The CBJ does not own or operate the landfill or the collection and hauling of garbage. Our best guess is that it only has a 10-15 year life expectancy. The CBJ RecycleWorks program diverts materials from the landfill for beneficial reuse. By diverting materials from the landfill, we are extending the life of the landfill. However, CBJ does not control the landfill.

CBJ is in the process of planning a municipal facility for composting. However, CBJ will not operate the facility; instead, we will contract those services out like we do with our Recycling, Household Hazardous Waste, and Junk Vehicle Recycling programs. CBJ is seeking out federal funding to construct the facility.

Recyclables that are collected in Juneau are packaged up and sent down south to recycling facilities that repurpose the materials, often the commodity has a market value and is sold. Revenue received by the CBJ goes to offset the cost of the recycling program. However, recycling is very unstable and cannot be relied on to pay for itself.

Glass is crushed and used as a road base for landfill operations. Without glass, crushed rock would need to be used which would expend resources and uses fuel for crushing and delivery. Long distance transportation of glass recycling is not preferable because of transportation costs related to its weight, safety concerns for recycling workers, and the environmental impact of the embodied carbon related to transportation and manufacturing. All other materials that we accept at the recycling center are sent to a processing center in Washington and recycled!

Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees!

Zero Waste International Alliance defines zero waste as “the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.”

At the municipal level, ‘zero waste’ does not mean zero trash. Zero waste planning at a city level means working towards a system that diverts as much as possible from the landfill. This includes taking a hard look at what a community is already doing with its solid waste, and adding programs and policies to divert materials that are currently being landfilled. Many US cities are aiming for ‘zero waste,’ but to date none have achieved it.

Recyclables need to be rinsed or wiped to remove organic debris.

Greasy pizza boxes cannot be recycled, but they can be composted! If there isn’t grease on the lid of the pizza box, you can tear it off and recycle the non-greasy portion.

TV’s, computers, printers and most other electrical appliances are accepted at the HHW at no cost to you! Household Hazardous Waste

Refrigerators are accepted at the landfill for a fee.

Based on previous reports submitted to the Department of Environmental Conservation, we estimate that the landfill will close in 10-15 years.

Exactly when the landfill will close is hard to predict. Changes in operations and volume entering the landfill make it difficult to know for sure when it will close. CBJ also does not have a role in operational or business decisions as the Capitol Disposal Landfill is privately owned by Waste Management.