Back 
Sen. Dennis Egan gave Mayor Bruce Botelho the can. A 96-gallon blue-topped recycling can to be specific, to kick off what the above dignitaries said at a Monday press conference at the mayor’s home on Douglas was a 20-plus-year dream to bring curbside recycling to Juneau.
“This is a long time coming,” Botelho said.
Arrow Refuse, owned by Alaska Pacific Environmental Services, demonstrated one of its three new automated refuse collection services at event. The truck used is recognizable but with a grabber arm that is extended from the driver’s side. Pulled up next to a curbside recycle can, blue lid or a black-lidded standard refuse can, the arm grabs the can and chugs it.
During the presentation, the truck’s powerful arm buckled the can a bit. Arrow Refuse’s Robert Thorstenson said the injection-molded plastic is resilient and returns to its shape.
“Especially as it warms on a sunny day,” Thorstenson said.
Arrow began delivery of its 96-gallon recycle carts Monday and plans its first pickup June 5 or 6. A card on their cart will tell customers the date, Thorstenson said.
The service costs $3.11 per month.
Arrow picks up its customers co-mingled recycling every other week and the days are offset from garbage pick up.
Customers can mix cardboard, paper, aluminum, tin, steel, plastics No. 1 - No. 7 and phone books. No glass or hardbound books will be taken. By comparison, the City and Borough of Juneau’s self-separated recycle center at Waste Management’s facility in Lemon Creek will accept glass, but only accepts plastics No. 1 and No. 2. The city’s service costs all Juneau residents $1.25 on their utility bills.
Barring coming up with a creative re-use, Thorstenson said Arrow may offer a pickup service for customer’s old trash cans.
“A one-time go around in about a month,” Thorstenson said.
Apartment and condominium dwellers may have a couple options in the future, Arrow’s Jeff Reilly said. Those might be commercial recycling, so an apartment owner or condominium association could sign up for service, Reilly said. Also, Arrow already offers a black-lidded refuse can in a 48-gallon size. Reilly said. The cans are expected to last at least 10 years, he said.
“I’ve got carts that have been in Fairbanks for 12 years,” Reilly said. “And they’re plastic, so water isn’t going to affect them.”
Arrow ordered 10,000 carts, Reilly said.
Mayor Botelho said the 96-gallon can fits his larger family well. Sen. Egan said he could eventually opt for a smaller can.
Lupita Botelho said between recycling and composting, the family produces very little trash.
The narrow alleys and steep roads of the core downtown Juneau area is not conducive to automated recycling or refuse pick up. Arrow customers in the blue zone will receive semi-automated service and billed as such.
For more information about curbside recycling visit bit.ly/IQZvNP, or bit.ly/LwoDjg. To find out what zone you live in visit bit.ly/KFA4jc.
• Contact reporter Russell Stigall at 523-2276 or at russell.stigall@juneauempire.com.
Comments (24)
Add commentThank you!
Been waiting for this one for years. Hauling recyclables to the landfill has never been a favorite chore of mine. And having to keep them separated was annoying.
With a can that size, I plan to team up with a few neighbors and share one.
Landlord isn't springing for recycling
This is great news and I am excited about it. Although, my landlord raised my rent 10% last month he isn't springing for recycling. I'll still haul my recyclables to the center. Thank you for continuing to offer the second option in order to recycle.
OK
Why aren't the new cans labled with an address. The one outside nearest my house is in front of my neighbors driveway and nothing in front of my house...what gives?
What a mess!!! LOUSY JOB
Thank you
Very excited for this new service to start! We've been recycling for years and sometimes life just gets away from us and can't make a regular scheduled trip to the recycling center, so this will help us out a lot. I think the fees are also very reasonable.
Mama T
Did you sign up for a can? Pick up is free, but you must rent the can. Looking forward to getting mine today.
Yes I signed up for a can
Yep....and I'm not sure what my neighbor signed up for...they are out of town right now so the simple solution of just talking to the neighbor isn't on the table.
A heads up on when the can deliveries would start and some care in the process is all I ask since I am responsible for these 'rented' cans.
The can matches the size I ordered...and...there are a few more out there up and down the street. Should I just go grab one?
Kinda like the two day notice for making a decision on the number and size of the cans.
Sloppy.....
Glass
It's too bad that they don't accept glass. I prefer to drink from bottles.
I have often wondered if recycling the glass as an aggregate to make a road on the dump is really worthwhile. I figure that if you were to have a semi with a load of gravel versus 2,000 cars dropping off the same amount of glass aggregate is it really better for the environment? It takes an awful lot of cars in what can be done with one semi. The glass and gravel both need to be crushed. The garbage truck is already going to the landfill so why not just put it in the trash?
