In 2023 PAIC joined the Backhaul Alaska program.  Backhaul Alaska works with rural communities across Alaska to remove and recycle harmful and hazardous waste.  Port Alsworth is part of a Lakes Region team which includes Pedro Bay and Iliamna.  We work together to consolidate and remove waste out of the region.  As of summer 2024, we have removed from Port Alsworth:

• 10,000# Batteries

• 5,200# E-Waste

• 300# Fluorescent Lightbulbs

15,550#

A key element of the Backhaul Alaska program is the required comprehensive Uniform Backhaul Training that must be taken by anyone in the program. Anyone that is preparing and packaging materials through the program, must have Certified Signer status which is given after full completion of the Uniform Backhaul Training. 

Backhaul & Hazmat Training

A “full” Backhaul Alaska training is taught over 3 days.  It follows a curriculum that was developed by an expert group of transporters and recyclers involved in backhaul in Alaska.  The curriculum is also approved by US Department of Transportation. 

Included within the full trainings is DOT HMR General Awareness, Function Specific, and Safety Training. Trainees complete DOT Security Awareness online and submit their certification to the Program prior to beginning backhaul activities.

In addition to classroom work that covers such topics as recordkeeping, loading, required forms, and management of a community collection point, one afternoon is devoted to function specific training and testing (packaging requirements for lead acid batteries, electronic waste, and fluorescent lights.

Refrigerant Recovery

This course trains communities that have a specific need for performing refrigerant recovery at their landfills. The 1-day training is divided up into classroom and hands-on sections. The classroom section covers topics such as: refrigeration cycle, stratospheric ozone depletion, important regulations, recovery equipment and techniques. The hands-on section covers safety, equipment & tools, field prepping refrigerant cylinders (putting into a vacuum), checking for and purging non-condensable (i.e. air), recovery setup and techniques, and labeling and shipping. 

This 2-day training looks at your solid waste management program as a utility operation. We use self-assessment exercises and discussions to explore the 9 management areas that contribute to effective and sustainable utility management. You will learn your own program’s weaknesses and strengths and leave with an identified approach to improving your program. This training also includes guest speakers on the topic of climate change planning for SWM, and Education and Outreach. 

1 full day is dedicated to the Business of Trash.  We will review the Solid Waste Management for Rural Alaska Operational Guidance. The information is focused on improving waste management in communities with Class III landfills. Waste management in small and remote communities has very specific challenges, and it is important that these challenges are addressed. This document is intended to help community leaders and landfill operators tackle those challenges by explaining how best to ensure that solid waste is handled and disposed of in a manner that minimizes impacts to human health and the environment. These practices are commonly referred to as Best Management Practices. 

Removed 21,928#

• 14,823# Household non-burnable waste

• 3,350# Batteries

• 3,079# Appliances

• 676# E-Waste