The Matanuska-Susitna Borough鈥檚 solid waste division has two new projects underway, one which will save the borough about $200,000 a year in costs of hauling contaminated rainwater from the borough landfill to Anchorage for treatment, and a second the first phase of an organic compost collection program that has been long in the planning.
The borough assembly gave the go-ahead recently for a $1.4 million phase one of the compost program, which will involve purchasing equipment and upgrading transfer sites for the collection and processing of woody debris, which can then be used in gardening or other agricultural purposes. A phase two, planned once the balance of the funding is provided, is to upgrade the transfer sites in Big Lake, Willow and Talkeetna with compost collection and improved household hazardous waste disposal, according to Jeff Smith, manager of the borough鈥檚 solid waste division.