • Does the weekly collection of solid waste from residential and commercial customers
  • Operates the Transfer Station on Jarvis Street
  • Operates the Recycle Center at 802 Sawmill Creek Road
• For any questions regarding things such as: repairs to my garbage can; I missed my garbage day, what happens now; placement of my garbage can; contact Alaska Waste at (907) 747-5669.
• If you need help regarding your Utility (light, garbage, water) bill, contact the City of Sitka Utilities Office at (907) 747-1818 extension 2.

Marble Island, LLC. (lease) 907-623-0760

• Handles the overburden debris disposal

Hazardous Waste is leftover household products that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients that are considered to be household hazardous waste (HHW). Products, such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides, that contain potentially hazardous ingredients require special care when you dispose of them. These can include, cleaners, solvents, paint thinners, oils, antifreeze, pesticides, and automotive products. If you have questions about whether something is hazardous, please call Public Works at (907) 747-1804.

• The City and Borough of Sitka has a Hazardous Waste Collection event each year in the spring and fall.
• This is a 2 day event that happens twice a year. The Spring event happens at the same time of the City and Borough of Sitka Spring Clean-up. The fall event occurs in October. Save your hazardous waste for these events. 
• The City and Borough of Sitka contracts with an environmental specialist to manage the material collected at the event.   
• The City and Borough of Sitka personnel assist in sorting and packaging the collected material.

Learn more about Hazardous Waste from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Salvation Army
405 Sawmill Creek Road
907-747-3358

Sweet Peas
1321 Sawmill Creek Road Suite B
907-747-7972

Tongass Threads
236 Lincoln Street, #102 in the Franklin Mall
907-747-2792

White Elephant
323 Seward Street
907-747-3430

Alaska Waste operates the Recycle Center at 802 Sawmill Creek Road

• Source separates and bales for shipping off island
• Recycling plastic #1, #2 and #5. Aluminum, metal, corrugated cardboard and newspaper.

City and Borough of Sitka

• Re-purpose glass

Changes to Recycling - November 2017

• The City and Borough of Sitka Center will no longer be accepting plastics 3 through 7 or mixed paper for recycle. World wide demand for recyclable products has declined and forced Republic Services, our waste collection contractor, to stop accepting materials. Corrugated cardboard, tin, aluminum, glass, and plastics 1 and 2 will continue to be collected. We apologize for the inconvenience.

How Can I Recycle

• Aluminum cans and scrap aluminum:  Recycle Center on 802 Sawmill Creek Road across from National Cemetery.  
• Car batteries: Napa Auto Parts - 100 Smith Street (747-6659).
• Cardboard: Corrugated cardboard only and newspaper are in the same bin.  Recycle Center on 802 Sawmill Creek Road across from National Cemetery.  No waxed boxes accepted such as fish boxes.
• Glass: Recycle Center on 802 Sawmill Creek Road across from National Cemetery. Paper labels are okay. Remove caps. Large pieces call 907-747-4041
• Oil - Used motor oil:  Each harbor in town has a green container specifically to store used motor oil.
• Plastic: Recycle Center on 802 Sawmill Creek Road across from National Cemetery. Remove lids, rinse out, and watch for the numbers #1, colored plastic #2 and #5, be sure you put the right number in the right bin. Cloudy milk jugs should be squished flat. Labels are okay.

Tips for Readying Items for Recycling

• Peanut Butter Jars: A tip for cleaning peanut butter jars - fill the jar up and let it soak overnight, then the next day pour half of the water out, replace the lid and shake it vigorously. This will clean the softened peanut butter out.
• Plastic Soap Containers: Only #1 & #2 types. Containers that held shampoo or laundry soap should be filled halfway and shaken. Then pour this out and refill the bottle all the way so water pushes excess foam out.
• Laundry Detergent: Large detergent bottles can be recycled also. You can pour a bit of water in, replace the lid and shake. Then you can use this water to wash another load of clothes!
• Pizza Box Dilemma: Do you or don't you recycle pizza boxes? The golden rule for pizza boxes is if there is a grease stain bigger than a half dollar - Throw it away! Same goes if there is any cheese or toppings stuck to the box... throw it away. Otherwise it will contaminate the cardboard recycling.

Recycling Links

• 1-800-Recycling  This is fun question-and-answer videos with the YouTube host giving great information.
• Steve Trash Network These are videos about trash and recycling for children where magic is sometimes used to hit the point home!
• earth911.org
• Smart Plastics Guide by the Public Broadcasting System (PBS)

• CBS-Disposal-Locations-and-Rates-FY2027.pdf(PDF, 161KB)   - Where to take items
• PSA-Overburden Waste Disposal Map(PDF, 121KB) - Overburden Waste Location Map
• PSA - Proper Disposal of Signal Flares 031425(PDF, 194KB) - For the disposal of signal flares

The Scrapyard:

• Processes vehicles, white goods, fuel tanks, tires and more
• Removes toxic fluids and material from products
• Sort, bail and ship assorted metal

Solid Waste Treatment and Refuse Collection Policy(PDF, 2MB)