Metal scrap fees waived through end of month

Wrangell Public Works announced Monday it will be extending a window for free disposal of metal waste at the local scrapyard through the month’s end.

The department had initially opened a month-long period for residents to get rid of household scrap without fees on October 11. An expectation of a barge arriving in mid-November to take excess salvage off the city’s hands had prompted the move, with the hope that residents might be encouraged to clean house a bit. Following a lengthy, expensive and still unresolved cleanup of severely contaminated soil at the former Byford scrapyard, the Borough Assembly this fall has renewed focus on enforcing local code concerning accumulated junk and abandoned vehicles that are left out in the open. The police department has been tasked with dealing with objects left on public property first, but starting in May private property owners are led to expect more stringent policing as well.

The Juneau-based firm Channel Construction had this spring arranged to take on ferrous and salvageable scrap from the municipal junkyard at no cost to the city, in exchange for its waiving the usual compensation for recyclable items. The arrangement had been a boon for Public Works, whose yard had been stockpiled with vehicles and other junk to capacity after years of depressed commodities prices made transport off-island unaffordable. The tons of material Channel Construction collected was then transported south to Oregon for reprocessing.

In the scrap business since the 1960s, the company has provided such services to most communities in Southeast Alaska over the years. But while it still offers a charter service for moving solid waste items, continuing its informal arrangements with those communities over the last five years has been limited by the continued decrease in value of commodities like scrap iron and other metals.

As a result, such transfers have by necessity become more opportunistic, and the offloading of Wrangell’s scrap earlier this year was possible because the firm had a barge with space in the area. Another barge was expected to stop in to Wrangell later this month, but that has since been pushed back to December.

“They will be coming back,” said Amber Al-Haddad, Wrangell’s Public Works director.

Because of this, the initial November 11 cut-off for free disposal at the Wrangell yard has been extended through the rest of the month. “We might extend that as well,” added Al-Haddad.

Any scrap metal brought to the transfer station for disposal during this time must be from a household source and free of all attached contaminants, such as wood, rubber, plastic and fabrics. To qualify as “scrap metal,” the item for recycling must contain a minimum of 85 percent metal.

Large household appliances will be accepted, but must be cleaned out and free of garbage. Washers and dryers, stoves and ranges, hot water tanks, microwaves, dishwashers and other white goods with metal housing apply. Fuel and propane tanks must be empty of all materials and a hole must be cut in the bottom to ensure they are empty.

Old automobiles are also covered under the arrangement, though all vehicles and small engines should be drained of all fluids by the customer beforehand, including fuel, engine oil, antifreeze and transmission fluid. The waste transfer station has drums available for customers to dispose of vehicular fluids at regular disposal fees.

Batteries must also be removed before turning in a vehicle, and will be accepted for free. Tires must be removed too, but will be accepted at the regular disposal fee of $3 apiece. Ownership title for each vehicle must be presented at the time of disposal.

For more information about the free scrap metal session, or to discuss options for commercial operations’ scrap metal disposal, contact Wrangell Public Works at 874-3904.

NOTICE: Garbage normally scheduled for pick-up Friday will instead be collected the following Monday, as city employees will be taking Friday off for Veterans Day. The public is asked to place garbage cans next week on the roadside by 8 a.m. for pickup. Public Works’ offices and the Solid Waster Transfer Facility will both be closed tomorrow as well for the holiday. The transfer yard will be open on Saturday, with its regular schedule. For garbage schedule questions call 874-3904.