Kicking paper to the curb.(Brief article)

When is less, more? When it involves Alaska Waste and its curbside recycling program.

A pilot program, which has the potential to become citywide, started almost two years ago, has grown to nearly 1,000 homes. The majority of its Anchorage Bowl customers are clustered in the communities of Turnagain and Bayshore.

"The curbside collection program adds longer life to the city landfill," said Ashley Barney, sales and marketing director for Alaska Waste. "The less garbage that's collected, the longer it will take to fill our landfills.

"For now, the only recyclable material is paper products. But that doesn't mean we won't explore the possibility in the future of recycling bottles, cans, plastics or other materials."

Alaska Waste took over the recycling program from Waste Management (of Alaska) in October 2005 after purchasing the company in May.

"Almost everyone in the program continued on with us," said Barney, who has been with the company for the past four years.

Alaska Waste charges $6 a month for their paper-only pickup service. Collection is every other week. The refuse company provides each of its customers with one 64-gallon container, complete with wheels, for every household that signs up for the recycling program.

Barney also said that although it is a pilot program, it is renewable each year.

Alaska Waste has no immediate plans for expanding the service to other parts outside of Anchorage, but doesn't rule out any option for growth.

"Right now, providing the service elsewhere is way down the line," said Barney.

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