I've decided that the only benefit of recycling glass is that Arrow Refuse gets paid to receive the glass and does not have to purchase gravel to make roads. I know some people will be taken back by my position but you have to ask yourself is it really any better? For me the question comes to: Is it better to mine a little more gravel or is it better for a bunch of cars to drive their recycling and pump CO2 into the environment? It is more convenient for me to just throw it away and if it is a wash then why not. If I lived in a town that offered true glass recycling then it would be a no brainer.
I would call
I know I was told the cans would come this week on your regular trash day, for me that is today. I was told that when I called to refuse the regular can but get the recycle. If I were you I would certainly call. Gotta figure it is a big change for not just us but the guys on the trucks. Mistakes are bound to happen. I guess I am just jazzed to finally have this available, so much easier to get my family on board than with the sorting.
Address
Are we suppose to put our address on these cans like we were required to do before? I don't recall reading about that in the letter.
I called too
And I got my can yesterday. Just give them a call. No need to raise the old blood pressure.
Mama T
I just called arrow, they said we cannot mark the containers with our address, they said each cans got a serial # which is how they identify which can belongs to which home. They suggested I tie a ribbon on it to ID which ones mine. Hope this helps.
PS
I’d recommend you use a zip tie a ribbons not going to last long
Lat
I'm planning on using the extra space in both cans to pick up the recyclables & trash that the (filtered three letter word) holes toss in the ditches around my neighborhood,
I called and they are confused too
My regular trash day was monday and we received no notification. The person I spoke to said Id get a call back so Im patiently waiting. No mention of the serial # in our conversation. Apparently they intended to place them in driveways and by mailboxes neither of which happend up here.
Yep..if ive got a can out there i don't know it. Or at best Id be guessing.....
Great idea!
@isldandhopper thank you for sharing.
Doesn't the police department
Doesn't the police department require everyone to have their address on their cans?
Serial number
Each can has a serial number, which is tied to your address in Arrow's records. Since we have three units in our townhouse that get Arrow service, and they only dropped off two cans, I had to track down the delivery truck on the next block to find out whose can was whose. Not having been told I could not mark it with my address, I went ahead and did so...
@ SueDoeNimby
Yes, the City does require you to have your address on your cans. I called the Manager's Office and you can be fined if you do not have your address on your cans.
I'm not quite sure how this is going to get all smoothed out, but it seems to me that there was a serious breakdown in communication between the people making the rules at Arrow and the City.
So, out of curiosity, what
So, out of curiosity, what does APES/CBJ plan to do with all the old plastic garbage cans that are no used for garbage? Can't imagine how many of those could end up in the landfill!
Dumb !
No matter what they do, Juneau will still look like one big efing trailer court ! Have you been down the street that go's to Lemon creek correctional ? what a getto , now your going to see the's big FAT garbage cans all over the place , which a garbage bear will have no problem ripping off the flimsey lid throwing crap everywhere which will be worse because the new cans hold more stuff, but thats good because now the garbage cops can write more tickets an that makes the CBJ more money . The BS never stops around here and it's getting deeper.
I was told that if I signed
I was told that if I signed up, I would be charged extra if I wanted recycling ... this is directly from Arrow, and they still say that hasn't changed .... might want to check your bills for this month.
Also, how much is Arrow paying for your garbage cans? They are getting paid already for regular garbage and recycling, how much are they paying or crediting the accounts for taking our cans we paid for?
~ seriously wondering ~
@sync
I don't think you are required to give them your garbage cans. They are simply offering to take them, free of charge, and dispose of them (or whatever - who cares?!?). Don't give them your's if you don't want to.
The charge for recycling is only the rental of the can at $3.11 per month. You won't be charged that fee if you don't sign up.
I hope the discrepency with the address on the cans is cleared up soon.
Agree with lvmykyk - there are going to be some kinks to work out but overall we are really pleased to have this option available. And now I don't have to worry how heavy my garbage can is - I can load 'er up!
just
clean (really really good)the old trashcans & compost in them
New Can
So when I get my new can it will still need to be stored indoors since it's not bear resistant?
recycle
I love that we now have curbside recycle, however my bin does not have any latch. I understand we are probably supposed to keep these bins in a storage area until pick up day, but what if they get tipped over before the truck gets there? Who is responsible for picking up the mess? My can gets tipped over on a regular basis in the winter time due to the snow plow going by.