Roller derby team takes on task of local recycling

Taking up the mantle left by the Lions Club after it closed its Wrangell chapter last summer, the Garnet Grit Betties roller derby team is continuing its aluminum collection program.

For two decades the club had raised money for itself through the program, as aluminum is one of the few recyclable materials which can turn a profit for collectors. Reprocessing the material is considerably more efficient than producing it from bauxite ore, a savings which makes it more profitable than iron scrap and similarly reclaimed commodities.

The Betties had worked out an arrangement with the Lions to continue the collection, gathering mainly cans from collection points at state housing, Bobs' IGA and City Market.

"We're willing to take cans from businesses if they're willing to bag them up," said Jenn Wiederspohn, with the team. The derbiers already pick up cans from the Marine Bar & Pizza, but can arrange to do so for other establishments.

"Every weekend we're collecting cans," said Wiederspohn. By cans, she means aluminum drink cans for soda or beer. Soup cans, plastics and other materials cannot be processed, and have to be sorted out as trash. "It has to be aluminum," she reiterated. In addition to cans, the program also can arrange for scrap aluminum from boat-building or siding projects to be taken.

Once gathered in the back of their truck, the players then sift through and gather their cans in the bins behind Bobs'. They then go through the process of crushing them down, kneading through with their boots like a traditional winemaker might do with grapes.

"Some people crush their cans first, which is great," Wiederspohn said over the noise, ear protection on. Once crushed, she and teammate Erica Tlachac repackage them in heavy duty bags. These then get stored at one of the players' homes until there are enough to ship out.

Three or so pallets will periodically get sent out by barge with the help of Bobs', headed to Washington to be processed by Tacoma Metals. The team receives a check for the materials, which goes to help the team's travel expenses and hosting duties. Their season already winding down, they are preparing to hold a mashup bout here in Wrangell on April 1, with several teams from around the region slated to play.

At the moment, the Betties' service is the only aluminum collection done on the island. Wrangell Cooperative Association's environmental office puts together a recycling guide each year, detailing where a variety of household and industrial items can be recycled.

Last year's listing is available at the WCA office, while an updated version is due later in the spring, in May or June. One type of item currently unavailable for regular disposal is electronic waste, which the office plans to address this spring with an e-waste drive on April 15.