The Fairbanks North Star Borough is beginning a 3 week experiment to improve conditions of a heavily used trash drop off site. The borough is cutting hours at the Farmers Loop East transfer site in Fairbanks from 24 to 12 hours per day during the trial period, which started today [June 9]. Borough solid waste manager Bob Jordan says the facility will also be staffed.
“We are planning on greeting customers as they come in and ask them some simple questions about what they are there for and directing them where they need to go, and then having someone sort of roving around assisting, answering questions and just trying to make the experience a little bit safer and more orderly,” Jordan said.
Jordan says the changes are an attempt to halt unauthorized commercial use, stop dumping of wrecked cars and to address vehicle and pedestrian safety, as well as general lawlessness at the transfer site.
“We often find trash strewn all over the ground that has been pulled out of the bins,” Jordan said. “And the bins are constantly getting spray-painted, and the contractor simply can’t keep up with that. And we are finding a lot of needles and other things and observing some drug activity.”
Last summer the borough made major upgrades to both the Farmers Loop east and west transfer sites, adding new lights, re-use shelters, hazardous waste collection bins, and access roads.
Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
