Proposed landfills for demolition debris raise alarm in Chugiak, Palmer

Central Recycling Services turns construction and demolition debris into money at a bustling facility along Anchorage's Ship Creek.

The company made more than $3.5 million last year selling steel and crushed asphalt, concrete and glass to Seattle and Alaska markets.

Now, short on space and chafing at $60-per-ton municipal landfill fees, Central Recycling hopes to build two of its own fills for the shredded debris it can't sell -- 8,000 tons a year and rising.

The company has proposed two, 30-year debris disposal sites in Chugiak and Palmer.

As recycling supporters hail the proposed monofills, neighbors are pushing back, worried about the possibility for fouled drinking water wells and decreased property values.

Unlike conventional landfills, the debris fills are lightly regulated by the state with no requirements for underground liners or wells to monitor water quality. The absence of clear regulations spooks nearby residents. It also breeds unpredictable permit decisions.

Central's proposed debris dumps conform to Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation standards. Anchorage planners are recommending approval for the Chugiak site. But the Matanuska-Susitna Borough rejected the company's design standards for Palmer.

Central plans to install monitoring wells, co-owner Shane Durand said. But the public doesn't see that in the paperwork because the state application didn't require it.

"So we got hit for not having a monitoring plan," Durand said.

Opponents of the dumps see it differently. They say operators like Central -- and current or future debris dumpers -- are taking advantage of Alaska's lax laws.

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Proposed landfills for demolition debris raise alarm in Chugiak, Palmer