On a brisk spring day on the wind-swept Alaska tundra, members of a small, predominately Alaskan Native fishing community joined staff from a state-wide nonprofit to collect and pack household waste containing lead, mercury, flame retardants, and other toxic substances. The team packed 3,334 pounds of electronic waste, 12,558 pounds of lead acid batteries, and 283 pounds of universal waste lamps (e.g. fluorescent, mercury halide and similar lamps). The collected waste was transported to Seattle, Washington, for proper disposal or recycling. Waste packing efforts like this one are a key step in removing hazardous waste materials from rural Alaska communities, where such waste might otherwise be burned or discarded in unlined landfills.
Managing waste in remote areas can present unique challenges. Approximately 200 rural, remote Alaskan communities operate Class III landfills, which are unlined due to environmental, economic, and logistical constraints. Waste is often burned to reduce the volume of materials going into the landfill, but this practice can release toxic emissions from hazardous household waste (e.g., batteries, electronics, and light bulbs). These emissions can impact human health and subsistence resources that are culturally and economically important, especially for Alaska Native community members. To prevent the potential release of toxic emissions, many communities employ an approach known as “backhaul.”
Backhaul involves transporting cargo on a barge or plane’s return trip when it would otherwise be empty. Although some small communities can secure discounted backhaul shipping rates, the costs for backhaul shipment can still be high and limited staffing can make logistical coordination challenging. Additionally, training is needed to ensure waste is packed properly and safely for shipping…