Garbage, garbage everywhere: environment a concern as trash piles up at landfills.

• Author: Grenn, Ben
• Position: ABM's 2007 ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIAL SECTION

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Where do you put 3.7 million pounds of trash? And that's just the tip of the iceberg or the top of the garbage heap.

The early spring Anchorage citywide cleanup effort netted a total of 1,875 tons of trash during an event sponsored by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce. The garbage collecting event included volunteers from businesses and other organizations, students from 74 public schools and 8,260 vehicles taking advantage of three, free dump days at local landfills.

This event only underpins the mammoth daily amount of trash that keeps piling up in Alaska's landfills.

It's almost the equivalent to the age-old riddle of "how do you eat an elephant?" That's easy, one bite at a time.

"You might be surprised to know that the day after Christmas is not our biggest collection day of the year," said Mark Madden, an engineering manager with the Municipality of Anchorage Solid Waste Services. "It's the free dump days during the month of May when we take in our most trash."

The municipality collects nearly 1,110 tons of garbage every day ... six days a week, minus Sundays and a sprinkling of holidays.

The Merrill Field dumpsite closed (was capped) in 1987. The landfill is now part of the runway for Anchorage's army of small aircraft. Hiland Mountain landfill, (Anchorage Regional Landfill) near Eagle River, has been going strong since then. It is not due to close until 2043.

The Highland Mountain facility is 300 acres. Not all of that land is used for landfill purposes. There is a buffer zone between what land is used for landfill and surrounding structures, homes, etc. The old Merrill Field dumpsite pales in comparison to Highland Mountain.

"We will closely assess our landfill situation about five to seven years out from the target date of 2043," said Madden, who has been with the municipality for a little over one year. "But we are continually looking at our options for where the next landfill might be. It's definitely an ongoing process.

"We can also gauge how good of a construction season we've had in the area based on the amount of trash at the landfill," Madden continued. "Obviously and generally speaking, the more building material accumulated, the better the season has been."

A BATHTUB OF DIRT

A secure landfill is a carefully engineered depression in the ground (or built on top of the ground, resembling a football stadium) into which wastes are put. The aim is to avoid any hydraulic (water-related) connection between...